What do employers of 20-somethings think of visible tattoos?

[spinstermanquee]

Curious. My kid is looking for a job and has several visible tattoos (face, hands, wrists). What do current-day employers think of tattooed youngsters?

[hexaemeron]

Curious. My kid is looking for a job and has several visible tattoos (face, hands, wrists). What do current-day employers think of tattooed youngsters?

 

Unless he's an artist or something, he's pretty screwed. Sorry.

[annie24]

Face?? ehhh.... I guess it depends on the industry. I think people are more accepting now than they were 20 years ago. maybe if he/she is a hairdresser or something else 'creative' that would be fine. Lawyer? maybe not. It's hard to tell. I guess it also depends on what he has to bring to the table and who he knows.

 

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I use this product for under my eye dark circles. But it's made to cover tattoos. There are other products out there that are even better I think.

[spinstermanquee]

Well she has a degree in English and she works in a bar but wants to get something more viable.

[hexaemeron]

I work in the SF Bay Area, arguably one of the most liberal places to live in work on the planet. I work for a very very large company where most everyone around me is at least 20 years older at a minimum. I dyed my hair a different, but entirely natural looking color once, and I was put on report, if that gives you any idea of the corporate attitude toward independent identity.

[Eocsor]

Well, I work for the Government and I'd have a hard time hiring someone that looked like that. She would have to have a pretty solid GPA and resume for me to give her a chance at that point. Also, solid interview skills would do a lot to help ease a potential employers doubts. Dressing conservatively and appropriately for the job would help as well.

[adideas]

I believe professionals, while a little more lenient these days, still frown on visible tattoos, piercings, and even those big earrings. We have an ad agency and employee 15 designers. Many have tattoos but we require that they keep them covered under a long sleeve shirt, etc. If a person came in with facial or hand tattoos for an interview, we probably would not hire as they interact with business owners that are typically older and professional. As far as wrist tattoos, if they are small and not noticeable then it wouldn't be a problem. I think jobs in the "white collar" world are still very conservative.

[spinstermanquee]

@ adideas: you mean "gauges?" by big earrings? just curious.

[Gessolin]

If you are in a city, she could look into being a stage hand. It's good money and the crews are pretty expressive.

[crosbyfan]

As others have stated, she has a chance if she's looking for work in a very creative field such as film, the arts, etc where you find people who think outside the box a lot more.

 

To give you an idea of the corporate world, my husband is a CEO of a multinational company. Last night his company hosted a social affair for the interns they have working for them this summer. These kids range in age from about 19 to 25 years old, all are attending top biz schools and when they graduate, they'll start at six figure incomes. There was equal number of sexes, almost every ethnic background that you could imagine, but NOT ONE visible tattoo.

[spinstermanquee]

Thanks, I suspected as much. why I never got a tattoo - I didn't want to be "branded"

[CMS]

I worked for UBS's investment banking, its part of the company policy to not consider candidates with visible tattoos. I am sorry but thats just how things are in corporate USA

[crosbyfan]

The key factor is "visible tattoo" - that's what's branding her. I know quite a few corporate businessmen who have non visible tattoos. My husband's hockey team with the average age of 50, all corporate leaders and quite established both financially and business-wise have the same tattoo on their butt!

[OptomisticGirl]

Depends. My fiance has wrist and lower arm tattoos and works for the government, and he hates long sleeved shirts so his dress shirts clearly show them. I use to work for a guy who didn't want us to wear facial piercings. It's all about the employer but most of the time they are probably going to want them to be able to be hidden.

[FathomFear]

Unless he's an artist or something, he's pretty screwed. Sorry.

 

I suspect this issue will vary by region. I've often heard about a supposed bias against tattooed people, but I've never seen it first hand at least where I live.

 

Personally speaking, I manage a team of about 35 people and hire people every 3-4 months. I don't give tattoos a passing thought. I hired someone last month who has tattoos on both arms (all the way down to her hands) as well as tattoos on her back that go all the way up to her neck. As long as someone works hard and has the required experience, I've never paid much attention to body art.

[pl3asehelp]

Well she has a degree in English and she works in a bar but wants to get something more viable.

 

Sadly, I doubt any of the 'creative' type jobs where this might not matter would pay any better than working in a bar.

[Day_Walker]

I think it will depend on what kind of job she is looking for, in a corporate environment such things are typically frowned upon but other businesses dont seem to mind. I would say what industry she is going into is going to be the biggest factor. I would also research what your states laws are on employment discrimination for tattoos.

[annie24]

I think it will depend on what kind of job she is looking for, in a corporate environment such things are typically frowned upon but other businesses dont seem to mind. I would say what industry she is going into is going to be the biggest factor. I would also research what your states laws are on employment discrimination for tattoos.

 

It is soooo hard these days in the job market. At least in the US. They may have 200+ applicants for one position - and they don't have to tell you why they didn't hire you. They just say, 'thank you for your application. unfortunately we cannot accept you at this time, we have had many applicants with high qualifications, and unfortunately we do not have enough slots for everyone. we wish you the best in your future career....' blah blah blah.

[adideas]

yea...sorry. couldn't think of what they were called. Basically, if they have those, we won't hire them.

[civilservant]

I'm not even going to dignify that with a response. The position of my tattoos has now bearing on my employability. In the public sector, at least. As for those who think that tattoos somehow portray you in a negative light, it's a rather small minded attitude. It has zero bearing on my ability to perform a role.

 

Actually it's interstibg to note all these responses are US based, where it seems employers are far more 'liberal' with hiring and firing than UK employment law allows them to be here. If you were denied a job, or fired, on that basis you could expect to find yourself in court as an employer here.

[superfox]

I'm not even going to dignify that with a response. The position of my tattoos has now bearing on my employability. In the public sector, at least. As for those who think that tattoos somehow portray you in a negative light, it's a rather small minded attitude. It has zero bearing on my ability to perform a role.

 

Actually it's interstibg to note all these responses are US based, where it seems employers are far more 'liberal' with hiring and firing than UK employment law allows them to be here. If you were denied a job, or fired, on that basis you could expect to find yourself in court as an employer here.

Have to agree CS, I have visible tattoos as does my bf and friends, some (including myself) have face and/or tongue piercings and we all hold down responsible jobs here in the UK. My bf got rid of his 3 face piercings only due to the change in H&S at his place of work and he couldn't be bothered to put them in and take them out every day. I think that here we are a lot more liberal in attitudes towards body modifications here unless you want to join the police force!

[adideas]

I thought the Capilot's diagram was both funny and accurate. I think it just gets down to professionalism and age. Most of the people responding that tattoos and piercings don't matter are in that 20-something age range and are holding down jobs that don't seem to be white collar jobs or executive type positions. I can say that our client base is spending thousands and even hundreds of thousands of dollars with us each year. They interact with our designer team and I want them to feel comfortable and secure with the person they are dealing with. I want that person to come off as an expert in their field. A person with a facial piercing or tattoo just doesn't speak to the fact that they are a "professional" at what they do and is a distraction to what their true capabilities are. NOW, my VP has tattoos, as do two of my art directors and most of my artist. However, none are visible or offensive.

[Miss Firecracker]

If you were denied a job, or fired, on that basis you could expect to find yourself in court as an employer here.

 

As if they would admit it.

[Lonewing]

I'm not even going to dignify that with a response. The position of my tattoos has now bearing on my employability. In the public sector, at least. As for those who think that tattoos somehow portray you in a negative light, it's a rather small minded attitude. It has zero bearing on my ability to perform a role.

 

Actually it's interstibg to note all these responses are US based, where it seems employers are far more 'liberal' with hiring and firing than UK employment law allows them to be here. If you were denied a job, or fired, on that basis you could expect to find yourself in court as an employer here.

 

Wake up and smell the coffee. YES, your tattoo position DOES play bearing in your hirablility. It may not be a reason for them to not hire you, but as soon as they see something they don't like, they will then HUNT for a legitimate reason by which they CAN deny you entry into the field. And the best has already been pointed out by Annie; you will never know you were denied due to a tattoo. All you will know is :

 

They just say, 'thank you for your application. unfortunately we cannot accept you at this time, we have had many applicants with high qualifications, and unfortunately we do not have enough slots for everyone. we wish you the best in your future career....' blah blah blah.

 

I'm personally appalled at the number of kids my age who have no end in sight in the tattoos they have on them and in the planning stages, and yet they have not made that connection with the fact that people in Good jobs do NOT negatively alter their appearance in that manner. Even outside of work, Tattoos are NOT attractive, at least, to me. I see tattoos, I generally don't even give the girl a chance - it's one of my breaking points.

 

However, if your attitude is at all in any way reflective of the average person between the ages of 20 and 30, then I am not at all shocked by the often 40-50% unemployment often being reported for this age bracket. Face it, as long as the kiddies resist becoming mature, responsible adults and start making sound decisions that do not have openly adverse affects on their futures, the adults will continue to treat them as kids and keep them at the kiddie table. Period. You think this sucks or isn't fair?

 

Here's a really big epiphany from my life: chances are, you don't have money. These employers do. And as long as they have the money and you need it, you are enslaved to their wheel, and what they say IS the rule. You don't HAVE to work, at least, not in my state!! Now if you are independenly wealthy, as in, you will never have to work a day in your life, then have at it, but otherwise, HAVE SOME DISCRETION!!!

 

Make bad decisions and you will be unemployed. Exhibit a history of bad decisions where others are privy to your exhibition, and expect to stay unempoyed! UNLESS you like working lower service jobs, or expect to make it big in either music or another arts field...or in any of the fiels where that look attracts attention.

[annie24]

I think at best, the employers will be neutral, and at worst, they might not hire you for them. I can't think of anyone who has been not hired for not having any tattoo (except someone working at a tattoo parlor!)