Tattooed? You could be at jobseeking advantage

Tattooed? You could be at jobseeking advantage.

New research suggests that tattoos could actually be advantageous in a candidates quest for a new job, despite popular belief they greatly hinder a person’s chances of landing a role.

According to a recent study conducted by the University of Miami Business School, as well as the University of Western Australia – jobseekers with tattoos are just as likely, and in some cases more likely, to be employed with their ink.

After surveying over 2,000 participants, the researchers found that visible tattoos had zero impact on employee wages or discrimination, marking what could be a shift in perceptions of tattoos in the workplace.

Professor of Health Economics at the Miami Business School, Michael French said he believes the “long-held stigmas associated with having tattoos, and particularly visible ones, may be eroding.”

“Given the increasing prevalence of tattoos in society – around 40% for young adults – hiring managers and supervisors who discriminate against tattooed workers will likely find themselves at a competitive disadvantage for the most qualified employees,” he added.

As previously stated, this study seems to suggest a leap forward in the way employers are perceiving tattoos – which is welcoming following on from recent stories of tat discrimination.

For example in 2017, when a candidate was rejected at interview for sporting a tattoo that featured her significant others name, inked across her hand. A study from the same year indicated that 64% of UK recruiters found tattoos ‘undesirable’.

However, despite this, 13% of hiring decision-makers said they would have no problem choosing a tattooed candidate if faced with two equal contenders, with a 33% stated that it wouldn’t make a difference either way.

What’re your thoughts?

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