Aussie jobseekers warned of 'complete fallacy' after young woman rejected: 'Bosses don't like it'
A woman believes her job application at a US retail store was rejected because of her tattoos and piercings.
Ash Putnam recently received an automated email from TJ Maxx informing her that her application wasn't successful. She went into her local store to get more information about the rejection and was told it was because other candidates had more experience than her. But she reckons it's because of her body art and "hates" that they are "such a defining factor" for her getting a job.
But Australian recruitment expert Graham Wynn told Yahoo Finance that employers across the world really don't like this type of personal expression.
Have you been rejected from a job because of how you look? Email stew.perrie@yahooinc.com
"If you're going for any sort of corporate kind of role, companies still do not like to see visible tattoos and piercings," he said.
"They just don't like it. They don't think it's professional. I think people are sometimes intimidated by it."
He said some retail and hospitality jobs might accept tattoos or piercings, however it really depends on what is on the person's body.
11 piercings on job candidate's face
Putnam has 11 piercings alone on her face (not including the ones on her ears) and a variety of tattoos across her whole body. There's a spider design that is visible on her neck, with the arachnid's legs extending up to either side of her mouth, as well as a few others on her forehead and cheek.
The 23-year-old was told by a worker at TJ Maxx these aspects of her body weren't a factor in her being rejected for the job. But she was frustrated that they could be barriers to her getting a job elsewhere.
"Just because I have tattoos doesn't mean I'm not going to be a good worker," she said in a video.
"Like, I just I do not understand that at all. Because quite literally some of the most smart, intelligent people I've ever met are people with tattoos and piercings."
She also asked how young jobseekers are getting by when loads of companies ask for experience, especially for entry-level positions.
Wynn suggested candidates with visible piercings or tattoos should try to cover them up if they're going for a job interview.
He revealed recruiters and hiring managers find facial piercings to be worse than tattoos when it comes to employing people.
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