‘Doesn’t make sense’
Hoping to get some insight from the online audience, Putnam asks in her video, “I’m just wondering how teenagers and young adults who haven’t had a job before are supposed to get employed.”
“How are they supposed to get a job if these places are only hiring people based on experience? It just doesn’t make any sense to me.”
Before ending her clip, she asked her followers to share their experiences and any obstacles they may have experienced when looking for work.
“I want to see if I’m the only person experiencing this right now. I hate that my tattoos have been such a defining factor for me getting a job or not,” Putnam added. “Just because I have tattoos doesn’t mean that I’m not going to be a good worker.”
‘Unemployable’
Her story struck a chord with many viewers, prompting an outpouring of comments from people offering their opinions.
@ashxobrienI want to know who is also having a hard time finding a job right now! #jobs #jobmarket
“Maybe it’s the demon spider??” writes one user, referring to the prominent tattoo that spreads from her neck to her lower cheeks.
“[You] can be a bartender, tattoo artist, an extra in a prison movie, bassist for Motley Crue,” jokes a second TikToker, while a third simply writes: “Unemployable.”
Others suggested it’s the placement of Putnam’s tattoos and not the actual body art. “There’s a reason that tattoo artists refer to face tattoos as career enders,” writes one user.
A second says, “I don’t think it’s because you have tattoos…I think it’s WHERE you have tattoos.” And a third, pens, “I have tattoos everywhere but my face…but I can get a job anywhere. Be [for real].”
Offering some professional advice, one netizen writes, “HR supervisor here. There is no way any company would put you in front of customers like TJ Maxx.”
Next, a former hiring manager at TJ Maxx confirms the suspicions of facial art in the workplace: “I used to be a hiring manager for TJ Maxx and I will tell you it’s the facial piercings and tattoos.”
‘Shows creativity’
Over the past decade, tattoos have become far more accepted in the workplace. However, for individuals with extensive ink – like Putnam – the job hunt can still be an uphill battle, especially for customer-facing roles.
And if her body art is the reason she was denied a job at the retailer, Putnam told the Daily Star that companies need to rethink their hiring process.
“If they think tattoos determine job skill and qualifications they really need to rethink. Tattoos, piercings and colored hair are not unprofessional. It shows creativity and uniqueness…people need to get over not liking tattoos.”
If you were responsible for finding a suitable employee to fill a position, would you hire an individual with visible tattoos and piercings? Please let us know what you think and then share this story so we can get the conversation started!
