For the cheap price of a permanent tatto, get access to job interview
A recent YC Startup School afterparty is making the rounds on LinkedIn. 7 people came to the YC after party left with permanent tattoos. Lemon Lime had invited a tattoo artist to their office. Anyone willing to get the company’s logo tattooed immediately received a job interview.Seven people walked away with permanent tattoos. Offering someone a job interview in exchange for getting a permanent tattoo is unethical. The issue isn’t that seven adults chose to get tattooed. It’s that an employer tied access to a career opportunity to an irreversible change to someone’s body. Is it really ‘consent’? There is an inherent power imbalance between companies and job seekers, especially in highly competitive environments like YC. That makes “consent” far more complicated than simply saying yes. A great company should hire people for their talent, judgment and character…not their willingness to permanently mark themselves for a chance at an interview. A line was crossed. And it’s a YC company. Is the job market so awful? How is this even legal?
Discussion Highlights (4 comments)
paulcole
They didn’t say they weren’t going to interview untattooed people. It’s a lame stunt but this is just looking for something to get upset over. I would do it if the company was one I was excited about. I’m 45-ish and got my first tattoo this year. It’s a big eagle holding a bagel on my forearm. The coffee shop (their name is also on the tattoo) I go to said they’d give me free cold brew for life if I got it.
zerohp
Questionable behavior from YC companies is nothing new.
amazingamazing
How is an adult consenting to getting a tattoo legal? Is that your question? The rest is filler.
ungreased0675
I would absolutely never hire someone that impulsive and/or gullible.