Alternative Advice for Alternative People

1.) Be who you are, not who you think your potential employer wants you to be. I know too many people that go out of their way to cover up tattoos, hide their earrings, and generally whitewash their personality in hopes of scoring a job. I'm in the minority, I suspect, but I don't believe in that. I wear my earrings to interviews and I seem to do fine. Maybe I'm missing opportunities. Maybe not. But I've been happy with my jobs thus far.

2.) Remember that you're selling your time, not your life. Don't accept a 72 hour work week if you don't want to work 72 hours. Don't accept a job traveling the world if you want to spend evenings at home. You'll just end up unhappy and bitter... and that's no fun.

Keep in mind that the employer - employee relationships are supposed to benefit both parties. Sure, you really want that job, so you're obviously going to try to impress your potential employer. Don't forget that the interview is a two way street, though. While you obviously need to make a good impression, you should also expect the company to make the same effort for you. They need to fill a role... and if they like you as a candidate, they're just as responsible for impressing you as you are responsible for impressing them.

4.) Be honest. Don't exaggerate your skills. If you don't know something, don't make stuff up in the interview. Just tell them that you don't know, or have no experience in that... and offer to learn it if it is a requirement! If you happen to get a phone interview and the job isn't something you've done or feel comfortable doing, just... say so. Who knows? They might hire you anyway.

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Comments

jamesleecoleman

So are you really from Iraq or just working there?? I'm curious. I think Tattos are fine if they won't cause trouble. Earrings and other piercings are a different story. I think it depends on where you're working at and what position that you hold. Also it has to go with company policy. So this means that you can't fully be who you are. Sometimes you have to make sacrifice to get where you want so this means that doing stuff you don't want to do like have a 72 hour work week or traveling over seas.

Sabalo

jamesleecoleman wrote: »

So are you really from Iraq or just working there?? I'm curious. I think Tattos are fine if they won't cause trouble. Earrings and other piercings are a different story. I think it depends on where you're working at and what position that you hold. Also it has to go with company policy. So this means that you can't fully be who you are. Sometimes you have to make sacrifice to get where you want so this means that doing stuff you don't want to do like have a 72 hour work week or traveling over seas.

I'm working here, though I guess I am semi-permanent... I'm doing at least a year. Does that qualify as being "from" here?

It definitely depends on the job... my thought, though, is that a job that will make a big issue of a few piercings or tattoos is a job that will not mesh well with the way I live my life. And as living my life the way I please is more important to me than any one job, I look elsewhere.

I make sacrifices, sure... but I don't like to compromise. There is a difference.

mikej412

Your subject line could have just as easily been "Good Advice for Anybody."

Mojo_666

Sabalo wrote: »

1.) Be who you are, not who you think your potential employer wants you to be. I know too many people that go out of their way to cover up tattoos, hide their earrings, and generally whitewash their personality in hopes of scoring a job. I'm in the minority, I suspect, but I don't believe in that. I wear my earrings to interviews and I seem to do fine. Maybe I'm missing opportunities. Maybe not. But I've been happy with my jobs thus far.

I get this but mostly do not agree, I always took my ear rings out I always cover up my tattoos (the rings are gone now btw) and the tattoos only come out due to me wearing short sleeve shirts most of the time but this is only after I got the job. Many of my friends are still very "Alternative" and they simply do not get on in life, they are all gamers in the classic sense, board games RPG’s computer games and so on but none of them play the game of life, they all suck at it and ironically it's the one game that actually matters. Those from my crowd who respect the rest of the world and play the “man” at his game are doing well, those that haven’t are hitting 40 and still struggling to get by, and the 1 common denominator is they they are all still “alternative” through and through. They think that the rest of society should “respect” them but yet none of them respect their society, potential employers or those who may have a different opinion than they do.

By all means dig your heels in and fight for change, or you could just play the game between 9-5, 5 days a week.

Paul Boz

Mojo_666 wrote: »

I get this but mostly do not agree, I always took my ear rings out I always cover up my tattoos (the rings are gone now btw) and the tattoos only come out due to me wearing short sleeve shirts most of the time but this is only after I got the job. Many of my friends are still very "Alternative" and they simply do not get on in life, they are all gamers in the classic sense, board games RPG’s computer games and so on but none of them play the game of life, they all suck at it and ironically it's the one game that actually matters. Those from my crowd who respect the rest of the world and play the “man” at his game are doing well, those that haven’t are hitting 40 and still struggling to get by, and the 1 common denominator is they they are all still “alternative” through and through. They think that the rest of society should “respect” them but yet none of them respect their society, potential employers or those who may have a different opinion than they do.

By all means dig your heels in and fight for change, or you could just play the game between 9-5, 5 days a week.

I've found that those who approach vocations as a game (all be it a serious game) generally do better in "the game" than those that don't. I've talked with others extensively about this and its a pretty unanimous conclusion. You either do everything you can to do better than your co workers and peers or you don't.

stuh84

I guess I always like being that exception to the rule, as I'm a network engineer, yet I have hair practically to my waist, a viking style beard, a tongue piercing and a lip piercing. True, I do get the odd bit of prejudice, but I actually quite like that, as I've seen many times in interviews where I've walked in and they've expected some lout who doesn't know his arse from his elbow, only to then be going above and beyond the questions they ask.

If you can get over the hurdle of getting into a job, usually in a short time people will start to get over the look and concentrate on the person. I'm becoming a go-to guy where I am, despite my look.

Basically, if you have the skills, they will speak for themselves. Having a few extra letters on your CV (I'm talking certs here) and experience will obviously go even further, but it's not a case of you wont find a job, just it may take you longer. The only thing it may rule you out of is a lot of customer facing/pre sales roles. Works for me, as I like to get my hands dirty in tech, not in meetings, presentations (unless training my fellow techies) and the like.

it_consultant

stuh84 wrote: »

I guess I always like being that exception to the rule, as I'm a network engineer, yet I have hair practically to my waist, a viking style beard, a tongue piercing and a lip piercing. True, I do get the odd bit of prejudice, but I actually quite like that, as I've seen many times in interviews where I've walked in and they've expected some lout who doesn't know his arse from his elbow, only to then be going above and beyond the questions they ask.

If you can get over the hurdle of getting into a job, usually in a short time people will start to get over the look and concentrate on the person. I'm becoming a go-to guy where I am, despite my look.

Basically, if you have the skills, they will speak for themselves. Having a few extra letters on your CV (I'm talking certs here) and experience will obviously go even further, but it's not a case of you wont find a job, just it may take you longer. The only thing it may rule you out of is a lot of customer facing/pre sales roles. Works for me, as I like to get my hands dirty in tech, not in meetings, presentations (unless training my fellow techies) and the like.

We work with a network engineer who is transitioning from man to woman, she is 6 feet 2 inches and weighs 230 pounds. Not client facing material, but she can run circles over most network engineers and is the first person I call when I have a problem. Good skills can gloss over lots of failings.

Sabalo

I actually expected to get a bit of flak for this post... glad to see I was wrong!

Ive known people to get fired for piercings... or at least, that was the excuse given when the employer was asked. I've also been defended by employers to customers when particularly conservative customers complained*. The gist of the employer's comment was "I would agree with your complaint if it was the 1950's. Unless you have a complaint with the work, I see no problem."

I play the game, but I think I have a newer rulebook than some people.

* - Twice in 7 years... not too shabby, really.