The urge to go get my first tattoo has been strong. In fact, I’ve known what I’ve wanted for about a year now. The ability to artistically express myself through a piece of art on my body has appealed to me and it’s something I would like to make happen this year.
While some people find the urge to get a tattoo risky, and probably being something they regret, I prefer to think of it as a tribute to that time of your life. While it may not necessarily apply to your life 30 years down the road, it’s still a part of your story.
The reason I’ve waited to get a tattoo is because I want to make sure it’s something that I want, and not an impulse purchase. If I’ve waited this long, and still want to get the same tattoo, then it can’t be something a regret, because it represents me right now.
According to the National Library of Medicine, only a fourth of Americans regret one of their tattoos. While that may seem like a good chunk of people, statistically more people don’t regret their tattoos than those who do.
In the presence of some jobs, the atmosphere may seem uninviting for someone with a tattoo. Due to tattoos becoming more common, Harvard Business Law conducted a study to see if this was affecting companies. They found that tattoos don’t lower a person’s chances of getting a job, and it doesn’t create a wage gap either.
In fact, white collar companies hiring people with tattoos may have an advantage as customers were more drawn to those with tattoos according to The University of Houston. Through this study, they found that people who had ink were seen more competent than those without ink in some situations.
Of course, as with anything, the best thing to do before getting a tattoo is to do your research. You don’t want to go to just any tattoo shop to get your tattoo. The best thing to do is to look at reviews and find a shop you’re comfortable with. The last thing that you want is to get a tattoo that’s misspelled or looks nothing like the design you wanted.
According to Indeed, companies may include whether or not tattoos are allowed at the company. Asking the company during or after the interview process is also a good idea, so you know how the company may want to be represented. Indeed also states that some companies may have a policy where as long as no graphic or profanity tattoos are shown, they may not care.
Expressing yourself through a tattoo shouldn’t be something you worry about for your career down the road. If you’re worried about your ink affecting your chances at getting hired, do the research to see how many people get hired in your career field every day. Tattoos are becoming a more common occurrence, and companies are becoming less strict about certain parts of their employee’s appearance. If the statistics aren’t adding up in your favor, there’s always the choice of getting a tattoo that is concealed by your work clothes, that you can still appreciate and enjoy outside of working the career you want.