So.. speaking as someone in the software industry and with some interesting performing arts hobbies, this one strikes very close to home, and I've talked with many folks in many professions about it.
First and foremost is the question - how do YOU feel about this?
If you are not happy or comfortable doing this. Or if you think you will ever, at any point in the future be unhappy that you did this - don't do it! Be true to yourself. It really, really doesn't matter what anyone else thinks of you or your actions if you, yourself aren't proud of them. Don't let the questions of the limiting factors based on how other people or groups think obscure the basic truth that it's you that has to live in your own skin.
Some corollaries are:
- Would you be OK admitting to a fellow professional that you had done this work?
- Would you be OK with a social friend and/or family member finding out that you had done this work?
- Do you expect that significant others would be OK with you having done this work?
The trick is, that if you think people who would care for you would judge you harshly, does this mean that you, yourself judge these actions poorly.
I say that as a person who actually thinks that the human body is pretty cool, and showing it off is neat, and I can tolerate other people's views if they can tolerate mine. But ya gotta make your own decisions here.
Next - Job Prospects in Knowledge Work
Mileage is going to vary a LOT here based on location, industry and company personality. Will it be OK with a software company creating software for a highly moral-driven purpose - like software for a political campaign, educational software for minors, or something with a religious purpose? Probably not. Will it be OK for a hip, young, funky company that is doing some sort of wacky technology? Yep, probably... I've had a number of wild artistic pursuits over the years and worked in a number of very uptight firms and they've respected that I separate work and life. That said, I know folks that have had different experiences.
The issues usually come in two varieties:
1 - it's not how the company wants to identify itself. This is particularly relevant if you are in a public role (not likely in software engineering... but there are plenty of famous geeks who serve as counter examples), where your actions and the company's values aren't readily separable.
2 - it's a concern with how customers will react. For example, the company may be liberal, but the customer base may be very conservative. This is probably more relevant for a smaller company where everyone takes on many roles, or for a company where you specifically have a customer facing role.
I'd venture the thought that everyone gets judged for something, so the only safe thing is to make sure that you are judged for things that you can stand by and are willing to fight for.
Background Checks
The average background check process (at the moment) is something like a drug screen, criminal history check and reference check. Presuming you aren't using your webcam modelling job on your job history, and you aren't getting arrested, because what you are doing is legal where you are (just an assumption, mileage varies on that, too), then it's unlikely to come up on the official screening process.
I'd point out, though, that in the software industry, your coworkers are VERY likely to be capable of using computers and the internet. You can bet that someone in your office will find you on Facebook, LinkedIn, StackExchange or some other media. So if there is any reference at all to anything juicy or salacious, you can bet that there's a decent possibility that your clever coworkers will find out about it.
Obscurity is not something you can count on, given that your social media experience is not something that you alone control. Also, the work of keeping a secret obscured is a non-stop job, so you have to wonder if that's something you want to sign up for for the long haul. Better to just be sure you're not ashamed of what you do.
Will it impact your hiring chances? Hard to know.
Finding out Later
No one takes it well when they feel like they've been lied to. There's a nebulous point between "not sharing all the nitty gritty details of one's life" and sharing relevant information so that it's not a huge dirty secret. If it's something in your far distant past, it's likely that no one will really care. If you are actively engaged in an industry that isn't PG-13, then it's wise to figure out what kind of office you're working in an figure out a way to make it not a secret, and yet not something you have to talk about non-stop.
Does it take some finesse to work it out with coworkers? yes, absolutely. It's a level of tact and savy in dealing with people to get a sense of whether to bring it up, or how to address it if it ever comes up. If you don't want to sign up for that, don't do it.
This falls into the realm of "if you're willing to stand behind your actions, fight for them". "Fight" doesn't have to mean a head on collision here, it can be quietly but firmly saying, "I did this and I'm not ashamed of it".
But that has to be true.
