Video: Lesley Beauchamp offers advice for job hunters with tattoos
One in five people in the UK now have a tattoo, but with getting inked comes the old dilema: how will the boss view it?
Tattoos are even more of a craze among younger generations, with one survey indicating one in three young people in the UK are now boasting body art.
But will the regret kick in for some when they venture out into the world of employment? Lesley Beauchamp thinks so.
As Managing Director of Express Recruitment, on Wheeler Gate in Nottingham, she is responsible for finding thousands of people jobs, and believes ink can ruin your chances of employment.
She said: “It depends on what kind of job you are going for.
“Be very careful where you’re putting it. If you go and work in some retail outlets that are trendy and cool or maybe even hairdressing, it’s quite acceptable.
But she added: “If you want to have every possible opportunity, don’t get a tattoo.”
Interactive graphic: How some major employers view tattoos on different parts of the body;
Andy Smith, shop manager of The Ink House, Carlton, has been tattooing for 26 years.
He believes that tattoos don’t effect someone’s ability to work, but thinks people have a responsibility to cover them up when appropriate.
“I’ve never had a problem with mine because I’ve made sure that they end in a certain place so I can conceal them,” he said.
“I don’t have any on my hands or on my neck and face and I think that’s the difference.
“If you can cover it up with a long sleeve, you can go anywhere. People can make their own judgements as soon as people roll their sleeves up.”
The problem is sometimes the person with the tattoos, rather than the tattoo themselves, that prevent people with ink from getting a job he adds.
“It is generally to do with the person with the tattoo. I could have one across my neck and speak really nicely and be nice to other people.
“The discrimination is towards the person and not the ink itself,” added Andy.
So if you want a permanent job or a permanent bit of ink, the choice is yours.
