Career Conscious Decisions

By: Rebekah Beachum

Last fall, I got my first tattoo. I had thought about it for a while, and finally decided that moment would be a good time to do so. It took some time, but I eventually told my parents that I got it. The first thing my dad said was "Be careful about your future interviews and job. Some employers and even clients will judge you negatively in an instant just because you have a tattoo. Remember that." While I was shocked by his response (he had always said that he greatly disapproved of permanently marking your body in this way and would be disappointed if his children ever did so), he made a great point. What would employers think of my tattoo?

I had gotten it in a fairly obvious location (my wrist), but I had determined it could be easily covered with a watch, bracelet, or long sleeved shirt. It proved easy enough to do this, because even a few of my friends didn't notice for several weeks that I had gotten it. The people I worked with didn't even notice until I decided the environment was safe enough to show them. I was lucky in this aspect: I had thought about the location and realized that my tattoo would need to be covered in the future.

Think about the career you want. Are there many people with tattoos in that field? Are there people with multiple piercings in strange places? Do other professionals in this area have an unnatural hair color or extremely long nails? A graphic designer would less likely be subject to prejudice than an office manager would. Take this into consideration when you're thinking about getting a tattoo or piercing. If your chosen career field is clean cut, think about getting your tattoo in a place that will be hidden, or don't get one at all. Be career conscious in your outward decisions and you'll be one step closer to doing what you love.