Having a tattoo could harm your chances of getting hired in Singapore, said a recent YouGov research. This comes as almost one in ten (10%) Singaporeans have a tattoo, yet nearly half (47%) of the employers in Singapore said they would be less likely to hire someone with a tattoo – even if they were qualified for the position. Meanwhile, around 48% of employers in the survey said a candidate’s tattoo would have no effect on their decision to hire, while another 5% said it would make them more likely to give them a job.
However, the research said the reservation of hiring someone with a tattoo seemed to be one which older employers rather than the younger ones were concerned about. While about 59% of those aged 55 and over say they would be less likely to take someone on if they had a tattoo, this figure falls to 33% among 18 to 24 year olds.
On a commentary piece published on Channel NewsAsia, one individual explained that in Singapore, the common conception of tattoos are normally associated with gangsterism and generally “bad behaviour and habits”.
However, for many in the ad industry, tattoos are simply a form of cultural and individual expression. Industry players are refuting the negative stigma by calling attention to the normalcy of having tattoos, be it a staff member in a leadership positions or possessing any role in a high-skilled job. These powerful influences help shift conservative mindsets and eventually implement a deeper understanding in how individuals are taught not to discriminate based on age, gender, or race, and tattoos. Here are some who boast aesthetically pleasing inks:
Daniel Henriksen
APAC head of programmatic strategy, Xaxis
Henriksen has accumulated a plethora of tattoos, getting new additions every six to nine months over the past 11 years, mainly in celebration of a milestone, a change in his life, or if he has been inspired creatively by something in his surroundings, community or travels. “I wanted to express on my body permanently as a constant reminder of my gratitude having travelled to over 20 countries, and lived in both Denmark, USA and Singapore at this point,” Henriksen said.
Inked: Dove surrounded by roses, filled with a globe inside its torso
Inspiration: A representation of the ability to be an independent and free individual in a globalised world – he who seeks to travel and explore countries and cultures interacting with different minds and personalities with no boundaries or limitations
