Tattoos and piercings could be an obstacle when looking for a job

Tattoo on the arm. Photo: THE TRADE

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Increasingly, young employees tend to have facial tattoos and piercings , often leading to skeptical or even negative reactions from managers.

When Erik Robertson , an account executive for a public relations agency in San Francisco, meets with his most conservative clients, he always makes sure to wear a suit and tie .

But if he does it with his video game client of his, he's perfectly fine to wear a short-sleeved shirt with an open collar.

His wardrobe options should not only be in accordance with that of the clients. Sometimes, Robertson wants to hide the tattoos that cover his arms and chest because he thinks they might turn off certain customers .

“You have to be smart and not risk offending current customers or new business prospects,” said Robertson, 29.

“I would like to have my hands and neck tattooed but I don't because I couldn't cover them. I'm just glad I didn't go too far when I was in college."

Increasingly, young employees tend to have tattoos , facial piercings , or both, often leading to skeptical or even negative reactions from recruiters and managers.

Although body art has become more common in the last decade, it still quietly carries a stigma among many employers.

When the online job site CareerBuilder asked employers what personal appearance attributes would deter them from promoting a worker, piercings were the most frequently mentioned (37% of respondents) while visible tattoos ranked third. (31%).

Those attitudes are clearly out of step with changing demographics in jobs. A survey by the Pew Research Center found that 38% of respondents aged 18 to 29 in the United States had at least one tattoo and 23% had a piercing somewhere other than their earlobes.

“If they want to attract and retain talent, companies will have to overcome negative stereotypes of body art,” said Barrie Gross , a human resources consultant in San Francisco.

"They should ask themselves if what really matters for job performance and company reputation depends on a nose ring or a tattoo."

While some companies have already overcome the negative perception that tattoos are associated with lower class people or gangs, they still prefer that employees hide their body art items as much as possible, especially when interacting directly with customers.

International accounting firm KPMG advises its college recruits to "remove body piercings and cover visible tattoos " at work.

Similarly, the American department store chain Macy's asks its employees to avoid "excessive" facial piercings and tattoos that could distract or offend customers. A Macy's spokesman declined to explain what he considers to be "excessive."

The degree of flexibility regarding body art varies with changing recruiting needs.

For example, when the US Army needed to attract more recruits for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan , it relaxed its dress code by allowing tattoos on the neck and hands.

But now, with troop levels declining, he has turned around and banned body art in those and other places.

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In general, employers can enforce their dress codes, including prohibitions on open tattoos and piercings , without breaking the law .

They often argue that body art items are not compatible with the company's image or that it harms the business by driving away customers.

For example, the Mayo Clinic Health System says in its dress and decorum policy that exposed body art "does not reflect a professional appearance and is considered inappropriate."

Interviewing recruitment managers in Scotland , University of St Andrews Associate Professor of Management Andrew Timming found that there are negative attitudes towards candidates with visible tattoos.

Even the recruiters themselves who have tattoos also maintained that position. But the human resources director told Timming that they don't turn applicants away because of their own biases , but rather because they believe clients disapprove of body art.

That may be, but a recent case in Canada suggests that companies should justify their body art bans with substantial evidence showing negative impact .

The Ottawa Hospital adopted a dress code requiring employees to cover large tattoos and prohibiting "excessive visible body piercings ", stating that a more professional image would increase patient confidence and improve the quality of healthcare . .

In response to a union complaint, the arbitrator ruled against the dress code, noting that the hospital had provided no legitimate reason to violate "the right of employees to present themselves as they see fit."

Employers are also at risk of litigation if they oppose religious or cultural practices that require tattoos or piercings , or discriminate against women with body art.

“People still have more of a problem with women and tattoos than they do with men,” said Myrna Armstrong , a professor emeritus at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center .

"More women are going to tattoo removal clinics because they've gotten negative feedback and had trouble trying to dress to cover their tattoos at work," said Armstrong , who has researched body art for more than 20 years. years.

Because old prejudices die hard, the safest approach for job seekers remains to hide body art during job interviews, and even for a while after they've been hired.

Robertson waited six months to reveal her tattoos to her bosses and co-workers at the San Francisco human resources company.

“I first wanted to establish myself and prove my managerial qualities before they saw my tattoos ,” she said.

That's the kind of recommendation the University of North Carolina's career counseling office provides to students who are tattooed or pierced .

There are also those who prefer to display their tattoos openly.

When students aren't aware of "cultural norms around dress and appearance, we typically advise them to err on the conservative side, eliminating piercings and covering visible tattoos as much as possible," said O Ray Angle , director of student services. race.

Sometimes, he added, parents take steps to ensure that body art doesn't jeopardize their children's job prospects. He reminded one student that he had his shin tattooed over spring break just so his parents would pay to have it removed upon graduation.

Of course some people value self-expression and individuality so much that they refuse to remove or hide body art . For them, it is better to reveal tattoos and piercings during the job interview to see what the reaction of the interlocutor is.

Pegeen Reilly , for example, has no qualms about showing off her arm and shoulder tattoos at work, as well as coloring her hair pink or blue.

The 49-year-old senior manager of online payment firm PayPal considers her tattoos and dyed hair to be part of her personal brand.

"Most people respond positively when I'm authentic," she said. “Sure, some companies might interview me for my resume , but they wouldn't hire me after seeing me in person. But that's okay; I don't like to be where I'm not welcome."