is Chicago as discriminatory as NYC? (Brooklyn: insurance, buy, designer)

[Raven1976]

I saw a lot more alternative type people in Chicago. It also seemed more accepting of people having piercings, wackier hair, and alternative dress.

NYC is very discriminatory in the workplace with anyone who looks a little different. I'm not even talking about going all out on the hair and clothes, but even one piercing or a shade of an odd color sends people into a panic in NYC.


Is Chicago like this in the work place? I'm sure if you want to work for Trump or as a CEO for a company you'll have to look more corporate, but what is the general attitude with not looking like a cookie cutter?

[mas23]

i've been lucky enough to go around the country in the past couple of years and i gotta say some of the most interesting people i've seen are in chicago. As far as the work place goes, I don't know.

mas23

[Lookout Kid]

It really depends on the industry. If you're a graphic designer you could probably get away with rainbow hair, a full body tattoo, and dress like an absolute f___ing slob. And if you're a lawyer.... Not so much.

[Drover]

I would think "traditional" professional industries like legal, financial, insurance, etc., have the same basic conservative personal-appearance standards as anywhere else in the country. But are places like Panera Bread or Best Buy going to throw out your application because you have piercings or tattoos or blue hair? Probably not.

[hxcobd]

I work as an IT Director for a web startup in the suburbs and I have numerous visible tattoos, namely on my hands and neck.

I do not have any facial piercings or a "wacky" hairdo whatsoever. I generally wear well-fitting jeans, a button-up long-sleeve dress shirt, and a suit jacket to work (typical "web guy" dress, I suppose). "Business casual," I guess it would be called.

I've had no trouble getting interest from employers, even with my tattoos. I like to think being well-spoken, having a solid education, and being a relatable person are more important than the way you look.

In my experience, facial piercings and your "wacky" hairstyle will disqualify you faster than tattoos would. I'm honestly not sure exactly why this is. If you put me, with tattoo sleeves and a neck tattoo, up against a guy without any tattoos but whom has eyebrow piercings, lip piercings, and a blue mohawk, I'm about 95% sure I'd get the job/interview over him, taking ONLY appearance into consideration.

It goes without saying that coming off like a bigot/idiot/unintelligent will probably disqualify you even faster.

If you insist upon continuing to get tattoos like myself, I find that the content of the tattoos is important when job-seeking as well. Almost all of mine are large-scale, brightly-colored, and all of them do not contain any vulgar pictures/verbiage at all. (Both of my sleeves are landscapes, and my neckpiece is based on an Indian chakra, which I honestly think sort of intrigued my employers, as many of my coworkers are middle-eastern in descent.)

[Irishtom29]

Originally Posted by hxcobd

(Both of my sleeves are landscapes, and my neckpiece is based on an Indian chakra, which I honestly think sort of intrigued my employers, as many of my coworkers are middle-eastern in descent.)

A popular tatoo among rankers in the late 19th and early 20th Century British regular army was "Cawnpore Well". Get one of those and see how your East Indian coworkers react.

[Attrill]

I guess you haven't made it to Brooklyn. NYC is certainly suit and tie when you're in Mid-town or Wall St. during the business day, but there are plenty of "alternative type people" in NYC. As others have said, it all depends on the industry you're in, and I don't think NYC and Chicago are really all that different in that regard.

[hxcobd]

I think, as a general rule, large metropolitan areas are going to be more tolerant of "alternative" types, simply because people there HAVE to be. These areas are almost always incredibly diverse, and that's not going to change anytime soon.

Smaller, podunk towns in certain areas of the country are probably less tolerant.

[Irishtom29]

Originally Posted by hxcobd

Smaller, podunk towns in certain areas of the country are probably less tolerant.

One sees plenty of tatoos in small towns and rural areas.

[grapico]

I dunno, I've only worked in IT... so we could generally dress down more so, even if the directors were in suits... SF is the most casual I have seen however w/ even higher ups dressed super casual. I don't know much about NYC, I would say its similar to Chicago though.
More so though, its the type of company. I have worked for web development companies that were super casual, and a big insurance co and a big bank...which were overly stuffy, big brotherish...definitely not my thing.