Can Hand Tattoos Impact Employment Prospects?
Having a tattoo can be a powerful self-expression and mode of personal creative expression. But with many employers still carrying negative preconceptions about tattoos, it’s worth considering if and how tattoos may impact a job hunt.
In particular, if you have a tattoo on your hands – where it is hard to cover up or conceal – it could be harder to land certain jobs. Here’s what you should consider before getting a hand tattoo:
Employer Expectations and Values
Employers may still be lingering in an era where visible tattoos are frowned upon or seen as an unacceptable form of self-expression in the workplace. To understand what kind of expectations and values your potential employer has, consider:
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- Location: there is likely to be regional variance in attitudes to tattoos
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- Industry: professions such as law, banking, or healthcare are much less likely to accept visible tattoos
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- Size and Meaning: there may be a different attitude to small versus grand tattoos, as well as tattoos with clear meaning versus chaotic designs.
Cover It Up
Fortunately, employers don’t necessarily have to know about every single tattoo of yours – you can always cover it up with a long-sleeve shirt or a bandage solution. Unless you’re operating in a business that has formal dress codes, covering up is a perfectly viable option.
Objectivity Is Key
It’s important to make sure employers are judging you on the merits of your work and not on superficial aspects such as tattoos. Make sure your resume, cover letter, and applications completely reflect you and your capabilities.
As a general rule, think objectively about your current career goals and potential future ones when deciding whether or not to acquire a hand tattoo. It’s always worth doing the research on an employer’s attitude to tattoos before committing to any body art.