Job industries too judgmental of tattoos
People express themselves in a variety of ways, whether it be through painting, making music, writing, having different colors in their hair or having body modifications.
But although there is an increase in people’s ability to freely do what they want with their body when it comes to body modifications, it can still hinder their chances of scoring a job.
According to an article by the Huffington Post published in September, “about 23 percent of Americans today have a tattoo, and 32 percent of people ages 30-45 have at least one.”
With this in mind, if it is common to see older people and even more young professionals with tattoos, it doesn’t make sense so much of the job industry still views tattoos with a negative perception.
People probably create this mindset that the less visible a tattoo is, the better the chances of getting their ideal job. This is probably true, but then again, it may not be where they originally wanted to get it.
I didn’t get my tattoo where people wouldn’t be able to see it, and I intentionally risked having it etched on my forearm. I like it there and it is visible. I didn’t want it to always be covered, because to me, that’s not the point of my tattoo.
Tattoos, piercings and colorful hair are simply an expression of appearance — it does not mean it defines that person in any way, shape or form. People get tattoos for personal reasons, sometimes because it preserves a memory. Similarly, people get piercings because they choose to.
Employers need to rethink their superficial ideas that if someone has tattoos, he or she is a delinquent and up to no good. What they really need to look for when hiring employees is their work ethic, devotion to their work and their attitude.
They focus too much on appearance when it should never matter. Hiring someone who does not have any piercings or tattoos does not immediately brand them as a good worker — they could be the most terrible worker to ever exist.
So many people my age and even younger are sporting tattoos and other body modifications, which is why it should become the norm among employers and should not sway their hiring decisions.
It’s ridiculous a drawing on skin can really hinder one’s chances at a job, because everyone deserves a chance to prove themselves worthy and not just get declined because of how they look. People always claim “it’s what’s on the inside that counts,” but apparently this doesn’t apply in the corporate world.
It is not fair how people have to hide themselves and try so hard to get a job just because of the way they like to present themselves. At the end of the day, hiring should never be about looks.
