wearing black nail polish in a corporate job inappropriate?

tmauck4472

Keep your black but just bling it up with another color. I've done black with a stripe of red or pink or even a couple of stripes, breaks up the black and looks pretty good.

yoovie

Depends on what the company is and if your manicure is clean and perfect, regardless of the color. When I worked for Canon I had hot pink hair and black fingernails.

kikokateyy

Try to look as 'clean slated' as you can. but really it depends on the job and the company.

supplemama

Definitely take it off! After you get the job is one thing, but for the interview you want to look as 'bland' as possible. Let your skills and personality shine through to get you the job. You don't want anything to distract from that. for example I have very long dreadlocks, over 3 1/2 feet long, with beads and shells attached. I usually wear long flowing skirts (some I made), handmade tops and wild earrings. I look like a hippie. Do you think that when I go for an interview I'm all hippied out? No, I save the earthmama gear for home. When I go for an interview or even on the job, my hair is neatly up in a bun and I dress very conservatively in neutral colors. I look so different that once one of my students (I teach) saw me out somewhere and almost didn't recognize me! LOL

mgmlap

It depends on the job...for my job..it makes no difference..no one cares...If I was hiring..which I have done..I dont look at nail polish or earrings or any of that stuff..I care about the resume and if they can answer my questions..

Jellyphant

In my logic, if it calls for a discussion with your friend AND a topic asking for opinions, I would just plain not do it. People are oh so judgmental these days, no matter how far your skills go. And like someone else previously said, other interviewees have the may have the same skills and requirements for the job, so the interviewer will be looking for something in each one to weed out the competition easier.

ElizabethRoad

Depends on what the company is and if your manicure is clean and perfect, regardless of the color. When I worked for Canon I had hot pink hair and black fingernails.

Did you look that way when you interviewed for the job though?

30forApril

I have worked in the business world for 10 years now. First impressions really matter. I think you should remove the black nail polish atleast for the interview, and if you get hired wait to til you get the feel of the office. I haven't gone and read the whole thread, so I may be missing something. I saw some of the previous posters mention the court room. I also worked for the District Clerk's office. We had a very strick dress code, mainly because the DC was very old fashioned.. we're talking about wearing pantyhose if you're wearing a dress, dressy blouses with dress pants, no crazy hair colors and if you were going to be in the court room for whatever reason you defenitely had to wear a 2 piece dress suit with hose or a nice subtle plain dress with hose. On the other hand I have also worked in a place where business casual was the deal, and nail polish really didn't matter. But of course there is always one person that will have a problem with your look or the attention that you're getting..lol.. we call those people haters... for interviews you have to present yourself as a blank canvas, clear nail polish is best in MHO.

why does it matter? think of it this way... you have a business, you want to portray a type of image... you want to be noticed by a certain type of demographic... you have an idea of what that demo likes and respects... you establish the dresscode and business conduct and people who work for you either follow it or they can leave... Now you are trying to get into this business and you have no idea what they expect or what they like. It's better to play it safe, until you know how things run and then go from their.

moral of the story: What people see upfront really is what matters when you're trying to sell something, and in this case, you're trying to sell yourself... (in a sense) You could also try reading up on the company you are applying to and try to find out more inside info what are the demographics? what are theyspecialized in? all this can help to kind of help you get a feel for the ambiance of the office and help you pick the right look!

XXXMinnieXXX

that's ridiculous. I wear it at work all the time... x

delilah47

Interviewing for a corporate position is not a good place to display anything too far out of mainstream. If you get the position, you will be in a better place to see what the limits are for that company.

Edit: I agree the color of your nails don't dictate your skill level, but a any corporation has the right to enforce the image they wish to project. If you want the job, unfortunately, you may have to conform. :sad:

Juliebean_1027

wow, I am dis heartened to heat this. So the color of my nails determines how people will perceive me, WOW. It's just a color on my nails, why should that matter.

Basically i can have all the qualifications in the world and a great personality, but because of the color of my nails i might not get hired..WHAT!!!!! ::jaw drops::

Should the color of your nails play a role in whether or not you get the job? No, absolutely not. Will it? Yes, very much so.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Go for a clear coat for the interview and then rock the black polish once you get the job!

jran3

wow, I am dis heartened to heat this. So the color of my nails determines how people will perceive me, WOW. It's just a color on my nails, why should that matter.

Basically i can have all the qualifications in the world and a great personality, but because of the color of my nails i might not get hired..WHAT!!!!! ::jaw drops::

If you want to be in the corporate world, then you have to play the image game too. Part of it. If you want to do your own thing, then be your own boss. It's your choice. In the corporate world part of the qualifications are having the corporate image that company desires. Some can be very conservative!

jadedzen

wow, I am dis heartened to heat this. So the color of my nails determines how people will perceive me, WOW. It's just a color on my nails, why should that matter.

Basically i can have all the qualifications in the world and a great personality, but because of the color of my nails i might not get hired..WHAT!!!!! ::jaw drops::

How you dress and keep yourself DOES affect how people view you. In a conservative environment black nailpolish is just as overboard as unnaturally colored hair. I probably wouldn't hire you if you couldn't be bothered to take off the black nailpolish and try to represent the company properly. I wouldn't even go for a bright blue, this is what nude shades of nailpolish were made for.

rabbit__food

A few years ago, I would have agreed with your friend, but today black polish is fashionable. Wear it. I love black polish and think it looks nice.

edaaff

so much stigma over Black nail polish, but honestly It's a neutral and Great color to have on your nails; I don't think it is considered "goth" anymore (maybe when you were in 8th grade jeeez) but there will Always be those people who, like idiots, think that.
With that being said, generally any interview, I would avoid any nail polish. Just go with your nails nice and trimmed and clean and neat. That's the most professional look. Then when you work there wear neutrals (including black) but never bright "neons" It gives the wrong impression

kitigonkukoo

I do hiring in a corporate office... safe bet is to take it off. I'm not just talking about black nail polish, any color that is extremely varied from a natural color isn't a good bet until you know who you are dealing with.

Also goes for creative hair styles and colors in general.

You don't know the companie's policies, so it's best to not go in with a possible set back that's so very easy to avoid.

There are so many other challenges with interviews these days- this is one simple thing you can do.

On a similar note- if you have any visible piercings other than one hole in each of your ears, I'd keep them out, or as un-noticable as possible.

During the interview, ask what the dress code is, and what the business standards are, as far as all of that goes. Trust me- the interviewer will recognize that you are unique and self assured, yet still respectful of the corporate policies and expectations.

alpha1029

I say keep it. If they are a company that won't hire you based on something as arbritrary as your nail polish, you have to ask yourself if you would really want to work there. Plus, I think black nail polish looks great.

stina0t2

Depends on the type of role and the culture of the place you're interviewing in.
I work for a digital agency and interview a lot of people. I don't judge by polish or what they're wearing but our industry is a bit more relaxed than others.

But I've also never changed the colour of polish regardless of how corporate or conservative a client is.

ElizabethRoad

that's ridiculous. I wear it at work all the time... x

This comment keeps coming up. Is it really that hard to understand there's a difference between going to work and going to an interview?

I think how you choose to present yourself at an interview absolutely SHOULD matter. If you can't be bothered to respect the interviewer and the situation by dressing appropriately, you aren't the person I want to hire.

Bobby_Clerici

I disagree with your friend. I'm in HR and do the hiring.... as long as your nails are well-kept, the color does not matter. Your personality and experience will catch my attention more so than your nail polish preference. GOOD LUCK!

Plain and simple, you have a tattoo on the inside of your wrist, obviously you do not think like most of coporate america nor are you putting yourself in thier shoes

BINGO!
Once again, truth is hard to accept.
The world is not always fair, and we must live and function is the world that is - not the utopia that should exist but does not.
People are just clueless.

OnWisconsin84

I'm all for self-expression, but whenever I interview I try to church it up a bit. I work in a corporate setting too, so I make sure my nails are clear or French if I'm interviewing. Not interviewing?! Screw it. I rock whatever.

Jacwhite22

wow, I am dis heartened to heat this. So the color of my nails determines how people will perceive me, WOW. It's just a color on my nails, why should that matter.

Basically i can have all the qualifications in the world and a great personality, but because of the color of my nails i might not get hired..WHAT!!!!! ::jaw drops::

That's life....Impression means more than anything else.

cmje94066

Keep it simple.

sofakingawesome69

Hey, it's the real world out there. Your appearance is most important, making that first impression. Sure the color of your nail polish is shallow, but that is just how it works. You can stand for what you want, but just remember you need to impress them with how you work and you, not your look..

vim_n_vigor

I am just trying to get a feel of what you all think. I have an interview in 2 weeks with a corporate office. And a friends of mine mentioned that i should not forget to take off my black nail polish,. I looked at her and i was like, why should that matter?

Opninions...Thoughts!!!!

It could be. Why risk it? Take it off. Most corporate offices are pretty conservative.

jran3

wow, I am dis heartened to heat this. So the color of my nails determines how people will perceive me, WOW. It's just a color on my nails, why should that matter.

Basically i can have all the qualifications in the world and a great personality, but because of the color of my nails i might not get hired..WHAT!!!!! ::jaw drops::

Should the color of your nails play a role in whether or not you get the job? No, absolutely not. Will it? Yes, very much so.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Go for a clear coat for the interview and then rock the black polish once you get the job!

Yep! Also, I'll add, for the interview, what you want to stand out, is your on paper qualifications, and your ability to communicated your qualifications, plus your personality. Image wise, you don't want them to remember anything. Black/Grey/Blue suit, plain black pumps with not too high a heel, conservative hair do, and nothing that stands out like dark nail polish, or extra long nails.

Once you get the job, you can probably go with a little more of who you are, depending on how conservative the company is.

Again, there's always self employment.

raeleek

I am just trying to get a feel of what you all think. I have an interview in 2 weeks with a corporate office. And a friends of mine mentioned that i should not forget to take off my black nail polish,. I looked at her and i was like, why should that matter?

Opninions...Thoughts!!!!

I read one time that hiring professionals thought the most highly of a good a manicure with nude polish. Find something pretty in a tone similar to your skin tone. When you get the job slowly work your own style in. There is nothing wrong with colored polish but you're not only selling your professionalism you're also selling your appearance and I'm sorry to say that appearance is still a major factor in out society. Prove yourself professionally and they wont care what you wear as long as it's within their dress code.

annabanana05

Personally, I don't think the color on your nails should matter! If they judge you from the color on your nails they will judge you on everything else so therefore if you didn't get hired based on that your better off!! Besides I personally think depending on your outfit black polish would look good!

zellagrrl

I work in IT-- it's more lax. I wear what I want, show off tattoos and generally don't care. But for interviews, my tattoos are covered and I look normal-ish on the outside. I may be wearing all black, but I look polished.

As an interviewer, I'm going to nail you on your resume, not necessarily what you're wearing or how you look, but that's how we do it in IT-- if you can't give me good technical answers when you're supposed to be certified in something, you're out no matter how polished you look-- I'll take scraggly and competent over polished and dumb any day.

crazybigchick

I agree it seems so silly. In the profession I am working hard to get into it is all suits all the time. Now I am the girliest girl possible, why do I want to dress like a man? Why would wearing clothing that has color and accentuates my curvy figure detract from my effectiveness in the courtroom? smh It is just the way it is.

I have worked in a courtroom and know many attorneys and you can add color to a suit. Wear a colorful, appropriate shirt under your jacket, wear fun heels. If you are a girly girl, pick a skirt suit. No one says you have to wear pants. There are even some nice colored suits now.

Even working in a conservative, business dress code there is room to express yourself. And besides, once you get a job, you can see what others are wearing and adjust as necessary. Where I work, I've seen attorneys dressed way down and some way up. And they all work for the same company.

Hopefully, I will get lucky. I LOOOVE my high heals! and it would make a grey/ black/ navy suit sooo much better if I could pair them with my 6 in coral pumps I interned in a very conservative office. After my first day in court, they pulled me aside and asked me to dress more professionally in the future. I had no clue what they were talking about. I had gone completely grey suit, low black heals, thin pearls, etc. I had to ask the supervising attorney to clarify. It was my lack of pantyhose! I had actually started off in them, but by the time I escaped the dog and the kiddos, they were already snagged. The county I am in now is sort of a good old boy environment and much more laid back in every aspect, so hopefully It won't be so bad.