Anyone else anti-tatoo?

[declansdad]

I work for a bank. The majority of our customers are older, conservative people and we have to project a professional image. Unfortunately multiple facial piercings and tattoos aren't considered professional.

I understand the reasoning but it is nothing more than sad that any company would take this view. It is also a view that will need to change with the amount of people who have tattoos.


I just think it is a very small-minded way of looking at people.

 

[mhsjax]

I don't know if you mentioned it before, but what does your company do?

I guess I'm just immune to the whole tattoo thing since I live in a college town. I got over seeing service employees with multiple piercings, purple hair, and tattoos a LONG time ago. I think you might be hard pressed to find young people these days who don't have piercings and tattoos.

Not where I live, in fact tattoos and piercings are out of the norm around here. Most of the people I know don't like them at all and would absolutely have a fit if one of their kids did it.

 

[mhsjax]

I understand the reasoning but it is nothing more than sad that any company would take this view. It is also a view that will need to change with the amount of people who have tattoos.


I just think it is a very small-minded way of looking at people.

I don't think it will need to change. Why do people who follow this mind set think we need to change. I know someone that is like this, very artistic into tattoos and piercings she wants to be accepted beause this is her way of expressing herself and we should all just get over it, yet she refuses to accept our norm. Again, why most those of us who don't care for these types of things change, why don't people who have tattoos have to change to fit our norm?

Again, where I live I can say probably about .001 percent of the population in my area has facial piercings or tattoos. And believe me, there is no problem finding people without these things to fill jobs.

 

[MoonFaerie]

I won't say that I'm anti-tattoo but I haven't yet seen one that I wanted to have myself. I also don't get why people cover their whole body in them.

At work our dress code is such that you can't have a visable tattoo or facial piercings (other than normal ear piercings). We currently have a job opening and I've had a couple girls come in that have lip/nose piercings and one had a tattoo on her neck that would be next to impossible to cover. We just put their resume's in the "don't call for an interview" pile. It's a shame too because one of them was really nice and had a good resume.

You put them in the don't call pile for piercings? That's just silly. If they are a good fit for the job, except for the nose piercing, why couldn't they just take the piercing out while at work to adhere to the dress code? I have a nose piercing, but I'm perfectly aware that if I ever get a "grown-up job," I'll probably have to take it out during working hours. No biggie. You can't tell there's a hole when I have it out.

 

[declansdad]

I don't think it will need to change. Why do people who follow this mind set think we need to change. I know someone that is like this, very artistic into tattoos and piercings she wants to be accepted beause this is her way of expressing herself and we should all just get over it, yet she refuses to accept our norm. Again, why most those of us who don't care for these types of things change, why don't people who have tattoos have to change to fit our norm?

Again, where I live I can say probably about .001 percent of the population in my area has facial piercings or tattoos. And believe me, there is no problem finding people without these things to fill jobs.

As more and more people get tattoos, companies will not be able to simply ignore them because of the tattoos. Also, the generation that will be moving into more positions of leadership don't have the same hang-ups about tattoos.

I would also bet that there are more people around you that have tattoos then you realize.

 

[bimshire]

I like tattoos just as much as I like smoking. Both are turn-offs.

 

[dzorn]

I don't care for them, but what you want to do with your body is your choice.

Denise in MI

 

[robinb]

As more and more people get tattoos, companies will not be able to simply ignore them because of the tattoos. Also, the generation that will be moving into more positions of leadership don't have the same hang-ups about tattoos.

I would also bet that there are more people around you that have tattoos then you realize.

That's the truth. I had NO CLUE how many people had tattoos until I went on a Carnival Cruise two years ago. Carnival attracts a younger crowd and I would say at least half the ship (if not more) were under 30 and most of them had tattoos. Once the clothes came off and the swim suits went on the entire pool deck was filled with tattooed bodies, girls and boys alike. It was then that I gave up any last vestiges of tattoo dislike as I knew I was fighting a losing battle. Tattoos were here to stay.

 

[BriarfoxinWA]

You put them in the don't call pile for piercings? That's just silly. If they are a good fit for the job, except for the nose piercing, why couldn't they just take the piercing out while at work to adhere to the dress code? I have a nose piercing, but I'm perfectly aware that if I ever get a "grown-up job," I'll probably have to take it out during working hours. No biggie. You can't tell there's a hole when I have it out.

I do if they have more than one or two that are really noticeable. When we have multiple applications/resumes for the job opening it's an easy way to cut down on the number of people I want to interview. I also look at what the individual looked like when they came in to drop off their resume. For example - we had a really well qualified person come in but she was wearing holey jeans and had an Ed Hardy t-shirt on. Her hair was wet - and messy. Bad first impression, if she had come in dressed in business casual attire I wouldn't have done it. It tells me she is not serious about the job.

We actually offered the job to a girl with a nose piercing. During the interview we asked her if she had problems taking it out and explained the dress code. I also have an employee with a tattoo that runs from hip to shoulder but it is easily covered and can't see it.

Unfortunately these are just tools to cut down on the pool of applicants when we get several qualified people applying for a job. It really makes me wonder how many job opportunities I lost when I was younger because I didn't take it seriously and "dress the part" when I went in to apply.

 

[mhsjax]

That's the truth. I had NO CLUE how many people had tattoos until I went on a Carnival Cruise two years ago. Carnival attracts a younger crowd and I would say at least half the ship (if not more) were under 30 and most of them had tattoos. Once the clothes came off and the swim suits went on the entire pool deck was filled with tattooed bodies, girls and boys alike. It was then that I gave up any last vestiges of tattoo dislike as I knew I was fighting a losing battle. Tattoos were here to stay.

Well, I do think I know a little bit about where I live. The people on Canrival are not all in my area now are they. I live in an extremely conservative area. Think Mayberry, only bigger. I went to the beach last weekend, and somehow I managed to see only a couple of people with visable tattoos. I think if you can't see them with a bathing suit on, then they pretty much don't have them, and if they do, it certainly wouldn't come into question regarding a job, unless they were applying to be a stripper.

I stand by my opinion, most people in my area don't have them, people here don't think much of them, and I certainly don't have to care for them. And I don't have to conform just because some generation thinks it is cool.

 

[Darsa]

And I don't have to conform just because some generation thinks it is cool.

Certainly not! And people who have or want tattoos don't have to conform to other's ideas as to what is appropriate based on other people's prejudices against what they do with their own body.

(Disclaimer: I've seen a lot of tattoos that I wouldn't be caught dead with on others; this certainly doesn't make them bad, wrong, trashy, etc. As long as the person in the skin the tattoo is on likes it, who am I to judge??)

 

[Mad4Mickey]

I have a fairly small Mickey head tattoo on the inside of my ankle , it is easy to hide. I got it for my 40th birthday would I get another ? I dont think so .
My son is a MMA fighter and has them all over the trunk of his body much like the rest of that group . With that being said you can not see them when he has a shirt on . Do I like them? nope but they mean something to him . When I saw the that he had "always slay evil" in Italian put on his chest I almost fell over . He has his sisters name on his shoulder under a symbol for big sister in Japanese. His sister has the symbol for little brother on her ankle and she put her daughters name on the inside of her wrist . I wish she had not done that : ( putting it somewhere you cant see is better in my eyes so if you need to cover it you can .

I do hiring at my clinic and we used to have a policy against tatoos that could be seen . Someone sued in CA and they now just say they are discouraged LOL . I had to take a transfer from there and let me tell you with the clients we have here in Dallas the cockaroches she had on her arms were not rwell received LOL

 

[LuvOrlando]

I dig them in small amounts. Although we're pretty traditional DH has 2 that are easily covered up. One is on his arm up high enough so it can't be seen in a T-shirt and the other is on his calf which can't be seen unless he is wearing shorts. Personally, I won't do it though. Enough of my beauty marks have moved over my body to make me think the last thing I want to watch is a tattoo slide away from where it's supposed to be too

 

[SamRoc]

I don't like tatoos for myself but i don't care what anyone else does. My friend was signing up for a dating service and she doesnt like them either. There is an area to check if you want to date someone with tatoos and she checked no. I also am not a fan of them as my brother got hepatitis from getting a tatoo.

 

[A4Disney]

Not where I live, in fact tattoos and piercings are out of the norm around here. Most of the people I know don't like them at all and would absolutely have a fit if one of their kids did it.

Same here(my area of Connecticut)

 

[LiLIrishChick63]

i have tattoos, DH has them, and a lot of my family members AND friends have them.

and to be completely honest, the people i've known who are COVERED in tattoos have been a lot nicer than the ones who don't have any tattoos.

 

[MELSMICE]

I also look at what the individual looked like when they came in to drop off their resume. For example - we had a really well qualified person come in but she was wearing holey jeans and had an Ed Hardy t-shirt on. Her hair was wet - and messy. Bad first impression, if she had come in dressed in business casual attire I wouldn't have done it. It tells me she is not serious about the job.

It's that whole first impression thing. Right or wrong, first impressions make a difference.

We have always told our DD's that you can never be under dressed. Look & play the part to impress.

 

[cteddiesgirl]

Too bad your company has such a close-minded view of what makes a good employee.

Being a good employee sometimes has to take a backseat to the image a company wants to present. Especially when it comes to their customers. Also, there's really no short of people wanting jobs that don't have any visible tattoos.
It's the same thing as a regular dress code in any business. Generally, in office settings, it's business casual even if you never see a person outside of the office. If you do, generally you need to wear suits.
Even McDonalds require a uniform for their employees.
Tattoos and piercings would be considered part of the uniform.
I have yet to see a business outside of a junkyard that allows employees to wear jeans that are ripped or have holes in them. Would you consider this close-minded?
If customers are turned off because of piercings and tats, then they will go elsewhere.
It's not just the companies, it's society as a whole.

Many companies feel this way...right or wrong. Disney is a perfect example. CM's cannot have any visible tattoos. My sister trained a really nice kid. He wanted to be a lifeguard at one of the water parks. He was really qualified for the position, but he had a tattoo. He ended up in merchandising at Downtown Disney because he had tattoos that needed a costume to cover. I know many companies that feel that tattoos do not project the image they want to project.

Precisely. If a person doesn't want to do business with a company who has that sort of policy, then they shouldn't do business with Disney.

As more and more people get tattoos, companies will not be able to simply ignore them because of the tattoos. Also, the generation that will be moving into more positions of leadership don't have the same hang-ups about tattoos.

I would also bet that there are more people around you that have tattoos then you realize.

Those would be the one's who are hired because their tats obviously are covered up and not seen by the masses.

It's not an absolutely no tattoo policy. It's generally a no visible tattoo policy that companies have adopted.


In my area, again, facial piercings and lots of visible tats are not the norm. And while Indianapolis is not New York, it's not exactly small town either.

 

[PatsMom]

I live in a pretty small town. I'd say that at least half of the kids my daughter went to HS with have gotten tattoos. Most had to wait until they were 18 because NH won't allow tattoos for minors even with consent. But some had parents who would take them to Vermont or Canada where the rules were different.

My daughter's tattoo is not one that I would have chosen - I don't care for the design. But it means something to her and that is what is important. I did ask her to have none that couldn't be covered until she finishes college and knows more about what her career path is going to be. She has seen the prejudice against those with tattoos first hand so she is agreeable to that.

My step daughter and her husband own a tattoo/piercing parlor. The artistry of their custom designs is outstanding. SD has chosen to have tattoos on her hands - that is a real life style commitment because they cannot be hidden. She has had shopkeepers literally following her around stores to make sure she isn't stealing. She gets looks and overhears comments. One time we were at breakfast at a hotel in Maryland on a trip for a family event. She and I and my daughter could very clearly hear two older ladies commenting on how cute my grandson was but what a shame is mother was such trash. They have never met her, they just judge her by her body art.

Society will move on to something else to criticize as tattoos become more mainstream.

 

[declansdad]

Being a good employee sometimes has to take a backseat to the image a company wants to present. Especially when it comes to their customers. Also, there's really no short of people wanting jobs that don't have any visible tattoos.
It's the same thing as a regular dress code in any business. Generally, in office settings, it's business casual even if you never see a person outside of the office. If you do, generally you need to wear suits.
Even McDonalds require a uniform for their employees.
Tattoos and piercings would be considered part of the uniform.
I have yet to see a business outside of a junkyard that allows employees to wear jeans that are ripped or have holes in them. Would you consider this close-minded?
If customers are turned off because of piercings and tats, then they will go elsewhere.
It's not just the companies, it's society as a whole.



Precisely. If a person doesn't want to do business with a company who has that sort of policy, then they shouldn't do business with Disney.




Those would be the one's who are hired because their tats obviously are covered up and not seen by the masses.

It's not an absolutely no tattoo policy. It's generally a no visible tattoo policy that companies have adopted.


In my area, again, facial piercings and lots of visible tats are not the norm. And while Indianapolis is not New York, it's not exactly small town either.

You make valid points but you are forgetting that the customers are changing as well. Many of them will (or do) have tattoos and will not be offended by them.