One “heavily tattooed woman” has extended some advice to another “heavily tattooed woman” who said they were having a difficult time landing a job at T.J. Maxx. She thinks that her body ink was the issue.
However, in a viral clip posted to TikTok, one woman, who is also decked out in tattoos, told the T.J. Maxx applicant that her job rejection probably had more to do with the content of her ink.
The TikToker cites the applicant’s severed goat head with a pentagram on her chest and a spider devil baby skull emblazoned on her neck and face, along with her bad attitude, as the cause of her rejection.
The viral TikTok begins with a stitched clip from another user named Ash who has a large septum piercing, along with a forehead tattoo and several other tats placed on her body. Ash explains that she was rejected after a job interview at T.J. Maxx and questioned why it’s so difficult to find jobs at the moment.
When Ash asked the manager if her tattoos were the issue, the manager denied it. However, many commenters also agreed that Ash’s tattoos were the problem.
Another TikTok user, Ivy (@svvampfae), stitched Ash’s clip, offering some advice on finding a job as a tattooed person.
She frames the clip as if it’s a personal conversation where she’s trying to level with Ash. Ivy also has tattoos and a septum piercing dangling from her nostrils.
Ivy explains that despite being decked out in body ink designs and gauge ear piercings, that hasn’t stopped her from securing positions across various industries. She adds that she also worked as a hiring manager in corporate America.
She states that Ash’s issue boils down to the fact that the designs she’s chosen are “aggressive” and could be what is stopping her from securing a front-facing customer position.
“I want to discuss a couple of things that might help you understand your circumstances,” Ivy says. “You are a heavily tattooed person as you know, but as another person had stitched in, your tattoos are very aggressive. They’re very aggressive-looking. And in a customer-facing basis, aka retail, that doesn’t always go over well. So that’s first and foremost—which I’m sure you know.”
Ivy says that the intense tats Ash is rocking is only part of the problem, but that the overall attitude that comes off in her video would’ve been a huge red flag to her as a hiring manager.
“Secondly, your attitude is really bad,” she says. “You have a really bad attitude. If you had come into my business after an interview—or even applying and chatting on the phone, even if I didn’t know that you’re a heavily tattooed person—I’d be like, ‘Yo, bye. There’s the door.'”
She continues to say that job applicants need to have a positive attitude while interviewing.
“You have to put your best foot forward in an interviewing circumstance no matter what you do, what you’re applying for, or what you look like,” she says. “If someone came in with an attitude like you had, I’d just be like, ‘I would never hire this person, because this is someone that is representing my business, that is someone that is representing me and my brand.'”
Ivy concludes the video by letting Ash know that she’d be open to helping her with interviews, while also noting that self-awareness is influential
@ashxobrien I want to know who is also having a hard time finding a job right now! #jobs #jobmarket ♬ original sound – Ash🖤
“But self-awareness, looking inward at yourself and making sure that you know who you are and how you operate outwardly is the most important thing,” she adds. “So I hope that helps—no hate to you. Just trying to help out, have a good day.”
One commenter who saw Ivy’s video said that while perusing more of Ash’s content, it seems like the videos she’s posting online are intentionally designed to get folks angry with her: “I have so much to say .. her newest videos she’s in the comments bragging about the $ she makes on OF? And shopping ? I feel like she’s rage baiting.”
Others were happy to see Ash’s attitude called out.
“First stitch I’ve seen addressing her attitude,” one person said.
“I’m heavily tattooed but Disney and flowers. It’s the demonic vibe of the tattoos,” another person said, agreeing with Ivy’s assessment of Ash’s rejection.
@svvampfae #stitch with @Ash🖤 #heavilytattooed #tattoo #facetattoo #hiring #jobtips #job ♬ original sound – Ivy 🌿
Someone else noted how several other users on the app who are decked out in tattoo have been replying to Ash’s videos with some great pointers on how to secure gainful employment: “All the stitches I have seen are also from people with multiple tattoos dispensing great advice.”
This sentiment was echoed by another individual who wrote, “I’m also a heavily tattooed Nurse Practitioner in the medical field. You can find careers being heavily tattooed! But attitude is everything.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Ash and Ivy via TikTok comment and T.J. Maxx via email for further information.
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