In the quest for employment, sometimes the reasons for rejection aren’t clear-cut. Ash Putnam, a 23-year-old with a noticeable tattoo collection, recently voiced her frustration on TikTok after being turned down for a job at TJ Maxx.
Her video struck a chord, garnering over seven million views and sparking tens of thousands of comments. Many resonated with her experience, highlighting the challenges young people face in securing entry-level positions.
Putnam shared that she applied for a job at TJ Maxx but received a disheartening rejection via email, without any personal follow-up. Dissatisfied, she visited the store seeking clarity from the employees.
“I went in today and asked, ‘Why didn’t I get hired?’ The employee said, ‘You don’t have enough experience. There were other candidates with more experience,’” Putnam recounted on TikTok.
She also inquired about her tattoos, a potential factor often scrutinized in customer-facing roles. While the employee denied this as the reason, Putnam remained skeptical.
“Just because I have tattoos doesn’t mean I won’t be a good worker. I don’t understand that at all,” she remarked. “Some of the smartest people I know have tattoos and piercings.”
Putnam’s story ignited a broader conversation about appearance bias in hiring practices. Despite not receiving a definitive answer from TJ Maxx, TikTok users speculated on the role her tattoos might have played in the decision.
“Being a tattoo artist myself, I’d say it’s probably because of the tattoos,” one comment read.
Another, from a human resources perspective, stated, “No company wants employees with visible tattoos interacting with customers, like TJ Maxx.”
