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 So while more millennials are inking up, 70 percent say they make
sure their tattoos can be hidden from the eyes of the boss.
And, as millennials continue to become a larger part of the
workforce, reservations about putting their body art on display are
likely to grow.
A recent University of Tampa study found that 86 percent of students
with visible tattoos surveyed think they will have a harder time
finding a job after graduation. When deciding where to put a tattoo,
89 percent said they will consider how it will impact their job
options.
"If you walk into a boardroom and you have that baby girl tattoo on
your neck, you may not get that job you want," said Univerity of
Tampa assistant professor Kristen Foltz, who conducted the research.
Foltz, a millennial herself, has a number of tattoos. But she has
always been careful to get them in areas she can cover.
Katie Murtagh, a first-year law student at the Charlotte School of
Law in North Carolina, has a couple of tattoos and may get more. The
images are personal icons, including a four-leaf clover to represent
her Irish heritage. But she has made sure to keep them hidden so
they would not hurt her future as a lawyer.
"I know a lot of people who have tattoos, including two of my close
friends, have them very visible, on their arms, neck and ankle, but
they don't think their profession is going to care," Murtagh said.
"They are not looking for white-collar jobs."
But her other friends "definitely think about where to put" a
tattoo, she noted. "It is something that you are very conscious of
as a 23-year-old," added Murtagh. "The fact is that they are still
very taboo in the business world, but we are trying to change that."
The mark of a generation may be losing some of its pop culture cool
among millennial stars. One Direction's Harry Styles, 21, has been
widely quoted as having regret over some of his 40-plus tattoos.
And reality television star Kelly Osbourne has talked about getting
hers removed. She says she doesn't want to be defined by them. Even
singer Britney Spears, 33, has nixed some of her ink - getting rid
of a Hebrew tattoo on the back of her neck.
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PRICEY REMOVALS
Of course, the increase in tattoos and the subsequent second
thoughts is great for the tattoo removal industry.
Tattoo removal surged by almost 46 percent among millennials in just
the last couple of years, according to the American Society for
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. The average cost of a tattoo's removal is
$464, according to the trade group. That is a lot more than the
going rate of about $100 for a basic tattoo.
"There is no question that the millennial generation has been more
interested in tattoos earlier in life than any generation before
them. With those decisions, often come regrets later in life," says
Dr. James Grotting, president of the American Society for Aesthetic
Plastic Surgery. "We fully anticipate a growing interest in removal
of tattoos."
Tattoo removal is a big business: Spending in the United States is
expected to hit more than $83 million by 2018, according to
IBISWorld.
Of course, the taboo of tattoos in the office many not be permanent,
especially since millennials are moving up in the workplace. As more
of them do the hiring, that bias against tattoos on the job could
start to fade.
(Editing by Lauren Young and Cynthia Osterman)
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