# Facial and neck tattoos. Do they have problems finding jobs? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 28, 2011, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307 "2011-01-28T16:50:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/41 "2011-01-28T21:37:32Z")
> [@Khaki\_Campbell](#): > > Just for the record, people with tattoos (and who are serious about them) are this way because they like it aesthetically for themselves and don’t give a shit what you think. More than that, they don’t give a shit if you give a shit or not. Sure. It’s _not at all_ about showing off, ever. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/42 "2011-01-28T21:38:26Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > If you show up at the supermarket in sweatpants, I assure you, I’m making a call on what kind of person you are, and I absolutely question your judgement. > > I’m not defending facial tattoos, or ignoring the fact that tattoos are permanent, but anyone who defends sweatpants outside the house but decries neck tattoos is fooling themselves if they think they’re talking about a difference of quality as opposed to degree. Thats fine. I’m not asking anything of you when I run to the store in my sweatpants, and you don’t need anything from me. If you judge me, it really doesn’t affect me one way or another. When I show up for a job interview in sweatpants, I’m asking you to hire me. And you need to evaluate what you are going to get from me in return for hiring me based on what I present to you in the interview. If I choose to wear sweatpants to that interview, that might say something about me, or the job. Now, it might be that its a perfectly appropriate sweatpants kind of job and we are golden, but for most jobs, there are more appropriate choices in clothing. With sweatpants, I get to make that call when I prepare for the interview. So while wearing sweatpants to the grocery store might be a momentary lack of judgment - its a lack of judgment I can cover up in a job interview. Likewise - a tattoo I got while drunk across my ass saying “All Aboard” might not be the best judgment, but again, I can cover up that lack of judgment in an interview - and my boss is probably never going to discover it. A facial tattoo is hard to cover up. Its the sort of thing where an interviewer is going to have to decide if this is a facial tattoo appropriate sort of job, or not - and if your facial tattoo says something about you that is either positive or negative to the position I’m hiring for. ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/43 "2011-01-28T21:43:18Z")
> [@Khaki\_Campbell](#): > > Just for the record, people with tattoos (and who are serious about them) are this way because they like it aesthetically for themselves and don’t give a shit what you think. More than that, they don’t give a shit if you give a shit or not. Great. Then they won’t give a shit when I don’t hire them because I think they look like someone who doesn’t give a shit. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/44 "2011-01-28T21:46:20Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > Likewise - a tattoo I got while drunk across my ass saying “All Aboard” might not be the best judgment \ This made me laugh so hard I snorted water up my nose. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/45 "2011-01-28T21:47:13Z")
I don’t disagree that a facial tattoo is hard to cover up, and I certainly don’t disagree that a facial tattoo is stupid, but the thing about a facial tattoo is that is may be saying “I exercised bad judgement 10 years ago”, whereas sweatpants at the grocery store say “I’m exercising bad judgement RIGHT NOW”. As such, it sure as hell doesn’t make you an inherently better, smarter person than the guy with the facial tattoo. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/46 "2011-01-28T21:50:29Z")
> [@lexi](#): > > Because of these factors what I see when I see someone with visible body art is: > > 1.) Someone who doesn’t need or want a mainstream career. > 2.) Someone who doesn’t care about societal norms. > 3.) Someone who isn’t mature enough to know they are making a choice between a mainstream career & body art. > > None of those 3 types of people are the type I’d hire to do my job although I may buy their next book or CD. Disclaimer: I don’t have any tattoos at all. You seem to be doing a lot of assuming about why someone would or wouldn’t have a tattoo and what that means about them. How much of an ass would someone be if they said “Thank goodness I can see these fat people’s fat bodies so I know not to hire them. They’ve chosen to not take care of their bodies and are probably lazy and have little impulse control. Why would I hire one of those people to work here?” I can certainly understand being wary of hiring someone due to tattoos if the job would have them working with the public and you feel your client base would be offended. But to just assign characteristics to them (rebellious? really? is this 1950?) because of something as silly as a tattoo is really narrow minded and speaks more about you than you realize. ---
**Author:** ![lexi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lexi/32/6806_2.png) [@lexi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lexi)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/47 "2011-01-28T21:54:15Z")
> [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](#): > > Disclaimer: I don’t have any tattoos at all. > > You seem to be doing a lot of assuming about why someone would or wouldn’t have a tattoo and what that means about them. > > How much of an ass would someone be if they said “Thank goodness I can see these fat people’s fat bodies so I know not to hire them. They’ve chosen to not take care of their bodies and are probably lazy and have little impulse control. Why would I hire one of those people to work here?” > > I can certainly understand being wary of hiring someone due to tattoos if the job would have them working with the public and you feel your client base would be offended. But to just assign characteristics to them (rebellious? really? is this 1950?) because of something as silly as a tattoo is really narrow minded and speaks more about you than you realize. Nope - I said visible body art. Someone who loves body art, but is mature & cares about societal norms and wants a mainstream job will get tattoos in places where it can be covered. And as Khaki Campbell said - people with visible tattoos don’t give a shit what others think about their tattoos - isn’t that the definition of rebellion? ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/48 "2011-01-28T21:54:33Z")
> [@Absolute](#): > > Great. Then they won’t give a shit when I don’t hire them because I think they look like someone who doesn’t give a shit. And you don’t get it both ways. You don’t get to “not give a shit about what people think” and then “whine about how you aren’t accepted because of your individuality.” I have a friend who had long hair through his mid-30s. And had a hard time finding a good paying job. Which he blamed on “the man” who wouldn’t accept his long hair. Idealistically, you should be free to be the individual you are, to express yourself how you want, and everyone should be willing to accept that. But corporate America (and a lot of other places) really aren’t interested in you-as-individual while you do the job. They want you-as-employee. There is a risk out of the gate in hiring you. If you don’t work out, they lose time. They may see an increase in unemployment insurance payments, they may see the impact in other employees productivity. For MOST jobs, given a choice, MOST hiring managers are going to go with the “low risk” choice. They applicant who doesn’t seem likely to rock the boat. The one who is going to fit in. The one with the skills to do the job, and the attitude to do it even when the job sucks for a while. So I get two similarly qualified applicants. And one shows up professionally dressed and groomed and looking like a good little corporate worker bee. And the other shows up sort of mussed in appearance, with long hair (on a guy) that says “I’m not a corporate drone.” The problem is - what I’m hiring IS a corporate drone - or at least one willing to fake it for eight hours a day. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/49 "2011-01-28T21:55:55Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > This made me laugh so hard I snorted water up my nose. Its not mine - its a line from “Just Like Heaven.” ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/50 "2011-01-28T21:56:46Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > And you don’t get it both ways. You don’t get to “not give a shit about what people think” and then “whine about how you aren’t accepted because of your individuality.” This. I have acquaintances who are all noble and holier-than-thou about their alternative lifestyles (of various types) and how those lifestyles are so much more “real” and meaningful, and not selling out to the Man and the corporatization of the world. And then bitch because they don’t have the consistent educational or employment history or the behavioral track record that employers are looking for. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/51 "2011-01-28T21:58:47Z")
> [@lexi](#): > > Nope - I said visible body art. Someone who loves body art, but is mature & cares about societal norms and wants a mainstream job will get tattoos in places where it can be covered. > > And as Khaki Campbell said - people with visible tattoos don’t give a shit what others think about their tattoos - isn’t that the definition of rebellion? Oh please. You’re still making weird assumptions about someone’s character based on whether or not they have a tattoo and their ability to cover it up. Assumptions that are pretty ridiculous and laughable and make you seem like you should be in the kitchen making dinner for Wally and The Beaver. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/52 "2011-01-28T22:00:19Z")
> [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](#): > > Disclaimer: I don’t have any tattoos at all. > > You seem to be doing a lot of assuming about why someone would or wouldn’t have a tattoo and what that means about them. > > How much of an ass would someone be if they said “Thank goodness I can see these fat people’s fat bodies so I know not to hire them. They’ve chosen to not take care of their bodies and are probably lazy and have little impulse control. Why would I hire one of those people to work here?” > > I can certainly understand being wary of hiring someone due to tattoos if the job would have them working with the public and you feel your client base would be offended. But to just assign characteristics to them (rebellious? really? is this 1950?) because of something as silly as a tattoo is really narrow minded and speaks more about you than you realize. You know what - that happens! People choose not to hire people who are overweight. Because they make judgments - like all human beings do - based on appearance. And they don’t hire the good looking busty blonde because she might be dumb. And the smart overweight person drops some weight and the blonde buys a bottle of hair dye and tones down the sex appeal in an interview. ---
**Author:** ![Ritter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ritter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ritter)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/53 "2011-01-28T22:02:17Z")
This thread is making me think of one of the more unusual facial tattoos I have seen. I am not familiar with Gucci Mane’s oeuvre but surely there is some significance for [this](http://www.celebritysmackblog.com/2011/01/13/gucci-mane-ice-cream-tattoo-photo/) work of art. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/54 "2011-01-28T22:02:49Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > You know what - that happens! People choose not to hire people who are overweight. Because they make judgments - like all human beings do - based on appearance. That happens? Hey, no kidding? Sure it happens, by people who are ignorant and narrow minded. It’s one thing to BE that way and another way to be oddly proud of it in the way it’s being expressed here. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/55 "2011-01-28T22:04:37Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > I don’t disagree that a facial tattoo is hard to cover up, and I certainly don’t disagree that a facial tattoo is stupid, but the thing about a facial tattoo is that is may be saying “I exercised bad judgement 10 years ago”, whereas sweatpants at the grocery store say “I’m exercising bad judgement RIGHT NOW”. As such, it sure as hell doesn’t make you an inherently better, smarter person than the guy with the facial tattoo. You know, if you came into the interview and said “ok, I’m addressing this up front - when I was 22 I was young and stupid and had this tattoo’d on my face. I’ve been regretting it for years and I’m saving up to have it removed” then we’d get my assumptions out of the way. I might still not hire you - depending on the job - because of the tattoo, but we’d get that out of the way. But I can also hire someone with more experience being a mature person who wouldn’t tattoo their face in the first place. And experience - not only in the the hard job skills, but in the soft skills like “having exercised good judgement” is important. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/56 "2011-01-28T22:09:00Z")
> [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](#): > > That happens? Hey, no kidding? > > Sure it happens, by people who are ignorant and narrow minded. It’s one thing to BE that way and another way to be oddly proud of it in the way it’s being expressed here. No, not just by people who are ignorant and narrow minded. By people who have to make professional judgments based on the presentation of the individual before them. I have two candidates for a job that requires drive and ambition. Both have similar skills sets and experience. One candidate is overweight. The other runs marathons. Which one appears during the course of an interview to have drive and ambition? Its possible my judgment is off, but if you are overweight and competing for that job - you’d better go out of your way to show drive and ambition if you are up against (and you don’t know) a marathon runner. Because that is what the marathon runner just showed me when during our discussion he mentions that he runs. ---
**Author:** ![lexi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lexi/32/6806_2.png) [@lexi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lexi)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/57 "2011-01-28T22:19:52Z")
> [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](#): > > Oh please. You’re still making weird assumptions about someone’s character based on whether or not they have a tattoo and their ability to cover it up. Assumptions that are pretty ridiculous and laughable and make you seem like you should be in the kitchen making dinner for Wally and The Beaver. What I am saying is that society says visible tattoos are not acceptable in the workforce as a majority viewpoint. This is known to most people, therefore those who get visible tattoos: a.) Are immature because they do not know that having tattoos can be detrimental to getting certain jobs b.) Do not care about getting certain jobs because either they don’t need it, c.) or don’t want it as much as they want to be tattooed None of these are “bad characters”, but these are not someone who would be hired in a conservative city, in a conservative field. I have friends among the B & C categories - who are very moral, intelligent and amazing people, but despite their wonderful qualities, society at large does not approve of the way they look and as Dangerosa said: you don’t get it both ways. You don’t get to “not give a shit about what people think” and then “whine about how you aren’t accepted because of your individuality.” ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/58 "2011-01-28T23:25:44Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > But I can also hire someone with more experience being a mature person who wouldn’t tattoo their face in the first place. And experience - not only in the the hard job skills, but in the soft skills like “having exercised good judgement” is important. And you could wind up with someone who shows up the next day with a facial tattoo AND sweatpants. There are no guarantees in life. While having a facial tattoo is certainly evidence of bad judgement, momentary or otherwise, the lack of one certainly doesn’t indicate \*good \*judgement. I really can’t emphasize enough that I am not endorsing the facial tattoo, and I absolutely agree that it will keep a person from getting a whole lot of jobs. I’m not even saying I don’t judge people with facial tattoos, hell I judge people in sweatpants. I’m just amused at the idea of people congratulating themselves on their ‘good judgement’ for not getting facial tattoos. I guess everyone needs someone to point at and say “Well at least I’m not THAT guy.” ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/59 "2011-01-28T23:41:33Z")
I have a dream of getting a snake tattooed on my face, changing my name to Harry and opening a porn shop. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2011, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307/60 "2011-01-28T23:43:00Z")
\*She was no Marine back from the Philippines She was their pride and joy, their incarnation Her parents viewed the chief with shock and disbelief Looking for some other explanation The indian on her back was poised for an attack She said a tattoo is a badge of validation But the truth of the matter is far more revealing It’s a permanent reminder of a temporary feeling \* -Jimmy Buffett [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facial-and-neck-tattoos-do-they-have-problems-finding-jobs/569307.md?page=4)