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Would you hire someone with visible tattoos?

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Tattoos are becoming increasingly popular among younger workers, but are workplace attitudes to body art relaxing to match the trend?

A poll conducted by recruitment marketing specialists Employment Office revealed almost 60% of employers think it’s unacceptable for tattoos by be visible while at work. The study also revealed that 64% of hiring managers believe tattoos should be covered up for a job interview.

Earlier this year the Western Australian Police Force followed NSW and Victoria in proposing a ban on visible tattoos for all officers. The tattoo policy has sparked debate as new recruits may be knocked back from joining the force and serving officers could be stood down or even asked to have tattoos removed.

Other organisations are also being forced to revise their personal appearance policies to create guidelines for staff with visible body art. Generally, exceptions are made for tattoos an employee has for cultural or religious reasons, however it is otherwise at the discretion of the employer whether tattoos are acceptable in the workplace or need to be covered up.

Employment Office Managing Director Tudor Marsden-Huggins says tattoo policies vary considerably between industries and occupations.

“We find organisations operating in the professional services sector, such as finance, legal and customer service tend to have a more conservative view of tattoos and would prefer they are covered up from the view of clients.

“However attitudes are much more relaxed for tradesmen, where the focus on personal appearance is not such a large factor in service delivery. Tattoos are also more acceptable in creative industries like advertising or design where personal expression is encouraged and appreciated more than a strictly professional appearance,” he said.

Marsden-Huggins encourages employers to be open-minded about visible tattoos, urging them not to rule out an outstanding candidate immediately just because of visible body art.

“Employers need to ask themselves a number of questions including – Is the tattoo offensive? Will it impede the candidate in doing the job? How will an employee with tattoos be perceived by clients? Will it affect the business?” he said.

Ultimately, employers need to be transparent about any company policies relating to visible tattoos. Advising candidates will help avoid any potential problems in the future as the candidate progresses through interview stages.

Why Advertising in the Same Places will Get You the Same People

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In order to find the best new hire for your organisation, you need to make sure the best applicants see your job ads. That’s why companies go straight to the big names in job boards any time they need to advertise an open position.

But is that the right strategy?

Problems with Using Popular Generalist Boards

These job boards are simple places to post jobs and get a lot of applicants, but they are not without their problems. In order to get the best applicants:

  • You have to be positive your job perks are better than every similar job.
  • You have to be sure that you are reposting often, so the ad doesn’t get lost in a sea of other ads.
  • You have to make your title and job ad as noticeable and appealing as possible.

And even if you do all of those things right, you’re still going to be suffering from one major problem – when you advertise in the same places as all of your competitors, you are going to attract all of the same people.

Posting Job Ads Where Your Best Applicants Will See Them

Companies do not succeed by being the same as everyone else. They succeed by being better. While you can still post on the major job boards at your leisure, you also want to make sure that you’re actively finding out where your best applicants spend their most time, and trying to advertise there. For example:

  • Niche Job Boards – Instead of posting a job ad the same place as everyone else, find specialty job boards that appeal to the specific demographic and industry that you want to appeal to. For example, if you’re looking for Engineers, place a job ad on Engjobs, where Engineers go to find open positions.
  • Forums and Websites – Websites that appeal to those working in the industry also make great places to advertise a job. Find a place that you can post a job opening or try to actively recruit by reading the submissions. Look for places that appeal to those working in the industry even if they are not active job seekers. Attract those currently employed, and you may be able to steal an incredible talent away from a competitor.
  • Your Own Site – You’d be surprised how infrequently companies openly advertise great jobs on their own site. People that come to your site often think highly of your business, and an open position may quickly attract top talent.

All of these are going to attract different talent, and different talent options means that you’re not just hiring from the same applicant pool as your competitors. You’re finding applicants that they haven’t found, and you’re attracting talent that can play a major role within your organisation.

For more tips and information on recruitment and company branding you may contact us at info@employmentoffice.com.au or visit our website at www.employementoffice.com.au.