3 January 2011
Corporate Goth: The Essential Guide for the Job-Seeking Goth
We Goths are often met with an awkward dilemma - should we dress to satisfy or to impress the world? Whether I’m on a casual day off from work, going out to lunch with a friend, or out for a special occasion, I feel that I am entitled to wear whatever I want to. Why should you or I have to satisfy the public by dressing down?
The work place, sadly, can be another matter entirely. In the current climate unemployment is a serious problem for many and employers often have difficulty seeing past our spooky facades, so this guide aims to give the job-seeking Goth practical tips to improve their chances of securing work. The Hunt for the Elusive Job Job hunting can be very difficult: visiting various companies and establishments, writing to potential employers and emailing your CV to anyone who will read it. Some might suggest wearing business attire while job-hunting: you don't want the person you hand your CV to wanting to hide under the desk until the 'vampire' has left the building. This isn’t a bad idea, but in my experience, something more casual is fine. I would suggest smart-casual, or perhaps, casual-that-has-been-smartened-up-a-smidgen. Toning the 'goth' down a little helps to reduce the chance of the prospective employers being scared by your dark appearance. The Interview So you got an interview! Congratulations! But what to wear? It may require some new clothes just for the occasion, but investing in some appropriate clothes purely for the interview is a good idea, and I can only tell you this as nicely as I can - if you can’t attend an interview looking professional and responsible, you won’t get the job. I would suggest attending all interviews in a suit, or something similarly smart. If you go for black trousers and a black shirt/blouse, that’s pretty easy for us Goths to wear. I'm not the only one who feels that work attire is often uniform, unfeeling and mundane, but dressing up like this for an interview gives a very good first impression. This immediately makes you appear as a professional - someone who knows how to do this job, and how to do it well. First impressions are important, even if we wished that they weren’t. Makeup should be subtle. Gently smoky eyes can look elegant and sophisticated, but you may also want to consider leaving makeup off altogether or going for a fresh-faced look, especially if you’re male. Nails should be natural. |
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Body-piercings should either be removed or replaced with some more subtle adornments. Small studs and bars are ideal; they are discreet and don’t leave you with gaping holes in your flesh. More obvious or larger piercings may be harder to distract attention from, so work on making sure the rest of your appearance is polished. Tattoos should be covered up where possible; for most, this should be fairly simple - long sleeves and buttoned-up collars.
A Goth in the Work Place
So the employer was impressed and you got that job! Go you - you are now a Corporate Goth! But your efforts cannot end there: depending on your job, you could still be facing some annoying uniform requirements.
Try not to be too disheartened if you are required to wear a provided uniform. Yes, I know that lime green blouse is awful, but there are a couple of upsides to a uniform policy. I end up replacing work clothes far more often than my nice Goth clothes, due to how much wear they withstand, and remember that everyone you work with is being required to wear the same things as you. Now this isn’t (supposed) to make you all feel like lifeless clones of one another (at least, that’s the theory, I have my own suspicions however), but to make you identifiable to your customers. Also, try to understand the need to look approachable. In the perfect world, people wouldn’t be frightened off by the pale-faced Goth wearing studs and piercings and other unusual things, but this isn’t the perfect world, so we have to make do. And do remember that if everyone else is obeying the rules, there is no reason why you shouldn’t be either.
Keep in mind that sometimes there are very good reasons for certain things such as body mods being banned from the work place. Some jobs may require extra diligence concerning hygiene or health and safety procedures. Don’t hesitate to ask about what uniform policies the company has when at your interview.
Goth-Friendly Environments
Things are changing, fortunately. Not only is the public becoming more accepting towards alternative types, but the work place is beginning to soften a little also. Many fashion retail stores will actually provide a certain amount of money per quarter for their staff to buy uniform from their own current ranges, giving them a lot of individual choice.
Different companies have different policies regarding hair, body modification and so on. Sometimes we have to settle for some of these daft rules, for the greater good. Basically, you have to weigh up the pros and cons. What’s more important? Being able to have purple hair and a padlock through your nose, or having a roof over your head and your bills paid? I really do appreciate what people mean when they say they feel stripped off their identity in some jobs, but I also feel that if you are no longer your own person simply because your hair is brown and not purple, aren’t you just the teensiest bit taking yourself too seriously, if not being the eensiest bit shallow about your appearance?
Staying Your Gloriously Gothic Self
This is where older Goths may have an easier time of it…they have extra responsibilities on their shoulders to consider, and also tend to have the most self-confidence in their 'Gothitude'. When we’re younger, sometimes we do feel less confident about our identity, and as we become older, we become surer of ourselves; accepting that we don’t have to wear that swishy black frock coat to be the Dark Person that we feel we are.
But there comes a point when we do consider perhaps throwing all caution to the wind. There is no fun in pretending to be something that you're not, and even if it means lowering your chances of success in a job, sometimes you just feel the need to stand up for yourself and be proud of your dark swishiness. If you really are very unhappy with the way things are at your job, do try and find a new job - no one wants to be miserable every working day of their life! I came to the point as though I was in hiding, and that I felt something of a liar…being a Goth is not a secret someone can keep for long. But now, I am more confident in embracing my Gothic side at my job. I just have to remember how to keep it appropriate and professional. Be proud of yourselves, Corporate Goths, and don’t hide!
A Goth in the Work Place
So the employer was impressed and you got that job! Go you - you are now a Corporate Goth! But your efforts cannot end there: depending on your job, you could still be facing some annoying uniform requirements.
Try not to be too disheartened if you are required to wear a provided uniform. Yes, I know that lime green blouse is awful, but there are a couple of upsides to a uniform policy. I end up replacing work clothes far more often than my nice Goth clothes, due to how much wear they withstand, and remember that everyone you work with is being required to wear the same things as you. Now this isn’t (supposed) to make you all feel like lifeless clones of one another (at least, that’s the theory, I have my own suspicions however), but to make you identifiable to your customers. Also, try to understand the need to look approachable. In the perfect world, people wouldn’t be frightened off by the pale-faced Goth wearing studs and piercings and other unusual things, but this isn’t the perfect world, so we have to make do. And do remember that if everyone else is obeying the rules, there is no reason why you shouldn’t be either.
Keep in mind that sometimes there are very good reasons for certain things such as body mods being banned from the work place. Some jobs may require extra diligence concerning hygiene or health and safety procedures. Don’t hesitate to ask about what uniform policies the company has when at your interview.
Goth-Friendly Environments
Things are changing, fortunately. Not only is the public becoming more accepting towards alternative types, but the work place is beginning to soften a little also. Many fashion retail stores will actually provide a certain amount of money per quarter for their staff to buy uniform from their own current ranges, giving them a lot of individual choice.
Different companies have different policies regarding hair, body modification and so on. Sometimes we have to settle for some of these daft rules, for the greater good. Basically, you have to weigh up the pros and cons. What’s more important? Being able to have purple hair and a padlock through your nose, or having a roof over your head and your bills paid? I really do appreciate what people mean when they say they feel stripped off their identity in some jobs, but I also feel that if you are no longer your own person simply because your hair is brown and not purple, aren’t you just the teensiest bit taking yourself too seriously, if not being the eensiest bit shallow about your appearance?
Staying Your Gloriously Gothic Self
This is where older Goths may have an easier time of it…they have extra responsibilities on their shoulders to consider, and also tend to have the most self-confidence in their 'Gothitude'. When we’re younger, sometimes we do feel less confident about our identity, and as we become older, we become surer of ourselves; accepting that we don’t have to wear that swishy black frock coat to be the Dark Person that we feel we are.
But there comes a point when we do consider perhaps throwing all caution to the wind. There is no fun in pretending to be something that you're not, and even if it means lowering your chances of success in a job, sometimes you just feel the need to stand up for yourself and be proud of your dark swishiness. If you really are very unhappy with the way things are at your job, do try and find a new job - no one wants to be miserable every working day of their life! I came to the point as though I was in hiding, and that I felt something of a liar…being a Goth is not a secret someone can keep for long. But now, I am more confident in embracing my Gothic side at my job. I just have to remember how to keep it appropriate and professional. Be proud of yourselves, Corporate Goths, and don’t hide!
Article written and illustrated by...
Blackavar is an artist and writer from Hampshire. Her interests include the creative arts, Japanese culture and all things Goth. She is also a published fantasy author.
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