Get over it! Tattoos and piercings, do they affect your interview prospects?

By Paul Farrer

A colleague interviewed a guy the other day who had a hole in his ear the size of £2 coin, a tongue stud and tattoos on his arms and wrists (and probably elsewhere). If first impressions are key to interview success then people prejudices towards ‘body art’ need to change otherwise we may be supporting a form of discrimination. I have always suggested to people that they remove piercings and cover tattoos to help create a favourable first impression – but I think it’s time I got over it. Surely it matters as much as the colour of your hair, clothes and accent. The candidate with the ear, tongue and arm art is brilliant and our clients will be fighting over him – yet we still suggested he made some  amendments to help with first impressions – is this still relevant advice?