When It's Okay to Have (And Show) Tattoos at Work

I don’t have any tattoos. It’s not because I have anything against tattoos. I just don’t like anything. At least not enough to put on my body for the rest of my life. If I was forced at gunpoint to get a tattoo, which is something that totally happens, then I would probably get a portrait of Abraham Lincoln as a tramp stamp because that’s something that at least gets funnier as I age. It’s also something that could be covered up at work. But what if another armed assailant forced me to get it some place more visible?

LifeHacker features a fun infographic about tattoos in the workplace from specialty skincare boutique Skinfo. The infographic shows that 45 million people in the United States have at least one tattoo. There is both good news and bad news for those with tattoos looking for a job.

The bad news is there are no laws protecting people with tattoos from discrimination in company hiring practices. So a company can say no to hiring you because you have tattoos. If you can cover your tattoo you might have a better chance. The infographic says, “the ability for a tattoo to be covered up is still prized by hiring managers.”

The good news that “73 percent of people claim they would hire staff that had visible tattoos.” 94 percent of people who have tattoos said they would hire someone who had tattoos. My question is what’s up with that hypocritical 6%? The job industry with the most tattoos is the military. Though the military doesn’t allow face tattoos, or anything deemed “extremist, indecent, sexist or racist.” I love that they have to put that in writing. The infographic also lists the 36 most tattoo-friendly companies in the United States. Companies include: Whole Foods, Target, Ikea, Google and Applebee's. So when I get my Abe I’ll be looking for a job at one of those companies.

Bonus Info: One last job option for those with tattoos: President of the United States. According to The Chicago Tribune, President Theodore Roosevelt had his family crest tattooed on his chest.