Would it put you off hiring a nanny if s/he was very heavily pierced?

[brotherhoodofwoman]

As an employer, would you find it off-putting if a potential nanny candidate was very visibly pierced or tattooed?

Well I do take the overall appearance of the nanny into account. Piercings would bother me more than a tattoo, though I guess it would depend on how heavily and publicly they were tattooed.

But then I have always worked in jobs which have had some form of dress code, and know that if I had piercings or tattoos then it would seriously harm my job prospects.

not discs lol, but stretched yes, but not so they're like massive mind.
the face piercing is one of those side of the top of the lip ones

the tattoo in question doesn't really get seen now we're in the winter but would become awfully apparent in the summer... but I have invested in a turtle neck for interview purposes put it that way!

Lip ring, eyebrow bar, nose ring, several in ears, hole in lobe, a bar through one of the middle bits of the ear.

Tattoos visible on forearms and on chest above neckline of clothes. One on back of neck. That's as much as I could see.

I have a tattoo. Only one, mind, on the bottom of my back. I don't hide it, but similarly I don't have it on show. Neither do I feel any need to "declare" it at interviews.

Used to have a nose piercing too. Now only ears, one each.

My last few jobs were with small babies, I'd just be worried about any piercings getting pulled out!

even though I have piercings i think that eyebrow ones look awful LOL
I just don't like 'em!

I tick all those tattoo boxes thou!

I have to say all this worry that a baby could 'pull' a piercing out is highly unfounded, piercings are in pretty tight, having been a nanny for quite a while with various piercings, not once has a child pulled one out!

unfortuanlly peircings and tattoos DO put employers off

if they can be hidden/taken out if a lot on face etc then shouldnt be a problem

you are meant to be judged on your ability and not apprearence BUT i also think as a professional nanny you do need to look smart and sometimes tattoos and peicings can be a right put off

aussielou - i would be FURIOUS with that refernce and would seriously think about sueing them for disflamation (?) of your character

regards to overweight - there do seem to be a lot of larger ladies about who nanny, as well as slim ones - again shouldnt make a difference as long as the said nanny can run after the child at the park, get down on floor and play and eat healthily infront of children

you shouldnt judge a book by its cover,but many people do

I know I am overweight but a lot of that is muscle as well. BMI charts are flawed anyway. They do not take into consideration muscle mass (which is 3 times heavier then fat) so for example most rugby players are considered morbidly obese.
I was annoyed that an agency would include that in an application. Most nanny agencies ask for your weight and height (as well as religion which is wierd too) which I refuse to fill in.

As long as she wasn't wearing a tongue stud of a cannabis leaf or a had a swastika tattoo I'd don't think I'd be overly bothered.

some of my tattoo's are childs cartoon themed so surely that shows dedication to my profession if nothing else right? lol

If I can see them and they are not discreet then yes it would put me off. I'd be quite happy with multiple ear pircings (for a female nanny) or the nose if it is small. If she has tatoos on her tits or butt cheecks then I would not be a problem because I would (hopefully!) never see them.

PMSL@athene - hoefully you wont see their tits or bum

will they see yours?

tit for tat bum

I wonder if some nannies wonder the same things about potential bosses. Like "I wonder if I should take this job, because I really don't think she looks like the kind of person who would pay me on time".

I can imagine some tattoos or piercings are unsightly, but I know a fabulous nanny, who is pierced up to her eyeballs, dresses like a goth, and has purple eyeliner and lipstick.

She just so happens to be the most sought after nanny at the very posh school where her charges go.

I know, first hand, how lovely she is, although I would never have thought so.

Your description of her totally put me off. I have a tiny nostril piercing (little sparkly diamond thingy, hardly visible unless the light catches it) so I'm not opposed to tasteful piercings (if there is such a thing, I do know that the very idea horrifies some peole) but she sounds like she'd set off the airport metal detector. Plus as mentioned... baby fingers grabbing piercings... owww!!!!

I was always taught that you looked as smart as possible for any job interview - and lots of piercings/tattoos doesn't look that smart, imo.

I think that it would make a very bad first impression, and a candidate would have to work very hard to overcome that first impression.

If I felt the person was mature, fun, well-balanced and loving to my children, piercings wouldn't put me off one bit.
Someone who couldn't speak very well or had worrying views (say rascism or something) would.

oh if the tattoos were rude wrds or images in a visible place, I'd probably not be right impressed but...!

but surely you can still dress smartly even if you have piercings/tattoo's? They are a choice, something that has been done in ones own time for whatever reason+to be fair its got nothing to do with someones ability to be a nanny.
However I am worried that some of my more recent additions will have me judged before I even get a chance to 'sell myself' as it were.

Not because I'm ashamed of what I've done to myself, but because I'm worried about other peoples narrow mindedness.
Not fair if you ask me!

I employ someone (though not as a nanny) who has tattoos and piercings. One of the nicest guys I know. He helps out with a local kids sports team, doing coaching (both his son play or have played) and I'm sure that his appearance hasn't put the parents of the team off!
As long as that wasn't too many and the tattoos didn't feature nudity or swearing or gore then it would not bother me as long as they could demonstrate that they can do a good job.

Incidentally I know a guy at work who was told by company doc he was obese and needed to lose weight. He is a keen runner and came in the top 200 when he took part in the Great North Run!!!

wickedwitch - then i advise you to cover up your tatoos if you can

take out piercings if lots - nose studs that are dainty are ok - but think a hoop through nose isnt

admitley i have never been asked if i have a tattoo

so guess if they cant see them, then not a prob

can cover up all tattooos - have checked lol
only 'facial' piercing is a little stud on top of lip+the ear ones I don't think are that noticeable so I should be ok.

I'll feel like I'm mis-representing myself somewhat but I suppose needs must!

Yes it would as much as I would like to say no.

Come on, yes, of course!!

I would hesitate to employ someone who was heavily pierced and tattooed - and it's not discriminatory according to discrimination laws - self inflicted and all that.

but what is defines as heavily tattooed and peirced?

ie more than 2 earings/1 nose stud

2/4/6 tattoos etc