Slashdot Mirror
Body Adornments and a Career?
termilitor asks: "I was thinking about decorating myself with a tatoo. The only argument that holds me back is whether this will affect my career of a mathematician / computer programmer negatively. I would like to ask readers of the Slashdot if they have such experiences, including other types of self decoration, like body piercings and dyeing hair." It's always important to look professional when in the work-environment. The big question, of course, is how many of you believe such things are mutually-exclusive. Wearing a tattoo is a non-issue with the right clothes, but what about piercings and hair coloring? Can a happy medium exist between self-expression and the professional environment?
Unless you're planning on getting "Poor Impulse Control" plastered on your forehead, don't worry about it. People expect mathematicians to be eccentric. In fact, mathematicians who aren't eccentric make regular people uneasy.
In mathematics, one does not understand things, one merely gets used to them.
--VonNeumann
"Can a happy medium exist between self-expression and the professional environment?"
Of course. But then, she'd better be a well paid psychic if she's truly going to be a happy medium.
Why all the wierd ask slashdots lately?
-Adam
If you get a tattoo then you instantly become a social outcast. Your friends will hate you, you will never be able to find a job, even flipping burgers, and you'll never be able to find a signifigant other. Not only that but there is a 100% chance that you will contract hepatitis and of course two days after you get the tattoo you will become suicidal due to the intence depression you feel from having made such a big mistake.
In all seriousness though, a tattoo shouldn't be a big deal as long as it is easily concealed by standard business atire.
Famous Last Words: "hmm...wikipedia says it's edible"
Anything more is a tool to help you filter out companies you wouldn't want to be a part of, anyway, without wasting too much time talking to them. Likewise potential mates, potential mates' parents, bands, river-rafting clubs, condo associations, military academies, supreme-judicial internships, churches, university faculties, and diplomatic appointments.
I'd get a tatoo of some BSD code, then tell SCO it's some of theirs! They'd probably believe me! A cool employer would understand my deep-seated need to do this.
(of course there's always the danger that Senator Orrin Hatch would find out and attempt to blow up my body, but I'm starting to think that danger was always there)
Don't EVER get a girl's name on a tatoo... If you want to impress her, get a heart tatoo and write her name across it every day with a permanent marker. You *will* thank me one day.
Something you could have brough to my attention YESTERDAY. Or possibly 2 years ago.
It's like that great old story about the time Apple and IBM had a meeting, and the Apple guys turned up in suits, and the IBM guys in jeans and t-shirts, each trying to conform to the other.
Is your tattoo going to be easy to conceal? I mean, a swastika on the forehead, almost certainly a bad idea.
~~~~~ BigLig2? You mean there's another one of me?
"If you want to be individual, don't get a tattoo!" --- Ozzy Osbourne
"Don't write down to your readers, the only people less intelligent than you can't read" - Sign on Newspaper Office Wall
That's just your opinion.
Java is the blue pill
Choose the red pill
Your boss isn't going to care about your Prince Albert, and if she notices it, you're halfway to a relationship or a great harassment lawsuit.