Should I disclose my tatoo's during interview 1

[mlchris2]

I have an interview for a Sys Admin position for a locally-based bank next week and I need some advice on how to handle something.

I don't know what the dress code requirements are, but I believe it to be business casual. I have tattoo's that cover the lower portion of my right arm and I not sure if I should disclose this during an interview... I got the tattoos over a year ago and the place where I work hasn't said anything negative about them... so this is all new territory for me.

How should I approach this issue?

Mark C.

 

[mlchris2]

Thanks again. I had the first interview. Dress code is business professional, so it will be long sleeve and tie, so I dont have to worry about it.

thanks for the advice everyone.

Mark C.

 

[kmcferrin]

they are potentially employing you for what you can offer, not your tattoo's

I know times are tough, but would you want to work for a company that cant accept you for you?

It's an employer, not a lifetime commitment. People regularly change jobs every few years, and while it would be GREAT if we could all find the ideal company to work for where everything is perfectly suited to us and our personalities, it's not going to happen. The best that most people can hope for is a job that pays well, with interesting work, and working with people who we like. Not to say that you shouldn't aim higher, but if not getting to display sleeve tatoos is a deal breaker then you don't really need the job.

I once had an opportunity to work on a data center migration project for an insurance company where the dress code (even for IT people) was suit and tie. I even verified that they wanted people who may have to go into the datacenter and rack/unrack servers to wear a suit and tie, though they said that it was OK to leave their jackets at their desks if they had to get dirty. I told them that while their project was interesting and I would like to work on it that their dress code was a deal-breaker. I just felt like it was too far out of the norm for IT work, and I had no interest in buying 3-4 more suits just to get them strained, snagged, and torn.

________________________________________
CompTIA A+, Network+, Server+, Security+
MCTS:Windows 7
MCSE:Security 2003
MCITP:Server Administrator
MCITP:Enterprise Administrator
MCITP:Virtualization Administrator 2008 R2
Certified Quest vWorkspace Administrator