So you thought that tattoo you got on spring break was a great idea, but now that it’s time to enter the working world how is it affecting your ability to get a job? You aren’t alone, according to a recent report from the Pew Research Center, nearly 40 percent of people between the ages of 18 and 29 have at least one tattoo. Of course, in the perfect world we would be judged solely on our work abilities and credentials, but this isn’t necessarily the case.

You may think that employers have no right to discriminate based on your body ink, but there are no current laws on this. There are plenty of protected classes when it comes to employment law, including prohibiting from discriminating against candidates based on age, gender, disability, nationality, pregnancy, and more. Unfortunately for the tattooed, there is nothing prohibiting discrimination against body ink.

According to a survey of nearly 2,700 people, the overwhelming majority (76 percent to be exact) felt that tattoos and piercings hurt an applicant’s chances of being hired during the interview. About 39 percent of the total respondents believed that tattoos not only make the individual look bad, but they reflect poorly on the employer.

Since tattoos are more accepted with the younger generation, it’s common that the older you are the less tolerant you become regarding tattoos in the workplace. In the same survey, 63 percent of respondents age 60 and older felt that tattoos were objectionable at work. Keep in mind that it’s usually the older generation that are the C-suite level in companies.

Tattoo acceptance will also vary by industry. Many companies may not prefer their employees to have tattoos if they are dealing with customers face-to-face on a regular basis. According to the Pew Research Center survey, here is the breakdown of percentage of tattooed workers by industry:

• Agriculture/ranching: 22%
• Hospitality, Tourism & Recreation: 20%
• Arts, Media, Entertainment: 16%
• Retail: 14%
• Finance & Banking: 13%
• Healthcare: 13%
• Professional Services: 13%
• Other: 13%
• Education, Child Development, Family Services: 12%
• Manufacturing: 9%
• Energy & Utilities: 9%
• Engineering, Design & Construction: 9%
• Information Technology: 9%
• Government: 8%

Overall, visible tattoos do still carry a negative connotation, so they may affect your hiring potential. If you don’t already have a tattoo, think carefully before getting one. If you do and would like more information about tattoos in the workplace, contact one of our staffers today.