Find an entry-level job that hires people with tattoos and piercings.
Around 40 percent of Americans aged 26 to 40 have at least one tattoo. That’s a lot of ink under our skin. Yet many employers still have conservative policies when it comes to hiring people who have tattoos and piercings. (Granted, there’s a big difference between a discreet star on your ankle and a flaming, fanged skull on your throat.)
If you’re feeling frustrated because your tattoos are preventing you from getting an entry-level job, maybe you need to try applying to some more tattoo-friendly companies.
Here are a few types of hourly jobs that may hire people with tattoos.
Call Center jobs
Most call centers have pretty relaxed dress codes and appearance standards. It doesn’t matter what you look like, as long as you sound professional and friendly on the phone. For that reason, call center jobs can be great for people with tattoos.
Warehouse jobs
Like call center jobs, warehouse jobs don’t require you to interact with the public – so they tend to be permissive when it comes to tattoos.
Bartending jobs
Unless you’re working at an upscale hotel or restaurant bar, having tats only adds to your credibility as a bartender. Roll up your sleeves, show off your ink and make some cocktails!
Restaurant jobs
Will restaurants hire people with piercings and tattoos? It all depends on the type of restaurant job. Standards are stricter for servers, because they’re working with customers all day. Upscale restaurants may not hire people who have any visible tattoos or facial piercings. If you have serious ink or a sizable nose ring, you might have more luck applying for back-of-the-house kitchen jobs.
Hairstylist jobs
Clients expect hairstylists to be trendy, even a little edgy. So having a few tattoos or piercings shouldn’t keep you from getting a salon job or stylist job.
Retail jobs
It all depends on the store’s image. Some retail jobs at larger stores are super strict about how their employees look – Abercrombie & Fitch and Banana Republic ban facial piercings. But Anthropologie and Betsey Johnson are cool with visible tattoos. Take a close look at your tattoos and piercings and ask yourself which store’s style best matches yours.