Body Modifications Still Hinder IT Professionals?

thedeletekey writes "The Detroit News recently ran an article about body modifications in the workplace. This got me thinking; do body modifications such as tattoos and piercings still hinder IT professionals in the workplace? Or is this a thing of the past, as these types of personal changes have become more common in recent years. In my experience, I've found both stringent dress codes requiring business casual attire, and no visible body modifications, to no dress code at all. What has the rest of the IT world found to be common?"

Body Mod's

[WordNA]

The guy had several high speed fans attached to his body, something about overclocking and caffeine. They proved a real distraction to the other workers...

Required Body Modifications

[Anonymous Coward]

Some IT jobs require body modifications like FireWire ports in the base of the skull.

Definitely

[t_allardyce]

My secretary had a problem with my Prince Albert, I fired her.

What?

[Emetophobe]

There's nothing wrong with looking like this guy [flatrock.org.nz] or even this guy [flatrock.org.nz]

Re:Ummm...this is 2005.

[kneecarrot]

So the leather tank top with the see-through nipple windows is an no-no?

Re:Body Mod's

[youknowmewell]

Why didn't he just use water cooling? The only advantage I can see for using fans is the optional blue leds he would use to be spotted by cars at night while he rides his bicycle.

Re:Ummm...this is 2005.

[HydroCarbon10]

Here is a simple guide:

* Entrench yourself in the company
* Make sure the customers never see you
* Push the limits while at the same time making sure that nobody else is capable of doing your job...try using lots of assembly and piercing your face shut.

Hey! Helped Me!

[skazatmebaby]

Hey, it's helped me in the past!

One Friday, I had gotten my tongue pierced, by Monday, my tongue had swelled up so much, I could barely talk.

We were in a meeting that day, I received my assignments for the day with a slight mumble grumble - I guess my boss thought I was overtly stressed or just not happy with what I had to do.

He called me into the conference room and gave me a 150% raise, telling me how good he thought I was to the company and that he was so glad I was with them. I don't think he knew about the tongue ring for weeks...

The next month, I dyed my hair green...

Body Modification?!?

[nicktripp]

Does "body modification" include taking a shower? Because some of the people I've worked with could really stand to have some serious work done.

Re:Ummm...this is 2005.

[jolande]

Or Hot Topic.

I'm not joking either. All the 'alternative' kids at my high school grudgingly took jobs at Hot Topic because it was the only place where they would look presentable. In fact, hot topic encourages that type of dress. It was most funny because hot topic stood for everything the alternative kids hated.

All you need to know

[Sponge Bath]

Just observe any film of late 60's NASA engineers and you have all the style tips you need for success. Buzz cut, white shirt, pocket protector.

Learn it. Know it. Live it.

Re:dress for success!, or run the risk...

[Saeger]

Fashion is all so arbritrary. "Dress for Success" should be titled "Dress for WASP Conformity".

Re:Ummm...this is 2005.

[Anne_Nonymous]

Note that each body modification or tat does not increment your "flair" count at TGIF.

Re:Ummm...this is 2005.

[tacosaladday]

Agreed. 99% of the people who come to a tech job dressed like an idiot (over-the-top goth, etc) dress that way at work because they want to give off that Val Kilmer in Real Genius "I dress like I want but it don't matta 'cause I'm smart and stuff". And in all 99% of those cases these are the most inept people on the site and you pray they will be fired/run over/shot. To those of you who DO dress like idiots - I assure you your chances of being in that 1% you want to be in are slim to none. Now go take a bath hippies!!!

Re:Ummm...this is 2005.

[Anonymous Coward]

Risky.

A +5 leather tank top of bewitchment usually works only on co-workers and clients of the opposite sex. Otherwise, it become a -5 leather tank top of unemployment.

You could always wear it with a nice jacket, in which case its charisma effect would probably be neutral, but it might still help your armor class.

It should also be obvious that, usually, only female players can wear it to positive charisma effect, except in very rare kinds of businesses.

Old folks

[Johnboi Waltune]

I'm an engineer in my 20's. On a whim one weekend, my girlfriend and I used her hair dye to make my hair the same natural shade of red as hers. Not long after that, one of the senior engineers (a guy who was probably 50 or 55) introduced me to another guy and tried to set me up on a dinner date with him.

It would have been quite embarrassing even if I were gay, and I don't think the other guy was gay either.

It's hard to say which, but the older guy was either terribly clueless or a complete fucking asshole.

In any case, older people others who live sheltered, conservative lives often don't have a clue about things. People who are set in their ways like that can react with extreme hostility when they're confronted with ideas outside their narrow range of experience.

A more enlightened attitude is that it's your body and you should be able to modify it as you see fit. Just be aware that you can and will suffer consequences in the workplace for having a nonstandard appearance.

Re:Well said!

[Paradise Pete]

young adults are a lot less mature than 20 years ago

I see no hope for the future of our people if they are dependent on frivolous youth of today, for certainly all youth are reckless beyond words... When I was young, we were taught to be discreet and respectful of elders, but the present youth are exceedingly wise [disrespectful] and impatient of restraint.

That was said by Hesiod, 2700 years ago. And Socrates (may have) said:

The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers.

So it may be simply that your perspective has changed :-)

Re:No biggie

[Anonymous Coward]

The tatoo I got in the Navy never hindered me either. But my penile implant which isn't usually noticable did me in. One day I was sitting kind of funny with one leg underneath me and jiggling the other leg while I was debugging some code. It evidently was compressing the pump inside the scrotum a little at a time when I did that and over the course of an hour my member became completely erect. Not being sexully excited at the time I didn't notice that it had happened because my mind was so fixed on the programming problem I was solving. Well my pants are kind of loose because I recently grew out of my 46 inch waist pants and now I am sitting comfortably in some 48 inchers. So when I finally got up to stretch my legs and get a couple of mountain dews in the lunchroom it must have looked like I had a ferret in my trousers. And I couldn't see it when I stood up because well... when you start wearing 48 inch pants you'll understand. I got some pretty strange looks especially when I passed through the lobby and said hello to the new receptionist. There were also some visitors from japan waiting there and they just laughed nervously and bowed. I stopped and bowed back at them and tried to talk to them but they didn't speak any english. I can only imagine what they were saying to each other. I probably would have gone the rest of the day unaware except that jerk from the shipping dock was in the lunchroom and he made some crude remarks that gave it away. I had to squeeze into corner beside the soda machines and reach down into my pants to reach the pump. (You have to hold the release on the side to make it deflate.) So every since then the guys in the office have been calling me Omar the tent maker. I'm not sure what that is supposed to mean but I figure my chances for promotion are pretty much shot now.

This Just In!

[blunte]

Top Story: Normal People Don't Like Freaks

I fear not the modders.

Small business, the type of business that supposedly makes the US operate, does not willingly accept freaks. They tolerate IT types (people with poor social skills, and perhaps less than ideal grooming habits), but they aren't going to willingly choose to employ people who look like freaks (to them).

It's JobHunting101: All else being equal, the applicant who makes the best impression gets the job. Now if the place you're applying to is full of people with "tats" and noserings, then you're set. But since that hasn't exactly caught on with normal people, your chances of appearing as though you would "fit in" are slim.

If you're a freak, hide it until you get the job (and ideally until you prove that you're invaluable).

Re:Body Mod's

[GMC-jimmy]

I could probably handle being around the fan-boy for a brief while.. so long as he didn't install a window kit.

Re:No biggie

[Minwee]

I love these guys who think they're rebelling when all they end up doing is what millions of other assholes do.

Like anonymously flaming complete strangers on Slashdot?

Still conforming, but thinking they're oh-so cutting edge.

Yup, that's them.

Re:Professional appearance for a professional job

[Corrado]

OMG! A programmer in a speedo! My Mind's Eye!! Arrrggghhh!!!!

Re:No biggie

[Peter La Casse]

I agree. I live in a small (pop. 50K) town in Idaho; however, I work for a HUGE "business casual" corporation that set up shop here. I have gauged ear lobes and tats on my arm and the back of my calf. I've never had anyone give me flack for either.

Maybe they're afraid of you.

Re:Well said!

[gstoddart]

You're right, we should all sit around with pained expressions drinking tea and taking interest in the weather.

You've been to Canada, eh?

Re:No biggie

[MC68000]

So every since then the guys in the office have been calling me Omar the tent maker. I'm not sure what that is supposed to mean...

When you've got an erection, the front of your pants looks like you've pitched a tent. Did I really have to spell it our for you?

Re:All you need to know

[TykeClone]

And don't forget the plaid pants and chain smoking! Nothing says professionalism like chain smoking!

Advice

[OverflowingBitBucket]

I went from bleach blonde, to red, to bald in a month

Now that would look awesome under time-lapse photography. It would look like your head had gone into critical meltdown.

I'm brilliant, have a tattoo and two piercings.

[sk1tch]

I'm really, really brilliant. No, I don't think you understand, I'm a friggin' genius. Take how smart you are, move it up to how smart you think you are, multiply it by ten, and then if you were that smart I would have a conversation with you, though I would belittle you in this conversation and make fun of you in ways you wouldn't understand until hours later.

That being said, I also have a tattoo (of pi!) and two piercings. Any company not willing to hire someone as amazing as me is really only hurting themselves.

Not that it matters, I'm more for startup culture than large corporations anyway, where we of the younger generation don't have the homophobically-rooted prejudices of those old folks who just won't die yet.

Re:"Decent human being"

[Anonymous Coward]

"Bitched" isn't cute on purpose [ponddoc.com] like "female dogged".

Re:No biggie

[Minwee]

Coming from an anonymous coward, that really hurts.

Oh wait, it doesn't. Never mind.

Re:What do you do for a living?

[commodoresloat]

He's a tattoo artist.

Re:Ummm...this is 2005.

[Anonymous Coward]

You live in San Francisco, don't you? ;-)

Re:tattoos

[Anonymous Coward]

Well then I was born a rebel.

Re:No biggie

[Zog The Undeniable]

You are the Comic Shop Guy from The Simpsons and ICMFP.

Re:Short answer....

[neonstz]

I have an appearance issue that I'm sure makes me less employable: I walk funny.

Well, you can always work for The Ministry of Silly Walks.

Re:Dress like daddy

[Alioth]

I do the opposite. I look like a normal, clean living person (no tattoos, no piercings), yet I'm a dope fiend! Get the best of both worlds that way, good professional career, yet I can spend the weekends at the 'bake sale'.

Re:Nipple rings on females can be a problem...

[fuzzybunny]

I read you, brother. And I wish I'd worked there :)

I had a project where my colleague and I (both mid-30s, "normal", decently dressed, ok-looking guys with a strong lecherous streak) shared an office. Our female QA colleague (who had a fantastic body, an outstanding chest, and no sense of humor at all--no really, we were usually perfect gentlemen and really tried to be nice and helpful) liked to come visit unannounced to ask questions.

We kept the air conditioning in the office cranked wayyyy down, to see what arose. Made it very difficult to get any work done.

Re:No biggie

[technos]

I have my left ear pierced, has been that way for fifteen years now. Been wearing a simple gold hoop in it almost as long.

One day, I decide to try a new headset for my phone. Complicated over the ear rig, sounds great, light weight, mic sits nicely, whole thing holds on well. But the stupid cable comes out of the bottom and rubs my earring. The tickling was going to drive me insane, so I took out my earring and set it on my desk.

When I came back from lunch, my earring is missing. I ask my coworker of two and a half years

"Alice, have you seen my earring?".
"Your what?"
"Earring. Had it on my desk, it keeps catching on the new phone earpiece so I took it out."
"When did your ears pierced?"
"Ear. Just one. *counting on my fingers* Nine years ago?"
*Strange look. She thinks I'm kidding her*
"You must not wear it to work too often, I've never seen you wear one."
"I've worn it every day. I don't think I've taken it out in a year or two."
*Another strange look.*
"Have a look at the picture on your desk from last years Christmas party."
"Well I'll be da.. You're right. No, I haven't seen it."

So I went over to another coworker's desk. He's been there longer than I have, and has had a cube across from me for four years.

"Bill, you see my earring? I left it on my desk."
"Yours? That was yours?"
"Yeah. Where was it?"
"Oh, I moved it, put it in lost and found at the reception desk. When did you get your ears pierced?"
"Ear...."
*Alice chimes in to be a smart-ass*
"Just his left one. He's had it forever. Didn't you notice?"
"No. Isn't there some stupid policy against that anyway?"
"Dunno. Never asked. Wore it to the interview, don't think I've had it out but once or twice for cleaning since."
*strange look*
*Alice walks over with the picture from her desk*

So I walk up to reception, to see about my earring.

"Hey Barb, grab me my earring out of the lost and found box."
"Get your ears pierced over the weekend? You're not supposed to take them out so soon, and don't let Bob catch you. "...

People just don't notice.

Re:No biggie

[kahei]

Yes, bodily modification is against some religions (most notably Judeochristian religions),


What???

I honestly cannot figure out where atheists get these wacky superstitions from. I guess you just hear them when you're a kid and as you grow up you never think to question them.

Time to broaden your horizons!

Re:Hey! Helped Me!

[Foosinho]

One Friday, I had gotten my tongue pierced, by Monday, my tongue had swelled up so much, I could barely talk.

We were in a meeting that day, I received my assignments for the day with a slight mumble grumble - I guess my boss thought I was overtly stressed or just not happy with what I had to do.

I poorly scheduled my tongue piercing - did it a few days before I was scheduled to give a presentation at the weekly intern meeting at the company I was interning at. The only way I could talk was to pop a bunch of aspirin and nurse ice water to keep the swelling down. Unfortunatly, the president of the company attened my briefing.

My boss (who thought the whole thing was hilarious) told me the prez asked him if I was dipping during the brief - he thought I was discretely spitting when I was taking tiny sips of water all the time. I'm not sure if the truth would've been worse, but I can only imagine what he thought of me. :)

Re:"Decent human being"

[Bastard of Subhumani]

In some cultures of human beings, it's considered indecent if one is not pierced.

So you're a cannibal? After all, in some cultures it's considered indecent to not eat a deceased relative.

Re:"Decent human being"

[Hognoxious]

I don't really have an axe to grind here

I'd bloody well hope not! Given the context, I'd generally recommend an instrument that can be wielded with a bit more precision.

P.S. Human willies don't have a bone in them.

Re:No biggie

[iwan-nl]

Although CBRs are hard as crap to remove. I took mine out once when we had a CS Undergraduate Student Board corporate panel, and managed to lose a ball getting them back in.

OMG! I don't know what a CBR is, but I doubt it's worth losing one of my balls for.

I had to go to the piercer to get new balls and have her put them back in.

Thank God for modern medical science! I'm pleased to hear your balls are ok now.