Are Your Tattoos Keeping You Unemployed?

The days of tattoos being taboo in the United States are in the past; nowadays tattoos are more popular than ever. People from nearly every social and cultural background are using tattoos as a way to show their individuality to the world.

Regardless of their growing popular, adorning your body with Ink is not something to be taken lightly. Tattoos are permanent and will be with you for life. Far too many people get tattoos on a whim without considering future ramifications. Not only will you likely regret those Star Wars tattoos later in life but, depending on the placement, tattoos can also heavily impact your future job prospects.
Right or wrong choosing not to hire a person with visible tattoos is not a form of discrimination (in itself) While companies are prohibited from certain kinds of discrimination, (race, age, sex, religion, etc.,) they have complete discretion around whom to hire and have the right to refuse to hire someone based on their appearance.

While tattoos have nothing to do with a person’s ability to perform on the job, it’s an issue of perception, and perception can be a powerful influence in the decision to extend a job offer. A study done by Careerbuilder.com confirms that many organizations still see tattoos as unprofessional and many employers believe that tattoos at work display their companies in a dim light.

In a down economy, the job market is much more competitive and those showing up to an interview sporting ink may be hurting their chances of receiving a job offer. Unless you’re 100% sure that the company you’re interviewing with a tattoo friendly workplace, you may want to consider covering them up. Luckily, there are many tattoo cover-up products on the market that make concealing your tats easy!

Companies Can’t Avoid Tattooed Employees Forever
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, more than 45 million Americans have at least one tattoo. With tattoos being so common now, companies are going to have to reconsider their stance on tattoos as finding qualified candidates without tattoos will prove to be much more difficult in the near future, especially when the younger generation joins the workplace.