Tattoos and work

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Replies

  • ilookthetype
    ilookthetype Posts: 3,021 Member
    Our world isn't quite as laid back as some of us wish it to be. I am tattooed. I'm a legal assistant and I have a tattoo on my neck and on my foot, quite visable. I haven't had any complaints just yet but I do my best to cover them up majority of the time. If someone were to approach me about it, I would definitely make more of an effort to hide them. Work isn't exactly the place to "be yourself" so to speak - you're there to work. If you have a job where you can truly be yourself, cherish it. There's not a lot of places like that out there.

    Us alternative folk just need to accept that the world isn't always going to be as accepting and non-judgemental as our generation. Just give it another few decades.


    YUP! It's what makes us "ALTERNATIVE" we stand out, and mainstream doesn't always like that.
  • sulugirl
    sulugirl Posts: 17
    As a hiring manager, if I see tattoos, forget it; next contestant please. I expect my employees to be extremely professional. If you like tattoos, whatever, but be smart enough to put them some place you can cover them easily.


    Well that's intense.

    I don't see what's wrong with it. It's just how it works. Tattoos visable = non-professional at this point in time within our culture. I don't understand why people complain. They're viewed as casual, not professional, and in most cases - people aren't offended by them, they just don't want to see them. They're distracting.
  • sulugirl
    sulugirl Posts: 17
    Us alternative folk just need to accept that the world isn't always going to be as accepting and non-judgemental as our generation. Just give it another few decades.
    YUP! It's what makes us "ALTERNATIVE" we stand out, and mainstream doesn't always like that.

    Mainstream folk don't like anyone who think outside the box. Unless you're coming up with marketing ideas.
  • writtenINthestars
    writtenINthestars Posts: 1,933 Member
    Your tattoos are a choice that you make. Where you work is also a choice that you make. If you don't like the results that come from your choices that is your fault and nobody elses.

    It's that simple.

    I kind of have to agree with this.

    If their policy says "no tats"...then no tats it is. At my job, you have to keep them covered because we are putting off a professional business look and atmosphere and the person who pays me has decided he doesn't want tats and piercings visible. Pretty simple.
  • michis05
    michis05 Posts: 99 Member
    Well thanks for the tough love yall. i made a decision and i must go with it. I had never been told anything because of my tats, there's always a first, right? Not the end of the world either. Everyone has different views, some i may not understand, others i will, but hey its..its life..thanks again for your input!
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    I applied for a job as a receptionist for a job, only problem was that the costumers had been complaining about the workers and their tattoos. They recently had to let someone go because of her tats. From what one of the workers told me, its the costumers complaining not the managers, but if they see them on me, they wont hire me. Is this legal? has anyone been in this situation? how did you handle it?

    Companies have the right to adopt an employee appearance and dress code policy requiring their employees to keep tatoos covered. Can also apply to facial piercings, hair color, and even hair style. However, you should get this in writing before you start.
  • Suziq2you
    Suziq2you Posts: 396 Member
    As a hiring manager, if I see tattoos, forget it; next contestant please. I expect my employees to be extremely professional. If you like tattoos, whatever, but be smart enough to put them some place you can cover them easily.

    As a hiring manager myself, the last thing that would exclude a person from being hired is a freaking tattoo. Geez.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    As a hiring manager, if I see tattoos, forget it; next contestant please. I expect my employees to be extremely professional. If you like tattoos, whatever, but be smart enough to put them some place you can cover them easily.

    As a hiring manager myself, the last thing that would exclude a person from being hired is a freaking tattoo. Geez.
    Again, it depends on the job for which you're hiring. I used to hire at a call center where anything went. Tattoos, hair color, facial piercings, etc. were fine because I was more concerned with their professional voice and customer service skills. Customers did not see these employees and they were allowed to come to work in completely casual dress, as well. However, if you're hiring employees who will be dealing face-to-face with customers on a daily basis, it can be a completely different story.
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    As a hiring manager, if I see tattoos, forget it; next contestant please. I expect my employees to be extremely professional. If you like tattoos, whatever, but be smart enough to put them some place you can cover them easily.

    As a hiring manager myself, the last thing that would exclude a person from being hired is a freaking tattoo. Geez.

    It completely depends on the postion being hired for. Creative artissts, designers, game designers, there's more leeway there because you want good creative people to do the work. On the flip-side "nicer" hospitality businesses may not want big ole tattoos on arms, necks, and legs showing. Unfortunately there is a certain stigma and feeling towards tattos in society and businesses have to manage to those stigmas or risk losing business. Flexibility in appearance must be in proportion to the job requirements and target customer base.
  • KHaverstick
    KHaverstick Posts: 308 Member
    I'm also a hiring manager. I have at least two employees (that I know of) that have tattoos. One of them, I actually did not hire...he was hired before I was manager. The other, I hired. I did not know he had a tattoo before, and I frankly wouldn't have cared. BUT...I expect them both to comply with the dress code policy, which says that they must be covered up. I didn't make the rule, but I do have to enforce it.

    We could debate the issue all day, but if an organization/business wants to project a professional image, that's their choice. Plenty of workplace environments would be accepting of visible tattoos. Plenty are not. There are choices.
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    I'm also a hiring manager. I have at least two employees (that I know of) that have tattoos. One of them, I actually did not hire...he was hired before I was manager. The other, I hired. I did not know he had a tattoo before, and I frankly wouldn't have cared. BUT...I expect them both to comply with the dress code policy, which says that they must be covered up. I didn't make the rule, but I do have to enforce it.

    We could debate the issue all day, but if an organization/business wants to project a professional image, that's their choice. Plenty of workplace environments would be accepting of visible tattoos. Plenty are not. There are choices.

    In my last position I was a hiring manager as well and I remember turning one lady away because she came in with a wrinkled shirt and dirty hands. I don't mean like dry not taken care of, I mean there were big dirt and oil spots all over her hand and her finger nails had dirt under them, it was gross. Appearance extends past body art too.
  • calibri
    calibri Posts: 439 Member
    As a hiring manager, if I see tattoos, forget it; next contestant please. I expect my employees to be extremely professional. If you like tattoos, whatever, but be smart enough to put them some place you can cover them easily.

    As a hiring manager myself, the last thing that would exclude a person from being hired is a freaking tattoo. Geez.
    In this day and age where so many people are looking for work and jobs are so few, it could very well be used as a "weeding out" factor as well. I work in governmental HR and we remove people from consideration for all kinds of things: not signing applications, not dating work experience, application is late, etc. The rules are the rules, they just might be enforced more then where are tons of candidates.
  • rebelontherun
    rebelontherun Posts: 192 Member
    I wanted a tattoo really bad, but I'm young and worried about how a tattoo would affect my career choices. So I got the tattoo on my foot. Even now, I don't work with customers AT ALL I work with dogs and we are not allowed to have visible tattoos.
    So if yours are visible, cover them up somehow (long sleeves, watches, etc)
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