So, I got my ears pierced last October. (Yes, this relates to communication, eventually. Be patient.)

Most young women I know get this done around age 11; I waited considerably longer, being a total wuss when it comes to needles. Although painful, the event itself wasn’t so bad–I was distracted by the red shag carpet on the ceiling of the tattoo/piercing salon–and the acute pain faded within minutes, although I didn’t get a good night’s sleep for the next six weeks. I almost passed out the evening I took out the captive bead rings and put in my own brand new, titanium studs for the first time. (Blomdahl. I recommend them highly.)

A side effect of having this done is that I really notice other people’s piercings now; instead of turning away in disgust, I am interested to see what they’re wearing. I have almost gotten used to the baristas at my local Brew-ha-ha, young women with hair dyed interesting colors and assorted multiple lip, eyebrow, ear, tongue and nose piercings. Having been pierced once, though, and in a relatively benign area, I cannot fathom going through it again on more tender facial parts (and let’s not take the concept any farther south). But I see more and more people–and not just those under age 30–with a lot of bling sticking out of their faces, and arms fully tattooed.

All of which brings me to the communication issue. I’m an avid reader of Ned Lundquist’s Job of the Week newsletter, and the other day while following up on one of its leads I ran across the web site of a company that not only posted a job description and qualifications, but also its dress-code rules that female employees could have no more than two piercings per ear lobe, that male employees could not wear even one earring, and that no one was allowed to show any tattoos while in the office.

I have been wondering about the impression such highly decorated people make on a job interview, so tell me, how do you react to studded and be-dragoned interviewees? Is body art a legit form of communication? If so, what does it say about the one wearing it and to the one observing it? Does it have a place in a modern office environment besides the art department? Are ultra-conservative companies overreacting?

Time to shop for more earrings…

Pat