Tattoos and Their Impact on the Potential Hiring of Accounting and Finance Professionals

• In Event: Taxation

Abstract

While a survey of the general United States population (Harris Poll, October 14-29, 2015) indicated "broadening mainstream acceptance" of tattoos, it did not evaluate whether the growing acceptance has extended into the fields of accounting and finance. In order to address this issue, a survey was conducted of CPAs in a mid-Atlantic state to determine, across generations and genders, how an applicant's wearing of a tattoo potentially impacts the hiring process. Results from our survey, conducted approximately three years ago, indicate that at that time such acceptance had not spread into the fields of accounting and finance. In light of the growing ubiquity of tattoos since that time, however, additional survey forms are currently being collected to evaluate whether there are signs of an evolution in hiring practices regarding the acceptability of tattoos. Further, for firms that hire candidates who wear visible tattoos, a question arises as to what criteria these firms use to determine whether they are deemed to be acceptable. The issue of discussing the development of effective methodology for determining such criteria is a central part of this Dialogue session.

Authors

• Seth Hammer, Towson University

• Arundhati Rao, Towson University