Let me start by giving credit where credit is due for the subject of this week’s column. A couple of weeks ago Larry Levine of Dealer Marketing Systems Tweeted a link to an Inc. magazine article titled “Will Your Tattoo Still Impact Your Interview?”
That’s an interesting question that I’ve been wondering about as I see the body art pile up in my everyday travels albeit less so in document imaging circles. I’m not naïve enough to think they aren’t there somewhere, but most people tend to keep them concealed. After all this is an industry that trends conservative and I can see how visible tattoos might not be acceptable for certain types of positions.
These days I’m conscious of who’s inked and who isn’t and “it makes me wonder” in a Led Zeppelin “Stairway to Heaven” kind of way, what kind of an impact it has on a person’s career advancement or job search? The Inc. article delves into some interesting perspectives about tattoos, what industries are more forgiving of them and which ones are less so along with perceptions, accurate or not, about people adorned with body art.
Not to sound old and out of touch, but when I was growing up the only people with tattoos were bikers, sailors, ex cons, carnies, and strippers. Today, it’s not as exclusive a club. One of my daughters, a medical researcher, has a tattoo on her back at the base of her neck that’s barely visible. My other daughter, marches to the beat of her own drummer and if everyone is getting tattoos, she most definitely is not. My significant other’s children are inked in more obvious places, arms, legs, wrists. One is in theater, so clearly anything goes in the artistic world, another is a high school teacher, so I would say he’s treading a fine line albeit one already with tenure, and the other is a college student still trying to figure things out.
Admittedly, I’ve gone through a mid-life crisis or two in the past decade where I thought about getting a tattoo, but then remembered my low pain tolerance and vetoed that insanity. When I see people my age at the gym sporting a tattoo I know I made the right decision. Unlike wine and cheese, body art doesn’t always age as well…at least in my opinion and that’s the only one that counts right now since I have the podium.
The author of the article seems to think that as time goes by employers in most industries will be more accepting of job candidates with tattoos. That’s probably true as a new generation moves into management positions and is responsible for hiring decisions. But that’s assuming people are still getting tattooed in the future. I’m not so sure. I’ve seen a lot of science fiction movies and I don’t remember seeing too many tattoos.
Anyway, I think this is a fad that will fade away unlike most tattoos. When I think about roads not taken or investments not made over the years my one regret is not opening that tattoo parlor and right next to it a tattoo removal joint for those in desperate need of removing an ex’s name, a slogan or quotes that sounded good at the time, or for those inked by a second-rate tattoo artist.
Thanks for reading.
