Is sporting a dramatic tattoo really such a job stopper?

Too many young people these days have fallen into the "need" to express themselves via the fad of tattoos... and YES, it is a fad, except that these days, fads last longer than they used to. Few of them think of the long term effects. They fall prey to the "cool" look of their idiotic "peers" and entertainment "idols". That cute or symbolic tattoo across your hip, back, neck, arms, legs will really prove your point 20-30 years from now. Instead of putting the money into a retirement fund, they stupidly spend thousands of $$$ on tattoos, yet have barely enough to pay their rent; then they rant and rave at their self-inflicted plight. Gather up the lemmings and lead them to the tattoo parlours... that'll quickly solve their problems.

Ok, I have tattoos and while they are not a job stopper I do have to cover them up at work. I wear Ink Armor sleeves: http://www.tat2x.com/cover-a-tattoo.html They work really well. I am in retail sales and it does seem to make my customers more comfortable. What's a bit ironic is that if you get a job where you have to wear a suit every day it's much easier to cover up your ink. I have two forearm tattoos.

"Think about it" is right. I have a tattoo that I got as a teenager to rebel because I was angry at my mother at the time for a stupid reason. Yes, a stupid reason. Now, I am much older and I hope a little wiser. I have children and I advise them against ever getting a tattoo. Tattoos are only fasionable around your friends, for the season that they remain your friends. However, tattoos are not fashionable around the workplace which you hope can supply you with a paycheck for at least a few decades, maybe more. You need that paycheck, you do not need funky looking friends. Also, remember, if you quit rebellilng and just get your good career, those funky friends may some day come to you for money when they get fired from their job for refusing to listen to the boss.

I have to say that all of the people that regret getting tattoos got them for the wrong reason. I feel that people should be able to display their tattoos as it is part of them. If you got your tattoo to piss off your mom when you were sixteen of course you're going to hate it. Don't blame tattoos, blame your shitty immature decision making skills. If you can't decide, knowing the pros and cons of what having a tattoo entails then you shouldn't have done it. Tattoos aren't the bad guys, nor are others who have tattoos and like them. The bad guys are the people who do it to get a rise out of people or do it for another reason other than simply loving it for themself. You can still get a good job with tattoos, maybe you're the reason, not your tattoos.

I'm almost 40 & I have 14 beautiful works of art on my skin. Got my first when I was 20. It still looks great. They were not a rush decision. I didn't get them to be with the "in" crowd. Each one has a special meaning. My husband, who is a tattoo artist has over 30 tattoos. Not once have our tats stopped us from getting a job. Only once was I asked to cover them for a job. Generally, most people like them. Especially if you can explain the meaning behind them. For the record, you must be 18 to get a tattoo in a shop. If you're only 16, you must have your parents' SIGNED consent. Any PROFESSIONAL tattoo artist will tell you this. Getting a piece of body art is not a decision you want to make lightly. Think about it for a while, then think about it again. Choose a piece that really speaks to you so you don't get stuck with a piece of crap on your skin that you will want removed later in life.

Meghan, maybe you're the angry one now. You just spent much of a paragraph yelling at me. Anyway, it's quite normal to be rebellious as a teenager, at least here on earth. Noone should be allowed to get a tattoo at 16 actually, as mentioned by "Starr," however, NOT all tattoo artists follow the rules either. That being said, remember that tattoos are for life (unless you want the price to remove them). You may not realize this Meghan, but as you age, you often change in your thoughts, ideas, friends, jobs, etc. Tattoos are not that easy to change. BTW, when I got my tattoo, I thought exactly like you. That tattoo was a part of me that was showing the world who I was.

I have several tattoos and got my first one over twenty years ago. I don't think this is a fad as the article mentions. I do agree that some people get tattoos because they think it will make them hip/cool but for a lot of people you get them done for personal reasons they then become a part of you. My company had a no visible tattoo policy in effect when I started with them. Over the last ten years they have removed it from the manual because of the times.

I know of one employer that will not hire you if you have any tattoos. I never got any since i never felt any desire to. This worked out well in the military. Certain sections require you to have no distinguishing markings or scars.
For those that really feel that they have something they want to say with body art, there are temporary tattoos (not the kiddy ones) that last a week or 2 but can readily be removed. you can re apply it if you feel the desire, you can change it if your feelings have changed and you can go ink free when you want.
Bear in mind that with almost everyone getting inked, the ink free people are going to become the unique and desired ones.

I got my first tattoo nearly 20 years ago now, and do not regret it in the least. I'm coming up on 40 now, with a half-sleeve and half my back covered in glorious ink, and have plans for even more artwork including a full sleeve on the other arm. I love my tattoos, and never saw them as a fad. Bell bottoms were a fad. Day-glo was a fad. I have never had a problem getting a job, perhaps because I can simply put on long sleeves. I think it's placement more than anything else - if I dress in business attire, it covers my tattoos. I can choose to show my tattoos or cover them up, and covering is probably the best bet on a job interview. BTW, I work in the finance department of a school division, so tattoos in no way prevented me from getting a solid job with excellent pay. I'm a hard-wokring, intelligent, competent person... who just happens to have tattoos.

It's more then a job stopper. Society has different forms of beliefs where as in some areas it may or may not be accepted. People in general judge and stereo type before even knowing the person. For sure I can understand , but very little because tats are rquested for different reasons and for some to come up with comments as to what is right or wrong is just another typical conversation about who's better off or not. People with tats, especially with more then just a few small ones will not be looking for jobs in posiitons that will make then feel like they do not belong regardless anyways. It should be about education and qualifications but it's about money making and as much as possible please. Logically it's a need but to what end when in our part of the world so much more serious issues are happening as we type these words. Is this not another form of repression ? If your a star, in sports or music or acting it's so much cooler, especially when your rich right, but when your just an average worker/ person it's like the BS evil thing kicks in everyones mind. I have 90% of my skin inked, and outside of my groups people look at me as if some how they know somehting I do not. I do not drink, at all, do not smoke, don't party, and all the stereo typing that goes with all the uneducated thoughts when ti comes to inking. I have 7 children, self employed with Gardening/landscaping, enjoy working with flowers and my wife is a care giver for the mentally challenged. Along with helping many with employment and day to day needs none of the actual facts matter to the ones rolling their eyes at us thinking where is your "HOGS and guns " Whether it's Walmart or Sears when we do shop and receive thos eyes and long faces people need to chill and just think about who is helping to pay their salaries, those people with the tattoos. The same ones having problems getting employed themselves. In the end will any of this matter, to each their own, it's always easier looking at others rather then looking inword for areas to change that might not be in or liked by others. Everyone has their reasoning, their comments, but come on the world is changing, freedoms are not freedoms if society labels every little thing someone does to themselves. And for those that comment tats are a passing thing dream on, more and more famous people are getting them and like the following race we are we follow on some level. It all creates jobs in some form, There will always be that fix needed, whether it's booze, drugs or any addiction, how many drink and die every year but make excuses as to why. How many die or beat their wives over a tat. Ya I got off track, the job thing, to each their own, just remember that girl or guy with tats on some level is bringing cash into either your pockets directly or through tax's, a little hypocritical !

the reality is this, I don't need to vocalize my displeasure about tatoo's as that would seem to indicate prejudice, however I don't have to hire you if I don't like what I see-I won't even have to tell you why ! -- that is how the reall world works.

As for me ... No tattoos and all my own teeth :)

Lets face it, a tattoo is a personal choice. Its about expessing art on a canvas (your body). It shouldn't make a difference when applying for a job, but you need to realize that for most good jobs, the person hiring you grew up in an era when tattos were just for sailors and circus side show freaks. You might be the only one qualified for the job but it's hard to fight prejudices. Proudly showing off your art may just put out of the competition. This is especially true if you were to deal with customers regularly.

I know it's not fair and considered discrimination, but most companies are more concerned with profits and image than having to worry about employees with tattoos who may accidentally turn off the customer when they see their ink. It's much simplier just to not hire them in the first place. And that's the reality of life.

In response to notion of tattoos being a fad ... generally no, but certain tattoos may be considered fads. In particular, the chain around the arm, Aboriginal art patterns and foreign characters ... most of the time the recipient is clueless to their origin or meaning and only get them because they think they look cool. These are definately fads. If you are going to get a tattoo, at least be original and get a decent design and not something you copied off a skateboard.

LOL . where do i start with all this moronic rhetoric- the poster of this, the first in this thread.
( Too many young people these days have fallen into the "need" to express themselves via the fad of tattoos... and YES, it is a fad, except that these days, fads last longer than they used to. Few of them think of the long term effects. They fall prey to the "cool" look of their idiotic "peers" and entertainment "idols". That cute or symbolic tattoo across your hip, back, neck, arms, legs will really prove your point 20-30 years from now. Instead of putting the money into a retirement fund, they stupidly spend thousands of $$$ on tattoos, yet have barely enough to pay their rent; then they rant and rave at their self-inflicted plight. Gather up the lemmings and lead them to the tattoo parlours... that'll quickly solve their problems.)

Educate yourself you sound like a fool. tattoos have been around in every culture and civilization on earth, and dates back as far as 20,000 years. thats some FAD moron. and by the sounds of your judgmental B.S. please explain to all of us how your hatred for people having different coloured skin is ok. Cause there is no deifference in hating someone for being black , or any other colour of pigmentation in there skin you biggot.

I own my own company, if the tatoos can't be covered up, I don't hire the person.

I personally don't care, but a lot of our customers do.

Personally, I have no tattoos. I am a 57 year old professional and - unless I was hiring a tattoo artist - I would choose to hire a non-tattooed employee over one with them. Reasons?

1/ Most people still don't like them. They see them as a crass and ugly and associate them with violence and therefore feel threatened by people with tattoos - especially multiple tattoos and those involving skulls, snakes, etc. I wouldn't want to lose customers or have them feel uncomfortable because of these questionable "works of art".

2/ They represent an inability to look very far into the future - to consider the consequences of one's actions or to care about how others perceive you. I want to work with people who can plan well, conceive what the future will look like if certain actions are taken and who know how to avoid problems. If you can't forsee that visible tattoos will seriously affect your employability and might even block your ability to do the kind of work you love or desire, you are not going to be of much help to an organization that is growing and changing in response to the dynamic world around it.

3/ They tend to keep people stuck in a particular lifestyle, subculture and social circle. People today have to be able to re-invent themselves as employment needs change and as what is considered socially acceptable changes. When I go to buy insurance I don't want ot be dealing with a heavily tattood, pompadoured James Dean wannabe. Mind you, the hair-do can be changed. Tattoos are, I understand, difficult and expesive to remove.

I hire, train, and in fact terminate for a living. I am a male baby boomer, whose clients trust my judgement. Just recently I started adding the clause 'prefer no visible tattoos' on our ads. I do this for the following reason:
a) Tattoos reflect very poor decision making. I don't want someone so incapable of common sense making decisions on the part of my clients. It is right up there with entering my office with a smoke in your mouth. Both guarantee no job.
b) My clients target market are adults 40+. Many of them think tattoos belong on convicts and sailers from WWII. Don't offend this target market if you want them to spend money in your business.
c) Look up the definition of the word 'permanent'.
d) For the record, I don't hire anyone smelling of smoke (smokers cost employers extra in a dozen ways), wearing a baseball cap to an interview, or anyone whose answering machine at home or email address demonstrates a similar lack of common sense. The individual wanting to be regarded as a serious contender in a professional office doesn't have an email address beginning with 'partychick@' . When I telephone their home to arrange an interview I pay particular attention to how their family answers the telephone. If the children in the house are ill mannered I can only assume Mom and Dad are similar. Off the list.
e) Life isn't fair. It is a 'likeability' contest. Shape up or stay unemployed. Bill Gates said it best when he addressed a high school grad class and said 'Be nice to the nerds in your class. If you are lucky some day they may hire you. The real world couldnt' care less about your self esteem. You will not get good marks for 'trying'. Results count - and nothing else counts regardless of what your self esteem issues are.'

What if I came to my interview with all my tattoos covered up,had a fantastic interview, and subsequently got the job, and then one hot day came to work with my full sleeve tattoo showing. Do you have the right to fire me? I think NOT. You DO have the right to ask me to cover them up though. Which I personally have NO problem doing. But to not hire someone BECAUSE of their tattoos is not fair. You may be missing out on a great employee, all because you judged them due to their appearance.
And to the baby boomer above, this is a common way of thinking among your generation, maybe it's time to evolve with the times.
If people could just open their minds a tiny bit everyday, things like this wouldn't be an issue in society, it would just be the norm. John Lennon said it best "Imagine".

Here's my tattoo story and narrow escape:
In the 80's Don Johnson and Miami Vice was the" in thing". A group of my friends decided to get matching tattoos, I chickened out. They came back with pink flamingos wearing sunglasses on their arms. Cool at the time, but within 5 years they looked like fools and were regretting it. Now they look really stupid.
It wasn't long ago that the barb wire arm wrap was the fad of the day - already those people look "past it". The "tramp stamp" needs no further comment.
I own a manufacturing company and I couldn't agree more with the many comments from people involved in business and hiring. My employees do not need a clean public image, but I won't touch applicants with heavy tattoos. Drugs and gangs are a major problem in my area and they love tattoos.
You may as well tattoo your age and psychological profile on your forehead, along with a statement that you don't ever plan on achieving any position in life where appearance matters.

Get real people! Give it some time. 10, 15, 20 years down the road, the people making the hiring decisions will be new and hopefully a little more open minded. People like Alex and Bryce are the types that don't hire gays, ethnic minorities or women (basically anyone that doesn't fit their stereotype). Their reality is one that's stagnant. Just take a look at how the world has changed over the past century. Their way of thinking will slowly fade away when they're no longer around.

The common expression in the Boston area with girls/ladies having the ones on their lower back - are called "Tramp Stamps"

I will always remember a comment made by BJ Hunnicut in M*A*S*H, when he & Hawkeye were trying to talk Radar out of getting a tattoo: "Why would anyone in their right mind display something on their body they'd never in a million years choose to hang on their wall?"

I'm not a tattoo fan, but that being said, my daughter is a high school teacher & she has a tattoo. Small, tasteful, hidden. As she's a teacher in a detention facility, no tattoos are to be shown. Hers is easily kept out of the public eye.

It's a personal choice, as is the choice to hire or not hire the person sporting the art work. As an employer, I don't like to see tattoos. But if the person appears to be the most competent for the current job posting, tattoo or not, they're in.

well... to all who voiced opinions. My wife just made a decison to get a tatoo, 3 weeks old atm. Took her 2 years to decide what she wanted. She's in her 40's and I tell you it looks great. Contrary what people think, it's a personal decison in relation to life in general. It's the trials and triblulations as a couple or individual in order to express the feelings on skin. She has a traditonal tattoo with an expression of the meaning of life. So to those people who think it might be a teen-20's thing- ya all are wrong!! For those people who think certain targeted areas on the body mean specific things- ie tramp... you are still wrong!!! and ignorant!

Judging someone base on tattoos or the amount of visible tattoos is a form and definite sign of ignorance and discrimination / prejudice. There are lots of people with tattoos and are very responsible, productive and good workers. Just because someone sports a tattoo or several tattoos or a sleeve does not brand a person as a bad irresponsible or criminal person. Most of these taboos stem from old prejudices like "all black people are bad" in the old days. Or anyone with a tattoo is a felon and has been in prison. Reality is you cannot judge a book by it's cover. How many people without tattoos have been caught stealing in the corporate world? I came name a lot of people who do not have sleeves or any form of body ink that are swindlers, crooks and murderers. One example is Paul Bernardo. Remember him? Convicted rapist killer psychopath? Clean cut image, boyish looks, and NO TATTOOS. Where is he now? Here are a list of convicted swindlers or corporate crooks who have been convicted : Bernie Maddoff, Bernie Ebbers, Kenneth Lay, Dennis Kowalski, etc just to name a few.

In fact, most corporations (whose policy is always dictated by clean cut looking individuals who also happen to be crooks), that only high clean cut looking individuals are some of the worst offenders and greediest convicted felons when it comes to stealing billions of dollars.

THE TOP 10 CORPORATE CRIMINALS OF THE 1990's

1) F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.
Type of Crime: Antitrust
Criminal Fine: $500 million
12 Corporate Crime Reporter 21(1), May 24, 2021

2) Daiwa Bank Ltd.
Type of Crime: Financial
Criminal Fine: $340 million
10 Corporate Crime Reporter 9(3), March 4, 2022

3) BASF Aktiengesellschaft
Type of Crime: Antitrust
Criminal Fine: $225 million
12 Corporate Crime Reporter 21(1), May 24, 2021

4) SGL Carbon Aktiengesellschaft (SGL AG)
Type of Crime: Antitrust
Criminal Fine: $135 million
12 Corporate Crime Reporter 19(4), May 10, 2021

5) Exxon Corporation and Exxon Shipping
Type of Crime: Environmental
Criminal Fine: $125 million
5 Corporate Crime Reporter 11(3), March 18, 2022

6) UCAR International, Inc.
Type of Crime: Antitrust
Criminal Fine: $110 million
12 Corporate Crime Reporter 15(6), April 13, 2021

7) Archer Daniels Midland
Type of Crime: Antitrust
Criminal Fine: $100 million
10 Corporate Crime Reporter 40(1), October 21, 2021

8)(tie) Banker's Trust
Type of Crime: Financial
Criminal Fine: $60 million
12 Corporate Crime Reporter 11(1), March 15, 2022

8)(tie) Sears Bankruptcy Recovery Management Services
Type of Crime: Fraud
Criminal Fine: $60 million
13 Corporate Crime Reporter 7(1), February 15, 2022

10) Haarman & Reimer Corp.
Type of Crime: Antitrust
Criminal fine: $50 million
11 Corporate Crime Reporter 5(4), February 3, 2022

And these companies would not hire an innocent college graduate who has several tattoos but has not been convicted of any crime or a person like myself who is middle age but have a lot of tattoos and a full sleeve but has not even been convicted of anything even if they did a criminal background check on me or have me investigated by the FBI. I have NO RECORD and yet no one would hire me although I used to work for a company and worked as an IT specialist (systems administrator). The biggest lie is that all these corporations are clean and only hire the best executives but in reality they hire con artists and criminals. A lot of corporations are fronts for the mob and use these companies to launder their money. That's the fact and truth to it.

Is having missing or brown teeth a "Job Stopper" ?
Is Obesity a "Job Stopper" ?
.... People stereotype because it's quick and 80% of the time very, very accurate. So feel free get your Tramp Stamp with a price list, or 'White Power" facial tatoo and spend the time necessary to convince people that you are part of the 20%.
I'll continue to assume everyone is lazy, Iron my shirts, polish my shoes and keep my cufflinks clean and in use, coasting on the assumptions of 80% of people who stereotype people based on their appearance.
W
PS. Good luck in getting out of a speeding ticket, having a door held open for you in the rain or in getting a second look from that sexy sober person.

I am absolutely convinced that anyone who paints their bodies with anything larger than a small tattoo has a severe mental problem or two. You might think I dislike tattoos but you'd be wrong.....I HATE THE FU%#KING things and would like to go to work on these idiots with a big piece of high-grit sandpaper.
To Sam Baddie, " are you sane or do you just like to impress yourself by rambling on and on ".

I didn't get my first tatoo until I was 50. It means something to me. Not a fad. I have a wonderful job in the education system and foster kids. Does this make me a bad person?

To Kathy.
Does it? Yes !
:-D

Some people need to get over themselves here, because they think just because they don't have a tattoo it makes them better than the ones who do.

It's a personal choice, it can affect a specific job or workplace, but most people who get tattoos have probably already realized this or thought about it.

It really depends on the job. If you work in a tattoo parlour or have an office job, then obviously it's going to be different.

I personally don't mind tattoos. It's not like it's the end of the world.

I have appreciated the work of tattoo culture all my life. My Grandfather had tattoos all over his arms and was a successful man. Right now my manager has 100% of his torso tattooed, his hands, all of his neck and 3 face tattoos. All of them very well done. I have several large pieces covering most of my arms. I find that people accept me more because of the quality of my work and have positive things to say. I find that is about the quality of work you have that shows people you are different and posses a bright happy personality. I also judge people with poor tattoos and I would be more hesitant to give them a work oppertunity. So I can see where some are coming from