Tattoos Becoming More Accepted At Work
As Dress Codes Become More Lax, So Are Rules About Body Art
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Play CBS Video Video Trend Report: Tattoos Body art has become so mainstream it is starting to be accepted in the workplace. Susan McGinnis reports.
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Tattoos, like Courtney Pecola's, are becoming more accepted in the workplace. (CBS/The Early Show)
Tattoos and piercings are just not the career killers they once were. Many companies in all industries have no problem with body art. Employees of all walks of life are sporting body art nowadays from doctors' office receptionists to TV news anchors. Even those who are prepping the workforce of the future: college educators. The Army and Navy have also relaxed their tattoo policy on worries over a lack of recruits.
"It's an intellectual and upscale phenomenon," Ina Saltz, who photographed hundreds of tattoos for her book, "Body Type," told CBS News correspondent Susan McGinnis. "People are choosing to get tattooed who are professionals. Every kind of profession you can imagine has a tattoo."
New research finds 23 percent of college students have one to three tattoos, 51 percent are pierced beyond women's ears and 36 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds have tattoos. Tattoo artists say they see all types of customers.
"We go from artists and younger people all the way to doctors, lawyers, architects. So it's pretty cool," said Claire Vuillemot, a tattoo artist at Fun City Tattoo.
Courtney Pecola, a native of New Hampshire, is clearly proud of her roots. She has a tattoo of New Hampshire's lilacs across her chest and her area code, 603, on her wrist. She never thought twice about it and neither did her boss. When she interviewed at ZB Sports in Philadelphia, her boss didn't either. He hired her to be a vice president.
"He's fine with it. I mean, it's never been a problem," she said. "He's always stood by me, even if I get a really stupid tattoo."
"Courtney is one of the brightest women I've ever met. She's fast, she's smart," Pecola's boss, Jim Hoisington, said. "If I passed on her because of her tattoos, I'd be out one phenomenal employee."
That kind of thinking has led to a very colorful workforce at ZB Sports.
"It really wasn't an issue," ZP Sports employee Eric Andrewson said. "He didn't act like it was strange and I didn't act like it was strange."
This small Internet retailer is part of a bigger trend in the American workforce. Dress codes are easing up, and body art is coming out of hiding. Some managers say they have no choice.
"It has to change, otherwise they're going to be out of a workforce," Hoisington said.
But not everyone agrees body art works at work, especially in corporate environments. Still, Hoisington welcomes the trend. He thinks body art is a sign of a special employee.
"Because you don't like it or it offends you or you're conservative in the workplace, I think you'll miss a whole talent pool of people who are very bright well educated, smart and free thinking," he said. "It's a shame. You never want to do that. You have to evolve."
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Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."





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See all 51 CommentsWell said. Stay safe and thank you. =-)
They have presence.
They speak volumes about their wearers. Good and bad.
They are sentimental. Personal keepsakes.
They are spur of the moment.
They are memorials. Life-long.
They are art. Beautiful and abstract.
They are culture.
They are deeper than written words.
They are truer than photos.
They are tears and sweat and pain.
They commemorate friendships.
They have presence.
They speak volumes about their wearers. Good and bad.
They are sentimental. Personal keepsakes.
They are spur of the moment.
They are memorials. Life-long.
They are art. Beautiful and abstract.
They are culture.
They are deeper than written words.
They are truer than photos.
They are tears and sweat and pain.
They commemorate friendships.
I failed to mention in my first post that my tattoo artist husband has a bachelors degree in fine arts as well as being a successful business owner. He, along with his family, started one of the first homeless shelters in his town and always tries to give back to the community in thanks for all the good that has come his way. We lead such a "normal" life it may surprise people. Step out of your box and stop judging us by the COLORS OF OUR SKIN. I would really like to know what states these "anti-tattoo" people are from and exactly what "management" jobs they hold.
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I would like to hear what kind of jobs or opportunities some of us with tattoos or piercings might be missing out on. I would also like to hear more of the backgrounds of those who aren't as favorable towards them.
My grandfather had tattoos on his forearms and calf from his Navy days - I always loved them. You may say they aged. I say they had character. That's what made them so cool to me.
It's probably true that some people may not make good calls when getting a tattoo - but seriously - that doesn't mean everyone is going to regret them.
I don't believe any of us have any right drawing conclusions about a person for their choice in where they get a tattoo. If someone wants a conclusion or answers, they should kindly ask.
For what it's worth, I'm a 30-ish born-again christian working in the computer industry. Few tats, few piercings... No problems?!
i am very heavily tattooed underneath the suit.
needled.com
Posting my background addressed the very first comment and similar posts to this thread, that is, that tattooed people are not employable. Surely, a math scholar should be able to follow that logic. Indeed, as you demonstrate, education is not a measure of intellect.
You just put yourself on a pedestal by your comments of your Masters from an Ivy league university. Masters in what? Law? That's to me is saying you had your paralegal write this for you and check your spelling. What do you have when you have 20,000 lawyers at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean? Answer: A good start.
I also have a Masters Degree in Quantum Mathematics, and a PhD in Applied Mathematics and a Bachelors degree in Electronic Engineering, BIG DEAL.......your education doesn't say what kind of person you have, it just says you are able to pass tests and make the grade to achieve your degrees.
Let me get this straight, you are in church and looking at a womans backside all the way to her lower back, in church right, no wonder you couldn't concentrate on the sermon your mind was in the womans pants!
To be a tattooist you have to have a special talent just like an artist and to appreciate that art you must first understand the art form. Since you are so shallow minded and have to wait for the woman to make the first move, you may want to expand your horizons (above the waist line) and actually do some reasearch on body art, you may actually be surprised at what you find.
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