tattoos at work??

[eastcoastS14]

Any of us who have or got or considered getting a tatoo have heard the statement "you wont be able to get a real job". I think that it is a lot of peoples impression that if you want to get some serous ink you wont be able to get a serious job...Just wondering what some of you out in the "real world" think about this. I have always loved tattoos and will be getting one for sure once i come up with the right one, after all i dont want to be stuck with something I will regret. So how many of you have tattoos especially clearly visible ones and office jobs, or know someone who does and do you think the statement that visible tattoos = no job is true?

[Bryants95240sx]

I believe it really all depends on the buisness that is hiring, but i also believe that mostly the older generation wont accpet it. Just my 2 cents.

[InspireMS]

i have a friend who has many tattoo's and holds a respectable job(Teacher).

i plan on getting inked when i turn 18. like posted above me, i think that its the older folk that dont really like the ink.

[eastcoastS14]

yeah i mean i think its fair to assume that its the older generation thats not in favor of tattoos and it definitely depends on where you work. I think tattoos are so common place now im wondering if it will even matter in the near future who has one

[bigOdom1]

if your worried and still want some ink just get it undera t shirt and shorts and you will be A ok

[eastcoastS14]

yeah true...i always wanted like half sleeves lol...should probably get one first tho hahaha but i always liked the way they looked

:werd: 400th post

[Matej]

First of all, I've never had the desire to get a tattoo, but I know many tattooed people, and it's weird how there are people whom you'd never think to have a tattoo (teachers, businessmen, managers, etc.). One of my math teachers had a huge eagle piece on his back, haha. If you want to have tattoos and a nice job, it's pretty much a matter of hiding them well with common sense.

[HalveBlue]

Common sense is key here.

Place the tat where it's to hide if you're worried about how it'll affect your job prospects.

Then again, in another 20 years or so, it'll be hard to find someone in the job market without tattoos. So, who knows?

[S13SilviaGirl]

Lets put it this way. The Coast guard will not even entertain the thought of someone joining let alone staying in if they have in visible in a T-shirt and shorts. The rest of the military is going to the same thing. To me that says something. Not professional. I have a tat. I love them. But it is not somewhere that is visible. I say get the tat. but don't hurt the possibilities of a job by making it a tat that is visible to others when in a working uniform.

[Frosty_spl]

dont get a big spider on your face and you should be fine.

[Farzam]

I got my tat clearly visible.

And I never get $1 tips from the bitches. Straight Benjamins.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c285/Farzam/tat.jpg

[ls180sx]

Get your lip done, no one will ever know unless you want them to. I did it because i was bored

[eastcoastS14]

^^ ahahaha nice tat lol i think a girls expression the first time she went down on you would make that completely worth it hahaha

[jrmiller84]

I have three tats on my arms. I am a software developer for a pretty large company. I didn't mind wearing long sleeve shirts and since I like tattoo's so much, it was my only choice. With my last job, as soon as everyone knew I had them it wasn't that big of a deal. As long as I was wearing a polo shirt and no one important was around, it was cool. It depends on the people.

Hopefully in a few years it will be normal, but I doubt it.

[McRussellPants]

old people suck.

[4thHorse]

Don't get a tattoo in an area that can't be covered up. As stated earlier it depends on your line of work. I found out that being bald is not p.c. in the lawyer world, unless you are going bald. Thats hair now imagine tattoos. I work at a company where honda boys stole the whole "vtec" inside logo. Well you don't see people sporting tats in the business areas, upper management kind of stuff. Below that it is all different. There was a guy that teaching and running the upgarade to data entry software(company wide project by the way) with full sleaves. I work with a guy that has a tattoo of the company logo on his arm , a tattoo which he got on the day he hit the Million dollar club. In the end it just matters what you get and where.

[91CRXsiR]

if you plan to being a professional .. i would avoid it.

i would never hire a lawyer / doctor / accountant / adviser who was tatted up..

of course there are exceptions.. like armed forces tattoos or something along those lines..

but a snake tatted on ur neck?... no.

[Sil-Abc]

most employers see tattoos as rebels and bad people so they make assumptions and thus lower ur chances of having a high paying or high positioning job since they dont think ur qualified or will take that position seriously. just get it somewhere where they wont see it. back, front, legs wherever they cant see

[S13SilviaGirl]

I got my tat clearly visible.

And I never get $1 tips from the bitches. Straight Benjamins.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c285/Farzam/tat.jpg

It looks like plankton from sponge bob....

[conner]

^Templeton/Toy Machine

Conner

[Jefferson]

The only reason the older generation does not like tats is simply because way back when the only people who wore tats were criminals and badasses.
I simply have my tats on my back and you don't really see them unless i have no shirt or maybe a wifebeater on and since I have to wear button up long sleeve shirts at work, none of the higher up bosses really see them. As long as there covered up it would be ok
It sucks though that people can instantly get a misconception of you just because you wear art on your skin.

[ronmcdon]

i agree with the concensus, don't get something that can't be covered up. its just not worth compromising your career if thats important to you. which indirectly, isnt such a bad idea. i think one would eventually get really tired of say having your whole sleeves and neck done.

the most I'd ever do is something that covers the whole back and extends to the shoulders. just enough that can be covered by a short sleeve shirt at work.

[gorgasm]

people are getting alot more lenient with this kind of stuff these days, since tats are getting more and more common.

i work in a pharmacy where having a visible tattoo is blasphemy, but ive seen people with tattoo's on their hands & wrists getting jobs no problem, even people with full sleeves as long as its covered, piercings too.

if you want that shit, get it.

[s13gold]

well dont get a jailhouse tat..on ur face..

haha

[zenki-217]

Im in the middle of a red sleeve.. I personally dont give to shits what anyone thanks and if it should ever keep me from getting a job then its on them .. Because there the ones missing out.. I think if you get a tat on your neck or your face then yeah it could be a little much and keep ya from getting a job or a bunch of prison tats then yeah your gonna have some probs.. Im a welder so no one gives to shits about my tats..

[s13rookie]

i think just as important as where the tat is located, is what it actually is. I think the older generation (aka: supervisors) would be much more lenient with say, an irishman getting a celtic design or something, than a tatoo of a naked women. some tats are tasteful, some are just tacky.

Just dont get a mike tyson style one and you should be ok

[azanprophet]

I have my family name in Chinese (I'm Chinese) on my right shoulder about 4"x4"and I'm a lawyer here in Houston. I don't make a point of showing it to my clients and none of them has ever asked if I have any, and if they did I would show them and tell them what it is. It's not like it's gang affiliated or the devil or a naked woman or anything and I'm not ashamed of my tat because it actually means something (to me anyway).

My brother did go a little overboard with his. He has "strength" on his right forearm and "wisdom" on his left forearm, like a stone obelisk type thing on his spine just below the collar line, a kabuki mask on his left calf, a dragon that goes from his left shoulder blade on his back over his shoulder across his abdomen to his right hip and the family name like mine on his right pec.

He's a physicians assistant at a major hospital in the Houston Medical Center. He has to wear long sleeves to work under his scrubs to cover the ones on his arms, which can be a pain in the Houston summer, but other than that no one gave him any trouble about them while he was in school or while he was searching for a job.

The question about tattoos is usually covered in a company's dress code but I have never heard about someone not getting hired or getting fired for having tattoos.

Like everyone else said...keep it tasteful and away from your face/neck/head area and you should be okay.

[Zetto*]

There is always the option of using UV Blacklight Ink.
You can see example work and get very basic information here.
http://www.tattooartists.org/Gal3975_UV_Blacklight_Ink.asp (As far as I can tell the link is safe for work. However I can make no guarantees.)

[Farzam]

^Templeton/Toy Machine

Conner

Almost correct.

Transistor.

[Brian]

I got my tat clearly visible.

And I never get $1 tips from the bitches. Straight Benjamins.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c285/Farzam/tat.jpg

Oh holy shit! Thats so cool.
Ed Templeton is awesome.
Have you sent him that picture?

I met him a while ago right after he broke his neck in France.

I just stumbled on his blog stuff through the Toy Machine site.

anyways... ummmm cool tatoo

[Farzam]

I mean...
I intend on owning my own business in the next year and a half.
So after I see how that works out, i'll decide whether I want more visible tattoos.
I think I can handle taking it slow for a while.

[Farzam]

Oh holy shit! Thats so cool.
Ed Templeton is awesome.
Have you sent him that picture?

I met him a while ago right after he broke his neck in France.

I just stumbled on his blog stuff through the Toy Machine site.

anyways... ummmm cool tatoo

I should...

I've had it for about 3 months and I haven't even thought about sending it.

['90RPS13]

2200th POST!!!

Its all about how you carry yourself. I have my ears gauged to 3/4", lip ring and 2 tattoo's.

I have been deterred from jobs before. One tried to force me to take them out. Supposedly we werent allowed to dye our hair (not that I do) and have only 1 earring per ear. I didnt break any rules but it was quote unquote, Gothly looking. Still didnt take them out. Told my managers when the girls stopped dying there hair, blonde or whatever color, and they abide by the rules, I will.

Alot of jobs wont even consider you, but the ones that do. You just have to go in and pretend they are not even there, whether it be tatts or gauged ears. Show them your work ethics and professionalism.

[Farzam]

I got a job at Subway basically without even applying.

I go in there every day drenched in blood, smelling like an ash tray, and looking like an sr20 threw it's oil pan at me.

And they pay me $8.25/hr.

That's $6.66 after tax.

It's how you carry yourself and your perspective on things.

Don't be their bitch, be their co-worker.

Be positive. If you're negative, you will only end up being someone's bitch.

You don't need to call out every broken rule, but you need to make sure people aren't slacking around. They notice that everyone works better/happier around certain people.

If work gets annoying, bring up trivia. What do people always search for, and when they find it, they throw it away?

This is why I always make the most money at my jobs. Cause I hate it, but I act like i'm a million bucks. You are your own creator.

[jdm538]

i had a poli sci professor that had full sleeves on both arms and always had them visible. i respected him more for some reason and i actually learned and payed attention in class. at UPS some managers are fully tatted from neck to full sleeves, its tolerated just as long as you dress professional.

[jrmiller84]

Like I said, if you want to have visible tattoo's and retain a professional position, be prepared to cover them up like I do. While I'm pro "making tattoos ok in the workplace," I understand not everyone is from our generation and not everyone will accept it, no matter how much I don't like it. I'm not going to endanger my professional career or my entire future just because I have something to prove, it's foolish. In the same breath, I'm not going to cave into their expectations of not getting tattoo's at all.

[240trainee]

There is always the option of using UV Blacklight Ink.
You can see example work and get very basic information here.
http://www.tattooartists.org/Gal3975_UV_Blacklight_Ink.asp (As far as I can tell the link is safe for work. However I can make no guarantees.)


A friend of mine who worked in a local tat shop said that stuff is mad shitty, doesn't last well and chunks up and shit, a pita to use, so they don't use it.

[jrmiller84]

A friend of mine who worked in a local tat shop said that stuff is mad shitty, doesn't last well and chunks up and shit, a pita to use, so they don't use it.

Yeah, it's pretty lame. If you're going to get a tattoo, get a tattoo. Only thing I would use blacklight ink on would be to accent some places, and even then... screw blacklight ink.

Blacklights and ceiling stars were cool in middle school, not on my body.

[kyoru]

Like I said, if you want to have visible tattoo's and retain a professional position, be prepared to cover them up like I do. While I'm pro "making tattoos ok in the workplace," I understand not everyone is from our generation and not everyone will accept it, no matter how much I don't like it. I'm not going to endanger my professional career or my entire future just because I have something to prove, it's foolish. In the same breath, I'm not going to cave into their expectations of not getting tattoo's at all.

co sign, if you want to be professional, then visible tattoo's is a no no.

[Farzam]

I still have ceiling stars.

I'd put rainbow wallpaper up if my mommy/daddy would let me.

[Mr_Nice_Guy]

I am a software developer that goes to customers sites from time to time and I haven't heard one bad thing about my visible tattoos. When I show up in short sleeves (most of the time) they see my red swallow on my upper left arm and the stars on my right arm. Soon they will see either a half or 3/4 sleeve on my right arm. I don't feel that it is setting up for failure in any way in the future in terms of getting employment. Hell my boss has even told me a number of times that its more common to see people with tattoos now a days and he is hardcore old school business.

[ls180sx]

It realy all depends on how accecpting to diversity a company is. Just because you have tattoos doesnt mean everyone is going to judge you so quickly. You can still be professional and have visible ink. I work at the sprint wolrd headquarters. I have my ears gauged to 3/4 an inch and other employees have large visible tattoo's. Theres even a guy who is in a very high posistion that has ink on his face and neck.

[Farzam]

What if you lose that job and have to get another?

Sure, i'm sure it's possible to get ANY job with tattoos...but you know. Why bother making it harder for yourself?

[theicecreamdan]

Well, I'm totally against having shitty jobs and shitty bosses. Maybe I'll change some day when I want to be a "professional" but for now I'm not going to make any huge changes in my life just for work. I don't feel like I want any tattoos, but if I did it would definitely be a part of who I am. If I felt like I have to hide that just so I can spend 40 hours a week at some place I would honestly rather not be there.

[Mr_Nice_Guy]

What if you lose that job and have to get another?

Sure, i'm sure it's possible to get ANY job with tattoos...but you know. Why bother making it harder for yourself?

Well I wouldn't make it out to be harder on myself to get another job with tattoos. If I absolutely have to the 'metro office casual' dress can come out of the closet and trick people into thinking I am a clean cut boy.
On the other hand, if I don't think I would really want to work at a place that would make me a complete 180 from what I am normally. I would not feel comfortable at a place like that to be honest.
I do see what you are getting at though.

[theicecreamdan]

If you're not creative at all, don't get tattoos. If I ever own my own business I would automatically hire somebody that had a nautical star wrist band tattoo. Just so I could fire him half way through the first day.

If you get a tattoo that is shitty then you'll probably fail job interviews. If you get a tattoo that has a story about how you conquered Mt Everest naked, then you deserve any job you apply for.

[Mr_Nice_Guy]

If you're not creative at all, don't get tattoos. If I ever own my own business I would automatically hire somebody that had a nautical star wrist band tattoo. Just so I could fire him half way through the first day.

If you get a tattoo that is shitty then you'll probably fail job interviews. If you get a tattoo that has a story about how you conquered Mt Everest naked, then you deserve any job you apply for.

care to explain?

[DUFFM4N]

ive got my whole lower 1/2 of my left leg tatted from my anke all the way up to my knee, and i just wear pants to work...ive also got 3/4 plugs in my ears and snakebites (but they dont care about those) and ive got a 3/4 sleeve thats scheduled for next week to get the outlining done...

i think that if the tattoos are strategically (sp?) placed, that you can cover them up easily for work, then there's no problem, ive got friends that have almost complete body suits, and they work in a shirt n tie environment

[theicecreamdan]

care to explain?

My friend's gf has a tattoo of a heart with wings on her back. wtf?

There's nothing to explain really, its just like not sucking at life. If you have to ask how, then its probably too late. If you're doing it to be cool, or to prove something, then its probably not YOU you are trying to explain.

[Mr_Nice_Guy]

My friend's gf has a tattoo of a heart with wings on her back. wtf?

There's nothing to explain really, its just like not sucking at life. If you have to ask how, then its probably too late. If you're doing it to be cool, or to prove something, then its probably not YOU you are trying to explain.

Alright I see your point. I thought wtf when my sisters friend got her first tattoo that looked like I could have done better on a couple rounds of blow. Most of my tattoos don't have meaning to them, it was something that I wanted to have drawn on ME for ME. People have a hard time understanding that my tattoos are for me and not some story that will entertain them.

[cxlo8331]

Just like everyone else has said: Just be smart about what tat you get. More importantly, be smart about where you get it. Obviously, if you plan on getting full sleeves, then be prepared to cover them up while at work. My brother-in-law has 3/4 sleeve, and covers his, but on occasion they are noticeable if his sleeve is rolled up.

Most importantly, it depends on where you work and who your supervisor is. I work for the county, and my supervisior has tatoos that are visible: on the wrist, ankle, back of the neck, lower back. Did I mention my boss is a chick?
She works with alot of the upper management, and top people of the department. She's so cool, she's like f-it I don't care what they think of me.

Bottom line. Let your work the the ruler for which the measure you by, not your look.

You could always get hired first, then get your ink afterwards.

[Taba13]

meh, it also depends on what the tattoo represents like many ave already pointed out too.

i have both of my childrens names on each forearm and are from wrist to elbow pretty much, i have a very visible tribal cross on the back of my neck about 4" long 4" wide.....no problems getting any job i go for, however thats what i do is tattoo flash and etc...

basically if your tat idea is gonna have old people cringing at the sight of the ink work dont get it visible, if you have or want to do something that definately has meaning and a purpose to be visible than so be it. if an employer told me to cover my inkwork id tell em to eat a (use YOUR imagination here)

my opinion though

[theicecreamdan]

and for the ladies, no dolphins jumping over rainbows... unless you take it in the butt on the first date. Unless its visible in public, then there will be no first date.

[ApexRK]

I have a tat on my right side calf and when I was a seaplane pilot for 2 summers a few years ago all my passengers saw it since I wore shorts, most liked it and had something nice to say, even my mr. No Personality boss hired me knowing i would be wearing shorts.
If I get another tat it will be something that if wearing shorts and t-shirt it will not be visible, probably on my shoulder/upper arm chest area that way I can wear a short sleeve dress shirt to work and no have clients see it.

[Evil240]

i have only two tats.. a panther on my right peck.. and a dragon that starts 3 inches from my wrist on my left forearm, up to my shoulder, onto my back, and then to my front left peck. i have held a job as the Teller Manager at multiple bank of americas, and now hold the position as a underwriter/risk analysist agent for another bank. havent had any problems... at work. outside of work.. no one takes me seriously.. hahahahahahaha

i have a friend who is currently the branch manager at bank of america and has sleeves on both arms... it really depends on how you present youself. I can cover up my tats for work, so its really not a big deal.

but if your planning to bust a mike tyson and tat your face... or tat your neck... thats pretty much a given "im sorry, the position has been filled"