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“Gonna Use This For My Younger Clients As A Lesson”: People Give Tattooed Woman A Reality Check
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“Gonna Use This For My Younger Clients As A Lesson”: People Give Tattooed Woman A Reality Check

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A woman’s rant about her job application being declined has sparked a debate about the correlation between tattoos and employment opportunities.

Filming herself inside her car, Ash O’Brien explained how she was rejected via an “automated email” after applying for a job at T.J. Maxx.

Seeking clarity about the her rejection, Ash returned to the department store location in search of answers.

 “So, I went in today, and I was like, ‘What was the reason I didn’t get hired?’ And she was like, ‘Oh, you just don’t have enough experience. There [were] candidates with more experience than you,'” the woman described.

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    Image credits: ashxobrien

    “I asked her if it was because of my tattoos. Obviously, a lot of places don’t like tattoos,” Ash, whose face and neck are visibly tattooed, continued. “She said that [it] wasn’t the reason. I don’t feel like that’s true, but whatever. I’ll leave it at that.”

    She then went on a rant about the alleged cause of her job application being turned down.

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    “I’m just wondering how teenagers and young adults who haven’t had a job before are supposed to get employed,” the TikToker said. “How are they supposed to get a job if these places are only hiring people based on experience? It just doesn’t make any sense to me.”

    “Obviously, a lot of places don’t like tattoos,” Ash, whose face and neck are visibly inked, said

    Image credits: ashxobrien

    Later on, Ash asked her viewers to share their experiences on the job market as well as any obstacles they may have encountered during the hiring process.

    “I want to see if I’m the only person experiencing this right now.”

    “I hate that my tattoos have been such a defining factor for me getting a job or not,” Ash added. “Just because I have tattoos doesn’t mean that I’m not going to be a good worker.”

    The job seeker justified her point, explaining that some of the most intelligent people she has ever met are covered in tattoos and piercings.

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    The department store employer informed her that she didn’t get the job because there were other candidates with more experience

    Image credits: TJ Maxx

    At the end of the video, Ash addressed an additional factor that had caught her attention in recent weeks.

    “All these places say that they’re hiring, but I feel like they’re not. Because I shop at all of these stores and see ‘Hiring now’ signs, but those have been up for months.”

    “For anyone looking for a job right now who is younger and doesn’t have experience, I truly wish you the best of luck because it’s very hard out here,” she concluded.

    In the comments of the video, people shared their opinions as to why they believed Ash was unable to go through with the hiring process. The general consensus seemed to be that her age or lack of experience played no part in her being rejected.

    “Maybe it was the demonic spider or the goat with the pentagram,” a TikTok user commented, referring to Ash’s ink.

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    “H.R. supervisor here. There is no way any company would put you in front of customers like T.J. Maxx,” another person chimed in.

    A third social media user added, “I worked at T.J. Maxx, and they will hire just about anyone that comes off the street–It’s definitely the tattoos and piercings.”

    “There’s a reason that tattoo artists refer to face tattoos as career enders,” a separate person wrote, while another said, “Tattooer here. It’s probably the tattoos.”

    “I want to see if I’m the only person experiencing this right now,” Ash said

    @ashxobrien I want to know who is also having a hard time finding a job right now! #jobs #jobmarket ♬ original sound – Ash🖤

    Whether tattoos are okay in a workplace will depend on that employer’s industry, company culture, and particular preferences, Indeed’s website reads. 

    For positions where workers are frequently interacting with customers, it’s often the case that employers think twice before hiring someone with tattoos, if they even consider their applications.

    In contrast, jobs with little or no face-to-face contact with the public are more flexible regarding body art.

    However, people should also consider employers’ subjectivities. Some managers or owners may have more conservative preferences and will not allow their workers to express themselves in this manner.

    Meanwhile, in more relaxed company atmospheres, managers may accept tattoos at the workplace, perceiving them as a sign of individuality and creativity.

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    “If you have tattoos and are looking for a job, you’ll want to consider in advance the culture of the companies you’re applying to. Being strategic about where you apply can minimize the possibility that your body art will conflict with the organization’s policies,” the job site recommends.

    Bored Panda has contacted T.J. Maxx for comment.

    “It’s probably the demonic tattoos,” a social media user suggested

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    Marina Urman

    Marina Urman

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

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    Marina is a journalist at Bored Panda. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, she holds a Bachelor of Social Science. In her spare time, you can find her baking, reading, or watching a docuseries. Her main areas of interest are pop culture, literature, and education.

    Read less »
    Marina Urman

    Marina Urman

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    Marina is a journalist at Bored Panda. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, she holds a Bachelor of Social Science. In her spare time, you can find her baking, reading, or watching a docuseries. Her main areas of interest are pop culture, literature, and education.

    Ugnė Lazauskaitė

    Ugnė Lazauskaitė

    Author, BoredPanda staff

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    I am employed as a Visual Editor in the news team. I make sure you have the best pictures near the most interesting text. In general all day I am looking at all you favourite celebrities facies and I am geting payed for it!

    Read less »

    Ugnė Lazauskaitė

    Ugnė Lazauskaitė

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    I am employed as a Visual Editor in the news team. I make sure you have the best pictures near the most interesting text. In general all day I am looking at all you favourite celebrities facies and I am geting payed for it!

    What do you think ?
    Add photo comments
    POST
    Mad Dragon
    Community Member
    8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Retail companies look for people who can represent the company in a friendly, welcoming, and helpful way. The subject matter of her tattoos present a "Back off and get away from me" message. It's not surprising that she's not getting hired. She should look for a position where she doesn't have to deal with the general public face-to-face.

    Mike F
    Community Member
    8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    And why retail? She could probably get some really good paying gigs with benefits in a factory. I was a printer and the plant I worked in didn't care about tats and pins. They paid very well and had awesome benefits and four 10 hour days per week so every weekend was a 3 day weekend.

    Load More Replies...
    Kraneia The Dancing Dryad
    Community Member
    8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Yet another person whining because they can't get a job due to the tattoos on their face. Don't get me wrong, it's your body, you do what you want.... but don't whine when prospective employers reject you. You won't get a customer-facing job. Unless you're applying at a tattoo parlor, a mechanic garage (and even then not all of them), or some other place where you aren't dealing with customers directly, DO NOT GET TATTOOS AND PIERCINGS ON YOUR FACE.

    Otto Katz
    Community Member
    8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's not the amount of tattoos for me. The quality of them is good. It's the subject matter. Also, the piercings are a turn-off for me. I don't like to talk to someone, and listen to them clicking back at me. I can't imagine how much food gets stuck in the piercings in her mouth, the smell, just gross.

    Dekker451
    Community Member
    7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Piercings are removable so they and the place that's pierced can be cleaned, so if you know someone with lip piercings with bad breath, it's not just because they have piercings. It's because they individually have bad hygiene (or maybe halitosis).

    Load More Replies...
    Load More Comments
    Mad Dragon
    Community Member
    8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Retail companies look for people who can represent the company in a friendly, welcoming, and helpful way. The subject matter of her tattoos present a "Back off and get away from me" message. It's not surprising that she's not getting hired. She should look for a position where she doesn't have to deal with the general public face-to-face.

    Mike F
    Community Member
    8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    And why retail? She could probably get some really good paying gigs with benefits in a factory. I was a printer and the plant I worked in didn't care about tats and pins. They paid very well and had awesome benefits and four 10 hour days per week so every weekend was a 3 day weekend.

    Load More Replies...
    Kraneia The Dancing Dryad
    Community Member
    8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Yet another person whining because they can't get a job due to the tattoos on their face. Don't get me wrong, it's your body, you do what you want.... but don't whine when prospective employers reject you. You won't get a customer-facing job. Unless you're applying at a tattoo parlor, a mechanic garage (and even then not all of them), or some other place where you aren't dealing with customers directly, DO NOT GET TATTOOS AND PIERCINGS ON YOUR FACE.

    Otto Katz
    Community Member
    8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's not the amount of tattoos for me. The quality of them is good. It's the subject matter. Also, the piercings are a turn-off for me. I don't like to talk to someone, and listen to them clicking back at me. I can't imagine how much food gets stuck in the piercings in her mouth, the smell, just gross.

    Dekker451
    Community Member
    7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Piercings are removable so they and the place that's pierced can be cleaned, so if you know someone with lip piercings with bad breath, it's not just because they have piercings. It's because they individually have bad hygiene (or maybe halitosis).

    Load More Replies...
    Load More Comments
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