Friday, July 16, 2010

My Girlfriend Wants a Forearm Tattoo, Can It Cost Her a Job?

http://tattoobringer.com/wp-content/gallery/tiger-tattoos/646679070_b00f076ae5.jpg...The Harris poll found that while tattoos have their advantages – three in 10 say their tattoo helps them feel sexier – about 16 percent regret the choice. Of that remorseful lot, 9 percent cite professional discomfort.

And for those who want to take that tattoo off, there’s a whole cottage industry of tattoo removal standing by.

Lasers are the most popular method of tattoo removal. The lasers transmit pulses of light that break tattoo pigment into smaller particles, which are then absorbed into the body.

Of course, most of the removed tattoos are on the most visible parts of the body: hands, arms, neck and face — anyplace not covered by a typical uniform.

For a 3- by 5-inch tattoo, it can cost about $250 for each of the 10 to 15 sessions needed for removal, said Ms. Miller. A typical tattoo rarely exceeds $200.

Still, removal is an investment that can pay dividends.

The tight job market has only amplified the dos and don’ts of successful interviewing, said Karen Litzinger.

Ms. Litzinger, who owns Litzinger Career Consulting in Regent Square and hosts business etiquette workshops, said body art must be factored into an interview strategy.

“Anytime the job market is this bad, it’s just so competitive that the candidate needs to do everything possible,” she said. “You have to play the interview game and cover up.” ...

via Can a Tattoo Really Cost You a Job? - SalesHQ.

I've personally never found them sexy. Interesting, sure, but not really attractive. Sorry, they just put me off a bit. Unless it is something small and cute. Like a star or a flower on an ankle. Anyway, as my girlfriend and I discussed her desire to get a forearm tattoo of a tiger tonight, I was explaining that I think it could hurt her chances of getting a teaching job.  The article above agrees with me, but she says times have changed and people don't judge you based on your body art for jobs these days.  What do you think?

2 comments:

Sam said...

There is definitely a stigma with tattoos in teaching, Xeno, at least in the southern states. Piercings, too, no matter how small or tasteful. Suppose it might depend on the region.

elliot said...

Some retailer and shops (like Starbucks) require all tattoos to be covered during work shifts. No one ever got fired for it at sbux, though.

In rural or conservative areas I'm sure there is a stigma attached to visible tattoos. A quick googlesearch shows that recent surveys have found that somewhere between 35%-40% of adults 18-40 have a tattoo -- a huge jump since the 80s -- so any such stigma ought to be lessening with time.

When your own kids (or spouse) has tats, it's tougher to be prejudiced against others for having them.