Research Confirms It: Tattoos and Other Blunders Are Stopping You from Getting Hired

According to York College in York, Pa., if you have a visible tattoo, hiring managers are likely to see you as unprofessional and too incompetent for the job. In the study, amongred flags that the 401 human resource professionals in the study watched for, tattoos scored in the top 60percent. Facial piercings, other than ears, scored about 70 percent. The one that comes as no surprise is that poor personal hygiene score 90percent. Appearance is everything. For a job interview, professional appearance matters even more.
We Eat with Our Eyes First
There is a popular saying among chefs that you eat with your eyes first. And it’s true. Imagine you ordered a nice juicy steak and a baked potato. About 30 minutes later, you get a flat brown hunk of meat and a greenish looking block of potato. Does that sound very appetizing? It probably doesn’t.
Humans make quick decisions. This comes from a primal instinct that is necessary for survival. Imagine a car is coming straight at you. Your eyes give the information to your brain and your unconscious mind, according to Ray Williams of Psychology Today, makes a decision to tell your body to jump out of the way. Just like your mind made a decision to save you or to pass on the flat steak and lumpy potato, your mind, and the mind of the hiring manager in front of you, makes decisions based on how things look.
The Solution
Get Hired by Looking the Part
You already know about the tattoos, facial piercings and personal hygiene. The other three items the study mentions for appearance are inappropriate attire at 75percent, inappropriate footwear at 71percent and unnatural hair color at 40percent. What does this information tell you about getting a job?
Clearly, you have to look the part. Do the employees at the company you are applying for wear ties? If so, you’d better make sure you wear one to that interview. Do they wear dress shoes instead of tennis shoes? Then you need to go buy some good shoes.
An old saying bears repeating here: You should always dress for the job you want. It’s sound advice that remains true to this day. Research the company before you go to the interview and dress for the part you want.
Professionalism Is Not Dead
There are a lot of movies that sensationalize the workplace for the younger generations. For instance, some movies show computer programmers working in their pajamas, even at the office. They have pink hair and nose rings. Simon Cowell always wears casual shirts to work on singing competitions. Just because you see it on TV doesn’t mean you need to replicate it in real life.
Dressing for the job is a tradition. Humans, especially hiring managers, are creatures of habits and tradition. The tie will be a necessary interview accessory for years to come. Business suits for men and women may change in style, but they will be the right clothes to get the job for many more decades. Professionalism is always important.
The Solution
So here is what you do: Take care of yourself. Wash daily. Brush your teeth. Floss. Never get a tattoo you can’t cover. If it’s too late and you have a tattoo you can’t hide, get it removed.
Keep your hair natural. Don’t get piercings you can’t hide easily. Wear the right clothes. If you follow these basic tips on appearance, your chances for that new job will skyrocket.
Jessica Bosari is a personal finance blogger writing for New Look Laser, a tattoo removal clinic in Houston that can help you increase your chances of landing a job by removing those tattoos you can’t hide.