A woman with many tattoos recently vented on social media after being rejected for a retail job at TJ Maxx. Instead of offering her support, the online community gave her a reality check by suggesting that her “facial piercings and tattoos” are “career enders,” making her “unemployable.”
Ash Putnam, who goes by the online handle ashxobrien, recently took to TikTok to vent her frustration after being rejected for a retail job at TJ Maxx.
The 24-year-old stated, “I applied to TJ Maxx a few weeks ago and they denied my application,” in the TikTok video, which has amassed over 7 million views. They couldn’t even get in touch with me. They sent me an automated email not long ago.
Putnam said she decided to go to the recruiting manager in an effort to gain some explanation. She has numerous facial piercings and noticeable tattoos all over her face and body.
“So, I asked myself, ‘What do you think stopped me from getting hired?'” I went in today. “Oh, you simply lack sufficient experience,” she remarked. “There [were] candidates with more experience than you,” the young woman explains.
I asked her if my tattoos were the cause of it. It goes without saying that many places disapprove of tattoos. She said that [that] wasn’t the reason. I don’t think that’s true, but whatever. I will end it there.
“It’s really not logical.”
In an attempt to obtain some thoughts from the online public, Putnam states in her video, “I’m just wondering how teenagers and young adults who haven’t had a job before are supposed to get employed.”
“How are they going to get employment if these companies only recruit experienced individuals? That just doesn’t make logic to me.
Before ending her video, she asked her viewers to share their stories and any difficulties they had encountered during their job search.
“I would like to know whether I am the only one experiencing this right now. Putnam went on, “I hate that my tattoos have affected my ability to find employment.” “Just because I have tattoos doesn’t mean I have to be a good worker.”
“Unemployable”
Her story touched many viewers, and a flurry of responses from people expressing similar feelings followed.
“Perhaps it’s the demon spider?” someone asks. referring to the prominent tattoo that runs down her cheekbones from her neck.
A third TikToker simply states, “Unemployable,” while a second quips, “[You] can be a bartender, tattoo artist, an extra in a prison movie, and the bassist for Motley Crue.”
Others said that Putnam’s tattoo placement, not the body art itself, was the cause. “There’s a reason why tattoo artists call face tattoos career enders,” writes one user.
Someone else remarks, “I don’t think it’s because you have tattoos.”I think that’s where your tattoos are. “I have tattoos all over except my face, but I can find work anywhere,” comments a third. Be [true].
“HR supervisor here,” comments one netizen, providing some knowledgeable advice. Like TJ Maxx, no company would ever put you in front of customers.
A former hiring manager at TJ Maxx then affirms the idea of facial art in the workplace, stating, “I used to be a hiring manager for TJ Maxx and I will tell you it’s the facial piercings and tattoos.”
“Displays ingenuity.”
Over the past decade, tattoos have become increasingly common in the workplace. For those with a lot of ink, like Putnam, the job search can still be challenging, especially for jobs that need direct client contact.
If her body art is the reason she was rejected for a job at the store, Putnam told the Daily Star, companies should reevaluate their recruiting practices.
“If they think that a person’s tattoos define their credentials and professional abilities, they really need to think twice. Tattoos, piercings, and colored hair are all permissible. It exhibits creativity and innovation.People’s distaste for tattoos must be overcome.
If you were in charge of recruiting someone to fill a position, would you hire someone who had visible body piercings and tattoos? Please share this story and add your thoughts to get the conversation going!
