Should how you look have an effect on your job opportunities?
The year is 2014. It is now easier than ever before to modify the way you look be it through body piercings, tattoos, plastic surgery etc.. If there's something you don't like about yourself you can upgrade it to a better, newer look- or eradicate it completely. It is in fact so advanced people can even change the gender they are. You can literally be whoever you want to be.
But it's not always easy being who you want to be. Whilst you may finally feel happy with the person that you have become, it might not please everyone else quite as much. It is widely acknowledged that if you look too 'different' it can effect other areas of your life- such as job opportunities. Whilst this is superficial and cruel to judge someones appearance in order to determine whether they are suitable for a job, is there a beneficial reason for doing so? The question we must ask ourselves in this modern day in age is: should how you look have an effect on your job opportunities?
When it comes to jobs, we have just about managed to deal with problems of racism and of sexism- of course, there is always incidents here and there. A woman gets paid less than a man, someone of an ethnicity other than White British was fired over the White British employee. But besides this, most people think we have managed equality in the work place pretty well. But have we really? Although we have considered people of different genders and of different races we have not thought about people who just look a little different, a little more creative. If you have unnatural colored hair, visible body piercings and tattoos you can guarantee you are in the minority of job applicants when you apply for any position other than in a 'creative' industry such as a tattoo parlor or an artist. The same goes for anorexic, bulimic and overweight people- if you don't look healthy, you are less likely to be employed.
Whilst it is understandable that employers want the best employees they can have, it is completely wrong to judge someone based on their appearance. I took some time to investigate both sides of the argument as to whether or not someones appearance should affect their job opportunities.
The way a person looks should effect their job opportunities.
Employers have a hard time when it comes to picking employees. There is a lot of things they have to take in to consideration- will this person make work a priority, is this person qualified to do this job, does this person look like a shining example of what the company represents? More often than not, it is the last question that overrides all other factors.
It is perfectly understandable that an employer wants their employees to look a certain way. They rely on their employees to create a certain image for their company, and certain images come with certain connotations. For example, if you are overweight, the connotations of that can be lazy, greedy, unmotivated- all negative things that you don't want to be linked to your company. Being covered in tattoos with bright pink hair and an ear stretcher can connote things such as being 'rough', lack of self respect and not very smart (looks wise, not intelligence). Again, these are all negatives that no employer would want linked to their company.
An employer wants someone fresh faced and smart looking, with sensible hair and neutral looks that gives off a positive, professional and knowledgeable image for the company. And it is true- if you were to go into a bank and were served by someone with green hair, a 15 mm hole in their ear and gaudy make up, would you feel comfortable giving them your personal details, and with them having access to your money? Most people would not. Therefore it is important, more so in 'serious' industries, that employers hire people who look what is regarded as 'normal'.
The way a person looks should not effect their job opportunities.
In the 21st century we have had to adapt to a lot of changes that, whilst they were once not a normality, now they are. Things such as transgender people, gay marriage and people going to extreme lengths to change themselves via plastic surgery. Although it has been a long, rocky journey that is still on going, more and more people are growing more accustomed and comfortable with these modifications to the human race. Alongside these more drastic changes are the smaller ones, such as piercings, tattoos and hair coloring- all things which are now easier to do than ever, with most of them having an easy way to be done yourself at home. The current youth generation is one of the most tattooed and pierced generations there has been, with people doing more experimental things all of the time.
It is now harder than ever for young people to get a job due to the modifications they have done to their bodies. If they are accepted for a job, they are asked to take out piercings and either leave them out or 'if they must' keep them, replace them with clear ones that aren't visible to others. The same goes for tattoos- if you are fortunate enough to be offered the job despite tattoos and piercings you are expected to cover them up at all times. But in a world where we are constantly told that we should be ourselves, and we shouldn't let people change who we are, why should this rule not apply to employers also?
The fact of the matter is, current employers are going to get older and they are going to eventually retire. Who is going to replace them, other than the pierced, tattooed youth of today? Employers need to stop being so superficial and realize that the way someone looks doesn't effect their ability to work. Furthermore, more and more people nowadays are pierced, tattooed and have crazy colored hair- including the customers of a company. Are they going to care if the people who serve them look like them? Probably not. Would a business turn away a customer for looking a certain way? Definitely not. So why should the turn away employees? A lot of businesses are too traditional and have to modify their expectations of people and their appearances to match the modifications of society.
There is two equally relevant sides to the argument 'Should how you look have an effect on your job opportunities?". It is understandable that employers want their employees to look smart as they represent the face of the company. However, at the same time, it is cruel and wrong to judge people based on their appearance- cruel of employers and customers. A happy medium needs to be reached.
People should be allowed to be themselves when hired- they should be allowed whatever piercings and tattoos etc. that they like. However, they also have to understand that a work place is an official place where they do need an element of smart-ness about them. They should never not be allowed to be themselves, but they should keep in mind they do need to present themselves in a respectable way that will please the vast majority of people. Keep your tattoos, and keep your piercings- but if you have a tattoo that says "F*ck off" across your forehead, understand you may need to grow a fringe. Be yourself but make sure you can adapt that self to help you in your career.
Love from,
Florence Grace
What do you think about peoples appearance having an effect on their employment? Leave a comment below or get in touch using the links in the sidebar!
But it's not always easy being who you want to be. Whilst you may finally feel happy with the person that you have become, it might not please everyone else quite as much. It is widely acknowledged that if you look too 'different' it can effect other areas of your life- such as job opportunities. Whilst this is superficial and cruel to judge someones appearance in order to determine whether they are suitable for a job, is there a beneficial reason for doing so? The question we must ask ourselves in this modern day in age is: should how you look have an effect on your job opportunities?
When it comes to jobs, we have just about managed to deal with problems of racism and of sexism- of course, there is always incidents here and there. A woman gets paid less than a man, someone of an ethnicity other than White British was fired over the White British employee. But besides this, most people think we have managed equality in the work place pretty well. But have we really? Although we have considered people of different genders and of different races we have not thought about people who just look a little different, a little more creative. If you have unnatural colored hair, visible body piercings and tattoos you can guarantee you are in the minority of job applicants when you apply for any position other than in a 'creative' industry such as a tattoo parlor or an artist. The same goes for anorexic, bulimic and overweight people- if you don't look healthy, you are less likely to be employed.
Whilst it is understandable that employers want the best employees they can have, it is completely wrong to judge someone based on their appearance. I took some time to investigate both sides of the argument as to whether or not someones appearance should affect their job opportunities.
The way a person looks should effect their job opportunities.
Employers have a hard time when it comes to picking employees. There is a lot of things they have to take in to consideration- will this person make work a priority, is this person qualified to do this job, does this person look like a shining example of what the company represents? More often than not, it is the last question that overrides all other factors.
It is perfectly understandable that an employer wants their employees to look a certain way. They rely on their employees to create a certain image for their company, and certain images come with certain connotations. For example, if you are overweight, the connotations of that can be lazy, greedy, unmotivated- all negative things that you don't want to be linked to your company. Being covered in tattoos with bright pink hair and an ear stretcher can connote things such as being 'rough', lack of self respect and not very smart (looks wise, not intelligence). Again, these are all negatives that no employer would want linked to their company.
An employer wants someone fresh faced and smart looking, with sensible hair and neutral looks that gives off a positive, professional and knowledgeable image for the company. And it is true- if you were to go into a bank and were served by someone with green hair, a 15 mm hole in their ear and gaudy make up, would you feel comfortable giving them your personal details, and with them having access to your money? Most people would not. Therefore it is important, more so in 'serious' industries, that employers hire people who look what is regarded as 'normal'.
The way a person looks should not effect their job opportunities.
In the 21st century we have had to adapt to a lot of changes that, whilst they were once not a normality, now they are. Things such as transgender people, gay marriage and people going to extreme lengths to change themselves via plastic surgery. Although it has been a long, rocky journey that is still on going, more and more people are growing more accustomed and comfortable with these modifications to the human race. Alongside these more drastic changes are the smaller ones, such as piercings, tattoos and hair coloring- all things which are now easier to do than ever, with most of them having an easy way to be done yourself at home. The current youth generation is one of the most tattooed and pierced generations there has been, with people doing more experimental things all of the time.
It is now harder than ever for young people to get a job due to the modifications they have done to their bodies. If they are accepted for a job, they are asked to take out piercings and either leave them out or 'if they must' keep them, replace them with clear ones that aren't visible to others. The same goes for tattoos- if you are fortunate enough to be offered the job despite tattoos and piercings you are expected to cover them up at all times. But in a world where we are constantly told that we should be ourselves, and we shouldn't let people change who we are, why should this rule not apply to employers also?
The fact of the matter is, current employers are going to get older and they are going to eventually retire. Who is going to replace them, other than the pierced, tattooed youth of today? Employers need to stop being so superficial and realize that the way someone looks doesn't effect their ability to work. Furthermore, more and more people nowadays are pierced, tattooed and have crazy colored hair- including the customers of a company. Are they going to care if the people who serve them look like them? Probably not. Would a business turn away a customer for looking a certain way? Definitely not. So why should the turn away employees? A lot of businesses are too traditional and have to modify their expectations of people and their appearances to match the modifications of society.
There is two equally relevant sides to the argument 'Should how you look have an effect on your job opportunities?". It is understandable that employers want their employees to look smart as they represent the face of the company. However, at the same time, it is cruel and wrong to judge people based on their appearance- cruel of employers and customers. A happy medium needs to be reached.
People should be allowed to be themselves when hired- they should be allowed whatever piercings and tattoos etc. that they like. However, they also have to understand that a work place is an official place where they do need an element of smart-ness about them. They should never not be allowed to be themselves, but they should keep in mind they do need to present themselves in a respectable way that will please the vast majority of people. Keep your tattoos, and keep your piercings- but if you have a tattoo that says "F*ck off" across your forehead, understand you may need to grow a fringe. Be yourself but make sure you can adapt that self to help you in your career.
Love from,
Florence Grace
What do you think about peoples appearance having an effect on their employment? Leave a comment below or get in touch using the links in the sidebar!
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