In 2018 there are a lot of things that workplaces are finding acceptable and not holding against future employees, but are tattoos still one of those few things that employers find unacceptable?
There is roughly 42 percent of Americans with tattoos according to stapaw.com and tattoo popularity has grown 13 percent since 2007. About 76 percent of employees feel that tattoos and piercings hurt your job interview chances even though 73 percent of people say they would hire staff with visible tattoos.
So why is it that there is such a strong prejudice about tattoos in the workplace? Unfortunately, this extends past one’s chances of securing a job. The prejudice extends to how people are viewed and how well they will be able to do their job.
One example of this is when someone refused service from a tattooed paramedic, even though they were in critical condition.
Personally, I have two tattoos and neither of them affects my work ethic. But as graduation comes closer, so does interviews for jobs. Many people have told me that I need to make sure my tattoos are covered because it can cause me not to get the job even if I am more qualified than other candidates.
This is something that bothers me because my tattoos don’t say “here are my skill sets” or “here are all of my experiences that make me qualified for this position.” Yes, my tattoos have a meaning but the meaning is not related to the job.
Fortunately, there is evidence to suggest that society’s views on the issue are trending in the right direction. Recently, there has been data that shows that tattoos no longer impede your chances of getting a job.
A new study by the University of Miami Business School and the University of Western Australia Business School has found that the perception of tattoos in the workplace has changed so much that body art is no longer linked to individual employment or wage discrimination.
This could be due to the fact that many of the people who have gotten tattoos themselves are starting to become managers and decision makers. This makes them more accepting of body art than their older colleagues.
Even though tattooed people do face some form of prejudice still, there is hope that this will no longer be something that stops them from pursuing jobs in their desired career field or face any form of discrimination.
Tattoos are not someone’s resume; it is a form of art.
