Tattoos and Your Job Search

Do you have a tattoo? According to one survey, 14% of Americans have been inked up. That’s about 45 million people in the USA who have some sort of tattoo on their body. The downside of tattoos is that they can negatively affect your job search.

Whether you have a cool design on your forearm or you’re sporting a Mike Tyson-like face tattoo, your body art can hurt your job search. Any visible tattoo can cause recruiters to put your application at the bottom of the pile. Tattoos have no affect on your ability to do a job well. Most people feel that they don’t belong in the workplace or in front of customers. Did you know that many companies have body art policies that make it even harder for people who have tattoos to get hired?

If you have a tattoo, try to keep it covered up so that recruiters can’t discriminate against you. We all know that the job search is highly competitive. We  need every advantage we can have. Luckily, there are some industries that are more tolerant of tattoos than others. According to Salary.com, the following industries tend to have more tattooed workers:

1. Agriculture/Ranching
2. Hospitality, Tourism, Recreation
3. Arts, Media, Entertainment
4. Retail
5. Finance & Banking
6. Healthcare
7. Professional Services
8. Other
9. Education, Child Development, Family Services
10. Manufacturing
11. Energy & Utilities
12. Engineering, Design, & Construction
13. Information Technology
14. Government

If you’re running into problems in your job search because of your tattoos, try to apply for jobs in these industries. The JobMonkey Job Board is a great place to start your job hunt. If you regret your tattoo and truly feel that it is holding you back, you may want ot consider tattoo removal.

Tattoo removal is pricy, but it’s doable. Removing a tattoo can cost thousands of dollars and it takes multiple sessions to ensure it goes away. According to one tattoo remover, about 12% of her business comes from people who want to remove a tattoo for professional reasons.

If you’re inked, be aware that it may hurt your chances of getting hired and your tattoos may affect your pay. If you’re thinking about a getting a tattoo, consider where it will be located on your body – maybe it’s a wise decision to avoid tattoos on highly visible body parts like the hands, face, or neck.

Hopefully you’re tattoos won’t hinder your job search. Good luck!