Be Excellent To Each Other

Hey yo... it's survey time!

There's a story here

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/8020254/Tattooed-woman-told-to-put-bag-over-head-by-Jobcentre.html

It's about a tattooed and pierced lady who was told by the job center representative to "put a bag over her head" when she went for interviews. This upset her so she went and told the story to the times.

My question for the forum is.. would you hire someone covered in visible tattoos and piercings? I haven't got any visible myself, I'm just curious to what people think. I personally would be put off someone as appearance is the first thing we see, before skills etc.

I heard something similar on the news the other day about a (possibly) French guy not wanting to hire British people as most of us are covered in tattoos.

Full story on the tattooed lady in the spoiler.

I'd put a bag over her head, stand her behind a wall, then take off and nuke the site from orbit.

I think it depends on the sort of jobs she's applying for.

Birdscarer

She should get a job in a tattoo/piercing studio.

Strange opinion.

Outward appearance is not a reflection of the person's personality, skills or intelligence. That much is obvious. However, you have to question the attitude ( ) of someone who will *choose* to make themselves less employable by studding up their face and getting visible tattoos. I can understand that some people would see her piercings as 'dirty' or unhygienic which is going to affect her chances in the service industry, but there are so many jobs that don't involve face to face time. Call centres are just one example.

I wouldn't employ her for the simple reason that she sounds like a whining bitch

Also, I'd like to hear Pupil's take on this.

She's hardly Kat Von D though...

Ok, imagine the scenario... You're running a corner shop. A good old fashioned corner shop like in Open All Hours.

Would you hire her as your Saturday helper?

You could put a few bricks underneath her...

Bee keeper.

Yes, but I'd carefully count the pies at the end of each day.

If her skills met the criteria of the role, and she was not a whiny bitch, probably. But, maybe not for a customer facing role as described above.

While the job centre wasn't overly tactful, you'd think it'd be obvious to her that she'd stand a better chance of getting an interview/job without the piercings (the tattoos could be covered to an extent). 'Lifestyle choice' is one thing, but when it's going to limit the range of jobs you're likely to get, there's probably going to be the need for compromise.

That said, she'd fit in perfectly behind the bar of my local rock pub. However, that would mean getting read of one of the current barmaids and I'm not having that.

Thing is, if she was a hottie then the piercings etc wouldn't matter.

Beautifully, there is no law preventing an employer discriminating against fat uggos.

Unless it's a disability.

That was the head of P&O ferries (or something), saying that he wasn't able to get decent sailors in Britain, a lot of the existing ones were old, fat and tatooed.

And he might have had a point, but it wasn't saying most British people have tatoos

It's never held me back.



I don't mind one or two facial piercings on someone but hers are a bit much.

I don't think it would be controversial to find out that quite a lot of people are hired / not hired based on what they look like.

Exactly. If you want to turn someone down for a job, you can always find some other reason that's more PC. That's what....a friend tells me anyway.

She said if she removed them they looked worse. I'm not surprised ! have you seen what some one looks like when they remove their ear guages?

I dated a girl once with bars through her ears and guages. And whilst it didn't matter to her (being that she was a model for Hot Topic and completely goth and lovely) it would matter if she took them all out and went to work in say, and office.

She also had some tattoos, but they were out of sight when she was dressed (lovely tramp stamp over her bum). Infact, one of the top manageresses revealed her secret tramp stamp once.

She can play the victim all she wants to really, she's done it to herself. And with doing things like that you need to accept (as she is whining about) that every one is different and some people find it fucking revolting.

I understand the reasons why people like to do this sort of stuff. It's an expression, ETC blah blah, but THOSE people need to realise that to some it looks utterly gross.

BTW. Can we mod the poll for a 'depends' option please?

I have tattoos and piercings.. but mine are discrete..

Indeed, because you're not one of those shock merchants.

If you end up making yourself look like that (her) then it's usually a statement.. Fuck the world, I am who I am ETC.

Thing is, when the world says "fuck you" back you only have yourself to blame. If I walked around all day with my cock hanging out I wouldn't expect any one to employ me either.

I don't see anything wrong with it...


It is no worse than changing hair colour..

Both of which were not allowed in my call center. Even though we never actually saw any customers.

I suppose the way they see it out there is work is a good thing. You should want to do it because you want the money and therefore should stick to the rules. I mean shit, even at Blockbuster we had to wear cream cargo pants and their shirt (tucked in) and a belt. If you didn't you were sent home.

I'm not being rude but she looks like shit. I don't know whether or not she was trying to make herself more beautiful or what the fuck the idea behind it was, but to me she looks like shit.

Thus depending on the job I wouldn't employ her. I'm sick and tired of people saying we should accept things. Fuck that, if you don't like something why force yourself to accept it?

I don't mind tattoos and body mods but tasteful ones. That's far from tasteful.

"So, Miss X, are you thinking of having children soon?" BAD BAD VERY BAD
"So, Miss X, could you tell me about your career plans for the next five years?" Better



If I were her, I'd do my utmost not to draw attention to my face.

Although, if she had a better haircut, used some proper make up and lost a few pounds, she'd be OK.

Shortly after my wife left me I went for an interview. I was a bit fucked up at the time (putting it mildly) so I didn't go to the bother of putting on a shirt ETC. Tshirt with a trendy jumper over it.

At the end of the interview he said "Sorry Mr JC, but I don't think you are qualified for the job". Fair enough I said, I knew I was out of my depth.. As we shook hands he said "And BTW, next time to go for an interview sort out your appearance, you look like shit".

At first I thought "fuck you cunt" then I went home and looked in the mirror. I did look like shit. I mean he was cool and explained it wasn't because of that that he didn't want me working there (it was some medical call center and I had no fucking idea what was going on) and my looks wouldn't have mattered being that you don't see customers, but yeah, I looked like shit and I only had myself to blame for that.

Going through life expecting people to put up with what you do is a bit silly. I don't. When I went to the job center to look for work they ended up sending me off to a shrink and their shrink said "Sorry, there's absolutely no way I can send you to work".

I wasn't offended. Just like when they turned me down for my license. I would not want someone getting psychotic and leaping around like a bellend, fly kicking fire escape doors to open them.

I have had to accept that. Parts of me are simply unacceptable. Whilst I didn't choose to be put on disability I also fully understand the impact of myself on others. I am not narrow minded enough not to 'get' that the way I am will piss off some and affect others.

Just snorted fresh orange. Thanks a lot.

Err, yes it is.

I can't believe I'm about to do this, but:

If you intentionally look like you've had a fight with a nailgun and lost by a fair margin, don't be surprised if people don't want you as the face for their company. A life choice doesn't make you immune to repercussions.

I'm glad you said that so I didn't have to.

Piercings are used as a stick to beat people with by conservatives in the workplace, though. The line moves from side to side.

I have a pieced eyebrow, being the only place you can get one which is unique to my own culture. It's quite important for that reason and I'm not taking it out. Most people don't even notice it. At Lloyds a colleague of mine also had the same piercing and one day I saw him walking about with a plaster over it. Asking him if he'd got it ripped he explained that he'd been told he couldn't wear it as the manager had said it was against the rules. When I challenged his manager I was given the 'health and safety' spiel. Desk job, non customer facing. And we both wore glasses which protruded a good deal further out from our faces that the piercings, were not secure and flush to the skin and... AND... ties. When a new guy joined the centre who was tattooed down the entirety of one side of his body with about 12 facial piercings, also on that one side, said manager didn't come onto the same floor as him if she could help it.

So on the one hand you've got irrational people and on the other the likes of this girl who obviously has no talent whatsoever for arranging herself in a way that works. If she was Angeline Jolie and had those piercings I daresay the JCP advisor would have been all over her like a rash.

Yup. You can always dye your hair again (unless it's dyed black, but then, that's hardly an 'unsafe' hair colour for workplaces like, say, pink). Tattoos are rather more difficult to reverse. Not sure about piercings, but assume some can be taken out.

Personally, was in charge of recruitment and stuff, and she was applying for a customer-facing job, I'd demand that the piercings be taken out (if possible), and the very least, demand the tattoos be covered up at all times. Tattoos just creep a lot of people out, me included.

I disagree, hair colour = piercings as both are temporary..

As GY said about ear rings, when I used to work in a DIY stor I was told I could not wear my waering, yet all the women were allowed too.

We should not discriminate about looks, if they can do the job, what does it matter?

Absolutely. She looks like shit. Hair is dry, no excuse. Get some VO5 hot oil and fucking sort that out. I used to have long hair but it was well looked after.

So instead of actually trying to look beautiful she's had loads of metal whacked in her face. Good idea that

True, employers can't discriminate, but customers or the public *will*. How many people would cringe if said lady handed them a Big Mac, f'rinstance?

I expected this woman to be covered in pericings or something, she's hardly intimidating. She isn't very pretty, and as others have suggested, if she was then it probably wouldn't be an issue at all.

Malc

That's not that far away from not employing black people in case the customers don't like being served by them...

Malc

Dunno dude. Mind you, a hottie wouldn't be stupid enough to make herself look like a pitbull ffs.

I mean, let's seperate tasteful from grotesque here.

A ring through the eyebrow? tasteful. A small stud or spike in the eyebrow? tasteful. A meaningful well designed and drawn (and executed) tattoo? tasteful.

A nose ring can be bloody lovely, especially on a lovely Indian woman.. It's nothing new..

Filling your face with air gun pellets? dumb as fuck.

I only go to McDonald's when I'm drunk, so I'd probably end up hitting on her or something

There's always a job for her at CEX. I think tattoos and piercings are required, in fact

Don't fancy yours much... Here come the... hahahaha

Hmm, I'm not sure from the article if she's reached the necessary levels of surliness and disinterestedness though. What experience does she have in ignoring waiting customers whilst listlessly sorting out a pile of old "Scary Movie" DVDs?

Would like to know more, please.

It is quite a difference though really. You can't help what colour your skin is (michael jackson aside), but apart from certain beliefs you can control how many piercings you have.

hellraiser.jpg

I've given up on my local CEX. Every time I go, there's queue to the door, despite there being enough staff behind the counter to fill Slipknot twice over.

Yeah, the sacred cow of anti-discrimination on the grounds of "looks" always comes out in this context, but if you've chosen to stick a load of metal in your face, I can choose not to hire you because you'll scare the shit out of my customers. Nothing to do with my personal opinion of your metal filled face, it's just how customers are.

If you're not prepared to accept the simple fact of life that most people are ignorant cunts - and that's the reason the rest of us toe the line, shave our faces and wear a tie to a job interview - you deserve to be jobless. Sorry, but some things are just like that. Maybe in 50 years it'll all be different, but not at the minute, so get on the omni-bus like the rest of us. What makes people who decide to deliberately change their appearance so fucking special anyway? I'd like to let my beard grow and walk around in my favourite knackered jeans, t-shirt and trainers combo, but I don't go to work like that and complain about discrimination when they tell me to get to fuck.

The face shes pulling makes it look like she is going to tear the photographer a new one. Pull a face like that when I'm interviewing you (and it does look like an almost fixed expression) then no job for you.

The thing is, with a bit of effort and some discipline she could look massively better. Imagine her with hair properly groomed and several stone lighter and she'd look positively attractive in a Julia Stiles fashion.

She was probably coaxed into that expression by the gobshite smudger doing the picture. She's been editorialised, if you will.

With regard to whether I would employ her? No idea until I met her.

With regard to tats and piercings? Not a fan of either.