Written by Robert Weihofen
We live in a world where there are multiple forms of art, and one of the hottest arts now are tattoos. Many people are going out and getting inked and one of the big questions is, should a tattoo cost you a job? It can come down to where you get the tattoo, the nature of the tattoo, and where you are looking to be hired.
Personally, I have a tattoo and plan to get a few more but I am being smart by placing them on body areas that they can be covered up during interviews and work. Many employers will look and see if a tattoo is visible or not, and this can be the make or break deal.
Many people view visible tattoos as unprofessional and as something that marks a person as dirty. If a person has a tattoo in an area that can be covered, like the upper arm, back, or thigh, then I think that there is no problem. Most of the time people get tattoos to express themselves, their feelings, or memories of significant others.
I understand where potential employers are coming from, because they want to make sure their company gives a good impression. If it is not visible, I do not see a problem with an employee having a tattoo. There are some who argue that tattoos are not accepted by religion, marking the body a sin, or idolatry. On the other hand, there are Christians that do not view tattoos as inherently bad; some actually have tattoos themselves. Sadly, tattoos seem to be tied to the notion that individuals who gets them are evil doers, perhaps even atheists or devil worshipers. Of course, this is something that is simply not true.
Employers are worried about their customers judging tattoos negatively and projecting that judgment onto their company. Now, if that person has an offensive tattoo then that is a red flag and reason for concern.
The problem I have is that to prevent their company from being judged, company officials themselves turn around and judge potential employees by a piece of art they have on their body. Not all people with tattoos are heathens, nor are all people with tattoos lesser than a person with no tattoos. Some of my tattoo donning acquaintances are among the most moral people that I know.
We must reverse the preconception that just because you have a tattoo you are a bad person or a troublemaker. A person who gets a tattoo is just expressing themselves visually and there should be nothing wrong with showing who you are through body art.
Professionals responsible for hiring need to take off their conceptual Calvin Klein suits, Vera Wang purses and jewelry that “express” who they are, be open minded to other valid forms of physical expression and take the time to get to know job applicants as individuals. Anyone can put on a $5,000 suit and claim to look good. Should I judge such suit wearers as rich and snobby just like they judge people with tattoos as grimy and unqualified?
A tattoo is an expression of a person’s feelings, beliefs or likes. We have always been taught not to judge a person just by their looks, before we know them, yet many do just that. A tattoo should not cost you a job. The interviewer should ignore your inked design and only consider whether or not you are qualified for the job.
Who knows, maybe if interviewers acted more neutrally instead of judging what people have on their body, workplaces might be populated by people who are really qualified for the job.
