Are tattoos a stain on your job prospects and career?

In 2012 a survey by The British Association of Dermatologists suggested that 1 in 5 British adults had a tattoo. So it is reasonable to conclude that many graduates currently looking for a job have some form of body art. Many high ranking employees of desirable companies are of an older generation and have a traditional view of tattoos. But with body art becoming increasingly socially acceptable, both in and out of the workplace, are young jobseekers really risking their careers by getting the latest body decoration?

Can you be rejected or fired because of a tattoo?

Sadly, in 2014 the answer is yes. Just a few months ago Jo Perkins allegedly had her non-client-facing contract terminated after she displayed her small foot tattoo of a butterfly. At the age of 38, with plenty of high-level experience under her wing, the termination came as such a shock that she is considering legal action.

In the UK, the law on equality in the workplace does not cover those with tattoos as a protected characteristic, allowing employers to base their recruitment decisions on just that. The only exception would be religious or beliefs related markings under the 2010 Equality Act, but proof must be provided.

In terms of rejection for a role, Rebecca Johnson, a managing consultant at the Graduate Recruitment Bureau (GRB) explained: "I think in the majority of cases and certainly in the more corporate world, if there were two candidates in the running for a job and there was absolutely no difference between the candidates' skills/abilities resulting in the choice purely being based on presentation, most employers would pick the candidate without tattoos. I believe this would be to limit potential offence made to their clients."

It does depend on the company's dress policy, and employees with more than two years' experience have more rights. But a change in the dress code, in a similar manner to Jo Perkins' company, can see those with visible tattoos come under fire.

So is this fair? If a candidate was rejected from a role because of their faith, the company would face punishment under the Equal Opportunities Act. Yet if someone was rejected because of their visible tattoos, another lifestyle choice, there wouldn't be nearly as much uproar.

So why are they such a big deal?

Speaking to Steve Agace, director of sales at GRB, we found that first impressions are very important when it comes to interviews. But the glimpse of inked skin can divide opinion. He explained that "highly creative industries like the media sector are unlikely to bat an eyelid, whereas more conservative client facing sectors like IT consultancy, management consultancy and recruitment are more likely to find very visible tattoos challenging."

But it's not just about the industry, it's also about the location and content of the body art: "It's generally bad practice to swear in interviews," Agace explains, "so going in with a vulgar or offensive tattoo on display is not exactly recommended practice". Another employee at GRB explained that they have met clients boasting small inoffensive tattoos, but for candidates applying to the corporate world tattoos are still frowned upon.

Are they intimidating?

Katie Smith* , a resourcer for a recruitment consultant, says that in a previous retail role she was in a minority as a non-tattooed worker. She explained that this, at first, created a divide because "I felt different to them; less cool maybe? Or worried that they thought I would be very different to them personality-wise." This shows that first impressions really can warp our views of people, and sadly having a tattoo can be both intimidating and unprofessional – not exactly what you want a potential employer to think.

Is 'hidden' enough?

Primary school teachers must have any tattoos covered as they are considered role models. Yet is there a need to protect a child against inoffensive decoration when other people in their lives and in the media may be covered in ink? As of 2010 the Metropolitan Police Service employees were banned from getting any visible tattoos and were required to register all current tattoos, or face the sack. Supposedly this action was to keep the reputation of the MPS as an authoritative figure, compared to criminals who used to be one the few types of people garnering ink. But this is 2014: is it still applicable?

But I have/want a tattoo, what do I do?

Evidently, the traditional views of tattoos are still woven deep within the corporate world, and unless you choose a creative sector of work, having a tattoo may set you back. GRB's marketing director and co-founder, Dan Hawes, advises undergraduates "to really consider how their personal adornment choices might be perceived by potential employers when they come to start looking at graduate employment opportunities. I do think attitudes are changing, but rightly or wrongly, some peoples' personal opinions are old fashioned."

*Katie Smith is a pseudonym

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