Sporting tattoos at a job interview is a slippery slope. You want to be honest about your identity with your future employer, but you don't want body art to overshadow your accomplishments. How much are you willing sacrifice for the job of your dreams? 

Don't do it
If you're willing to give up a lot to work at a Fortune 500 company, then concealing your tatts isn't even up for discussion. It's a done deal. Get ready for the big interview by covering all body art and removing any facial piercings. If you have an inkling that ink is an issue, don't even bring it up the interview. Ignorance is bliss and you can always wear short-sleeved shirts on the weekends.

"Facial piercings might take away from conversation."

Because taking offense to body art depends on the industry, you might only have hide your tatts for an in-person interview. Forbes reported that there's even increasing tolerance for tattoos in educational and medical industries. Ink is especially ubiquitous in free-spirited fields like writing. But does that mean tattoos are interview-appropriate? 

Feel it out
A happy medium for creative types is to hide tattoos until the first day on the job and show them off later. If other employees aren't exposing body art, consider a quick conversation with your boss to learn about the company's dress code. It's wiser to offer up the information and inquire rather than surprise your colleagues with a tattoo showing. 

According to U.S. News and World Report, the interview is an appropriate time to discuss policies on tattoos. Being open and honest off the bat shows integrity, which happens to be a desirable quality for a job candidate. 

Ask questions
Say you interview at the same company where your best friend works. You know for a fact that she shows off her tattoos nearly every day. Does that mean you should show your full-sleeve off on the first day? How about that tongue ring? 

Facial piercings may distract the interviewee.Facial piercings may distract the interviewee.

Some say that outwardly displaying any body art at the interview is risky business, especially when it comes to facial piercings. The difference is that unlike most tattoos, facial piercings might take away from conversation – even in an environment that fully supports this form of self expression. 

Tonya Wells, author of "What to Wear to Your Job Interview," explained to U.S. News and World Report why donning piercings can make an otherwise great interview run poorly.

"I try really hard to focus on their eyes, but it's so hard not to stare at their tongues with that little ball," she said. "It's like a little bouncy ball going back and forth, and I just can't keep my eyes off it." ​

When in doubt, cover up tattoos and remove piercings. You can reveal more of your shining personality as time goes on, but you can't take back this information once it's out in the open. Laser tattoo removal might be the perfect solution for you if you're tired of covering up your tattoos at work. 


Over 45 million US adults* are living with tattoos, but now permanent ink can be a thing of the past. PicoSure® is the world's latest breakthrough technology in laser tattoo removal providing faster results in fewer treatments. Visit www.picosurear.wpengine.com to learn more and find a PicoSure Practitioner near you. * Source: Harris Interactive, 2012