wearing black nail polish in a corporate job inappropriate?

hesn92

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::

Well. It would also be unprofessional to show up in flip flops. Or in jeans and a tank top. For an interview you should present yourself in the most conservative and professional manner possible. I'm sure some employers wouldn't think twice about your nail color but IMO it's not worth the risk. You can paint them again when you get the job.

kaymac1908

I would go as conservatively and professionally as possible to leave no room for the person (or people) conducting the interview to inappropriately judge you in any way. I know this sounds harsh, but people form initial impressions of who you are based on what you put in writing, what you say during your interview, AND what they SEE in you. While one person might interpret black nail polish as fun, creative and expressive; another person might interpret it as odd, cold, or as an indicator of a dark personality/lifestyle. You have no way of knowing where people are coming from, so I wouldn't leave room for anything to be taken the wrong way.

Another way you can approach it would be to wear the polish and intentionally use it as a prop to describe who you are. At some point you will be asked to give some information about character & personality. You could say something like, "I am fun and expressive. I like to think and do things that are creative. For example, you see my black nail polish. While some people might take it as dark... I see it as a way to show that I am interesting..."

Whatever you decide, best wishes and much success!

bigdawg025

I have to agree with the majority here although, personally, I would love it. However, that doesn't mean the interviewer will. After the fact... sure it won't matter. It's definitely not worth getting all butt hurt and upset over removing it whether it looks good on you or not! That's definitely an immature way of thinking, and that alone could lead you to not get hired (aka stubbornness).

Do you....

1. Want to get the job?

or...

2. Try and prove a point?

This is what you need to decide.

vbmama2012

I tried explaining this to my daughter when she was looking for a job with a pierced lip, pierced tongue and tattoos. I advised her to remove them, and cover her tattoos for interviews. Although we all want to express ourselves in our own ways (I myself have tattoos), they can be perceived differently in a job interview/professional setting, and could make or break the interview. The same holds true for nail polish, style of clothing, etc. It's a fact of life.
I'd remove the black nail polish for the interview, and use a neutral color or clear coat. It's one day, and although it may be your fave color, or it might look nice with your skin tone, your interviewer/prospective new boss might not see it that way.
Best wishes to you! I hope you ROCK that interview!!!

Shrinking_Moody

I would say yes remove it just for the interview. I don't think it's inappropriate once you have the job, but for the interview I would go with a clear polish. Good luck in your interview too!

This. I would play it safe. But once you are in go for it.

RunsOnEspresso

The color doesn't matter as much as if there are chips or some nails without polish etc.

I have interviewed countless people and I don't notice the color (it's summer now and a lot of people are wearing neons, big deal. Black nail polish is now considered chic/sophisticated more so than goth). I notice the chips. If someone comes to an interview with chipped nails it tells me they didn't think that putting the best foot forward, so to speak, is important. Either take it off completely or have it redone. You do not look put together with chipped nail polish.

I would also stay away from nail decorations and the new trend of different colors on each nail. Pick one color, black included, and make sure it is done nicely. It is about looking put together and like you took the time to care, not so much what colors are chosen. Also, no low cut tops, visible tats etc are always good.

I work in a law firm so it's very corporate and business dress. I am the HR dept and hold a BS and MA in HR. I do know a little of what we are talking about here...

WhoTheHellIsBen

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

ElizabethRoad

It's not easy to get a job these days. Why take the chance?

spikefoot

I want to say keep it on.... but the thing that sucks is the world doesn't always work that way.

First impressions can be very critical to our success so I would dress within the "dress code" of that company.

I have a big tattoo and I cover it if needed, you feel like a bit of a sell out and like you are being robbed from your "self expression" but there is a time of place for everything.... Having said that tattoos, piercings, black nails and all that stuff is the least of our worries but what can you do?

Best of luck

RunsOnEspresso

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.

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: