The Impact of Tattoos on Employment Opportunities

Nicole Ferreira

 Co-Presenters: Individual Presentation
College: College of Business and Public Management
Major: Marketing
Faculty Research Mentor: Sharmistha Das-Iyer
 

Abstract:

The purpose of this study was to understand the relationship between tattoos andemployment opportunities for young adults as well as the factors that influence them. Responseson tattoo perceptions were collected through interviews with three hiring managers and aquestionnaire sent out to college students through email and social media. This study used amixed-methods approach that collected both qualitative and quantitative data. Over two weeks,62 participants responded to the 19-question survey. The results show widespread concernamong participants regarding the negative impact tattoos have on employment. The hiringmanagers agreed that the visibility of tattoos, especially face tattoos, significantly impactsperceptions of professionalism. Similarly, the demographic and cultural differences in the dataemphasize the varying attitudes toward body art in the workplace. This study has explored thestigmas, perceptions, and concerns surrounding tattoos across different demographics.Keywords: Tattoos, employment outcomes, cultural differences