December 6 , 2005
FEATURESA hiding place for tattoos may be best bet when job hunting
Beneath the elbow-length, black polo shirt, Brad Hamilton, assistant manager of Sprint in Paradise Valley, is hiding something, several “something’s” in fact.
Hamilton, like many others, keeps his six colorful tattoos on his back and arms undercover during work hours.
“I do not show my tattoos to work associates at work or at off-the-clock functions,” Hamilton said.
“I have them for me. Not for other people to make judgments of me.”
Since the 1990s, workplace fashion has eased up, allowing workers to arrive at the office in T-shirts and sneakers.
However, corporate America has not relaxed its rules enough to allow body decorations such as tattoos and piercings.
Why are tattoos still considered taboo in a generation that seems to condone them?
“Perhaps they misunderstand the people wearing tattoos,” said Dave Lindbeck, business and career coach for InStep Coaching. “People are conditioned to the perception that tattoos represent a negative element, and that there may be a cost to going against the establishment.”
Companies like Sprint are adhering to a strict dress code that prohibits the display of tattoos, limits body piercings to one earring per ear on female employees, and forbids employees from having unnaturally colored hair.
Although tattoos have gained popularity, rules like that remain in place in most businesses.
Tattoos have physically changed over the years. Stereotypical tattoos of scantily clad women and hearts with the word mom inside have faded, making way for more meaningful designs.
People are beginning to take more care when choosing their art.
“If someone has a bunch of poorly drawn and fuzzy tattoos, I will probably try and talk to someone else,” Hamilton said.
“If they have elaborate, colorful, well-drawn tattoos, I would probably be more drawn to talk to them.”
In some job markets tattoos are looked at as an enhancement. The entertainment industry accepts and even spotlights tattoos.
Hair companies like Toni and Guy promote individualism with their wild hair collections and tattooed stylists. Other businesses, like healthcare, completely ban tattoos.
It is becoming more apparent that tattoos should not only be covered at a place of employment, but also at the actual interview.
“Before I became a tattoo artist, I had one little tattoo on my arm about the size of a nickel,” said independent tattoo artist, Leeanne Vavra.
“I put a Band-Aid over it to apply for a nursing job. But even when I was hiring tattoo artists, I made a judgment based on their tattoos right off the bat. So yes, I would say cover them.”
Both Vavra and Lindbeck agree that the people leading companies face the constant challenge of respecting people’s individual freedoms, while maintaining a business that is productive and profitable.
Vavra understands that her body art, including facial tattoos, may make people uncomfortable, and uses her discretion when approaching different situations.
“When you’re trying to make money in a business, the last thing you want to do is make someone uncomfortable,” Vavra said.
“I think you should use taste. When I make other people uncomfortable, I’m uncomfortable.”
The majority of people getting tattoos are in an age group from 18 to 25. They do not always look at all the complications that go along with it. They tend to flip from one job to another.
But the consequences are there. Not everyone is going to approve of tattooing. If a person is going to get a tattoo, they probably need to figure out how to cover it up.
“You may not know what the interviewer’s opinion or company policy is,” Lindbeck said. “So err on the side of conservatism and don’t display them unless you’re 100 percent certain that they are looking for employees with tattoos.”