Tattoos in A Small Town

So there I was....sitting at home after work one night this week watching an awesome combination of Pawn Stars and Duck Dynasty laughed at a ridiculous post on Facebook.

Some girl, we'll call her 'Random Girl,' posted on a local public Facebook forum with something along the following lines of foolish:

     "Does anyone know of a place in this town that will hire someone with tattoos and piercings? I can't find a job and I'm thinking its time to leave this small discriminating town to look for work."

I just had to read some of the comments for that post. Most of them were sensible naming off tons of local businesses that employed folks with tattoos and piercings and others pointed out that even in a small town, most businesses don't mind tats and the ones that do simply ask that they be covered while you're working. Sensible comments, I thought.

But the best one was from Random Girl. She had to chime back in with a line stating, "I asked for job opportunities, not lectures."

Brilliant!

I had to laugh and click on Random Girl's profile to see just how crazy her tattoos were. Turns out, from the pictures that she's posted and not bothered to make private, her tattoos are hardly noticeable.

What is noticeable is the poses and the lack of modest clothing.

Did I mention that she didn't bother to make any of this private?

As and employer of a small business in a small town, let me be so bold as to speak for the majority of my colleagues here--we don't care nearly as much about your tattoos and piercings as we do about your ability to exercise good judgment and your ability to accept responsibility for your own actions.

Good judgment--Before you claim that you're being discriminated against (which employers take VERY seriously) make sure that you exercise good judgment. Don't post anything online that you would be embarrassed to see posted on the bulletin board at church or in a employee break room. Employers can and do research you online if you are a candidate for a job. Posting negative comments and immodest pictures show employers that you don't take yourself or others seriously and you don't exercise good judgment.

Accept responsibility--Before you blame employers for your unemployment, consider your own actions and take responsibility. If you want tattoos to express yourself and your individuality, that's cool with me but before you get the permanent ink, consider that you can be limiting your employability if you can't or are unwilling to cover it up. If that's a risk you're prepared to take, then more power to you. If you're not willing to take that risk, don't get the ink. Accept responsibility for your actions.

I've employed people with tattoos and piercings on their face. I don't care. What I don't hire are people that don't exercise good judgment and don't accept responsibility for their decisions.

With that, Random Girl, good luck in the a big town. $20 bucks says you'll find the same attitude with employers there as you did here in Sulphur Springs.