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Thursday, January 17, 2008

Career Limiting Move - Visible Tattoos


Moving to Houston from the Midwest has been an interesting transition, as I have seen more visible tattoos in the workplace than ever before. I have talked and interviewed more people for professional jobs that seem to think that visible tattoos will not hamper their job search or their career mobility. They apparently got the tattoo/s at a younger age and at the time, were not thinking about the long-term ramifications it would have on their image and career.

I have also talked to parents with young adult children (ages 18 to 21) about this issue and many did not know that they had tattoos. I am one of those parents. For many, it wasn't an issue of them getting the tattoo, although I would have preferred that she did not get one. It was the fact that it was not hidden.

At this particular age, most young adults think that they know it all and have all of the answers. But, we all know that is not the case. The unfortunate aspect of this issue is that there are qualified people being passed over for jobs and promotions due to the fact that they have visible tattoos.

So, if you plan to get a tattoo - ensure that you think about the location, as it will have a long-term impact on your image and career.

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