Tattoos And Hiring: Getting Inked Could Mean Fewer Job Offers


Tattoos and hiring are still a hot topic, and a new study shows that having one can reduce your chances of getting a job. While society is becoming more and more accepting of body art, it seems employers aren’t yet recognizing the trend.

A new study by Dr. Andrew Timming of St. Andres’w University School of Management suggests that, no matter how qualified someone might be, they are less likely to be hired if they have visible tattoos.

Science World Report notes that Timming came to the conclusion after he interviewed 15 managers for companies including banks, hotels, prisons, booksellers, and universities.

The managers ranged in age from 30 to 60 and were asked how they felt about job-seekers who had visible ink. Most of the respondents said that visible tattoos are unacceptable for several reasons.

Those reasons centered around how customers would perceive the potential employee. Management Issues reports that one woman manager believed tattoos “make a person look dirty.” Another male manager added that “tattoos are the first thing [fellow recruiters] talk about when the person” has left.

While visible tattoos make you less likely to get hired in some places, Timming also found that some jobs could see them as desirable. An HR manager for a prison noted that guards with visible tattoos can be a way for that person to connect with inmates.

With that said, the recruiters did say that some tattoos are okay. In particular, flowers and butterflies were seen as relatively harmless. However, the line was drawn at tattoos of spiderwebs, teardrops, sexual content, drug connotations, death, and racist innuendos.

The news isn’t all bad for tattooed people wanting to get hired. The managers commented that visible tattoos are slowly gaining more acceptance in society. With that will come more acceptance in the workplace and managers who are more likely to hire someone with tattoos.

[Image via ShutterStock]

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