Self-expression is human nature. Some people express themselves through painting, writing or dancing. Some people play music. And some people express their individuality via body art — tattoos and piercings. Body art experienced huge popularity in the 1990s and the taboo of having a tattoo. or five, diminished considerably.
But what’s appropriate at a summer concert may not be OK at work. For some companies, a tattoo can be a kiss of death when it comes to hiring, project or promotion decisions.
Kevin Grossman, chief operating officer at media relations firm HR Marketer, Rio Del Mar, Calif., says that tattoos in a corporate environment are a touchy subject. Visible tattoos can make or break an interview, he says.
Although standards vary geographically and by industry, a job candidate sporting a visible tattoo is at a distinct disadvantage competing for top-level positions. “If the job was a corporate executive sales position involving lots of face-to-face interaction, sadly, a tattooed candidate wouldn’t be in the running,” Grossman says. “But that wouldn’t be the reason given if they weren’t hired. There has been discrimination litigation in the past about these issues, so companies have to be very careful.”
Grossman adds that for most people with extensive, visible tattoos, this news won’t come as a shock. “Candidates applying for corporate positions know their tattoos could prevent them from being hired, even if it is discriminatory, so they would most likely hide them as best they could.”
Fair or not, the anti-tattoo attitude is pretty much the norm for big companies and firms hiring salespeople for face-to-face selling. Still, in some areas, corporate rules seem to be relaxing a bit, making more room for those who march to a different drummer.
Maxine Graham, a publishing professional based in New York City, has hired dozens of people over the years, including a few tattooed New Yorkers. She believes that the tide could be turning for some, but not all, body art enthusiasts.
“I think some companies are definitely more tolerant because they have to be,” says Graham. “So many people get tattooed now, it would be foolish for companies to adopt strict policies against them. They’d pretty much cut themselves out of a good portion of the young, up-and-coming employee pool, and that would be bad for business.”
That said, Graham believes corporate tolerance for body art will only go so far. “I think there will always be limits,” she says. “A criminal defense attorney with a spider tattooed on his neck might not be doing his clients any favors. Something like that, no matter what the profession, will probably always be a problem, as would anything overtly sexual or in blatant bad taste.”
One way tattooed professionals sidestep workplace bias is by working for Internet-based companies in jobs that have little or no face time with people who might not think your showgirl tattoo is as charming as your buddies think she is.
“Our firm’s more progressive and open to tattoos and piercings,” Grossman says.
“However, I will admit because we’re a virtual firm and most of our business is done via the phone, e-mail and online, that tattoos have never really been an issue for us.”
It may take longer for the corporate world to accept body piercing. “I think piercings are behind the mainstream tolerance curve compared to tattoos,” Graham admits.
“Plenty of educated, professional, experienced people have ink, but I think piercings, especially facial piercings, are still largely associated with faux rebellious teenage angst, which is probably not what you want to hire into your office.”
Graham believes there’s a limit to how much even a progressive employer is willing to accept. “Good taste is somewhat subjective, but I think most people would agree that a tattoo peeking out from the sleeve of someone’s Oxford shirt is less objectionable than a thick steel ring through someone’s lip.” But Graham, who has a few tattoos herself, believes that as younger generations move into the corporate workforce, piercings will one day be as common and unremarkable as tattoos.
Whether or not body art is the kiss of death in the workplace definitely comes down to where you work. “Most people understand that corporate America, even in the Santa Cruz area of California where we’re based, won’t allow the visible appearance of neck tattoos or facial piercings when dealing with customers and co-workers.”
So, until the day arrives that you and your boss are swapping tattoo parlor stories and discussing the size of your next eyebrow ring, it’s probably wise to adopt a “don’t show, don’t tell” policy with examples of permanent self-expression.
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