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[Fudgepuppy]

I'm planning on getting a sleeve this fall, but when I told my mom, she just went "Oh no, then you'll have to cover it every time you go to an interview or somewhere classy".

I kind of chuckled at the concept, considering a lot of people nowadays have tattooes.

But still, does it happen?

Anyone with any experience?

 

[Marmaladefire]

She's right about interviews, depending on your industry. Of my tattoos, which are all fairly small, the only visible one is the smallest on my upper arm and I still have to think about covering it up fairly often. It shouldn't be that way, but society hasn't really become 100% accepting of them

 

[alr1ght]

No one will be able to see tattoos on your toes unless you're barefoot or wear sandals.

 

[Pastry]

Yeah depends on the corporate culture. I've never worked somewhere where it was okay to have tattoos out in the open but I work in the financial industry so yeah.

 

[lightskintwin]

i wouldn't necessarily say discriminate, but certainly prejudged before you even open your mouth. As long as you can cover a tattoo up during an interview than you should be fine in not having that hinder you in anyway.

 

[Kurt Angle]

she's right if you want a white collar office job/career

this poor girl i sat next to had to wear full sleeve sweaters and dresses in the summer because she had a sleeve tattoo. she even had a skin colored sleeve she wore to client meetings. visible tattoos are a no no in the corp world

 

[Straight Edge]

If you're male your sleeves would be covered by the dress shirt and suit you should be wearing to your interview anyway.

 

[disco]

she's right if you want a white collar office job/career

this poor girl i sat next to had to wear full sleeve sweaters and dresses in the summer because she had a sleeve tattoo. she even had a skin colored sleeve she wore to client meetings. visible tattoos are a no no in the corp world

Why is this the case? Is it a classist issue? Or does the corporate world require a kind of sleek banality where everyone is dressed in navy, black and grey? Does this more simple and common costume allow for people to focus on attaining profit more easily?

 

[Laevateinn]

I'm an engineer for a financial institution you've heard of. When I was hired, one of the engineers I onboarded with had a tattoo on his face.

 

[Akronis]

Why is this the case? Is it a classist issue? Or does the corporate world require a kind of sleek banality where everyone is dressed in navy, black and grey? Does this more simple and common costume allow for people to focus on attaining profit more easily?

Most large companies are ran by old dudes who are stuck in the past.

 

[Kurt Angle]

Why is this the case? Is it a classist issue? Or does the corporate world require a kind of sleek banality where everyone is dressed in navy, black and grey? Does this more simple and common costume allow for people to focus on attaining profit more easily?

they are seen as unprofessional and yeah low class, it's a social stigma.

things will probably change as people from current generations move to the top and change company cultures. but as of now most companies are ran by conservative old people. Especially in sectors like finance

 

[Linkura]

Most large companies are ran by old dudes who are stuck in the past.

Yup.

Good luck getting a white collar job.

 

[thechristoph]

I think discrimination is too serious a word to use here.

 

[Tuck]

Actions have consequences. Your desire to have a sleeve does not mean other people need to accept them, especially not at work. Yes, they are unprofessional, if visible. I agree that the stigma is going down, but it's still there.

 

[Beefy]

I think discrimination is too serious a word to use here.

Nope it's a fact.

 

[akira28]

I got no ink, so no. But I would absolutely not show it at interviews, unless you're interviewing for Home Depot or Merchant Marines or something.

 

[Akronis]

Actions have consequences. Your desire to have a sleeve does not mean other people need to accept them, especially not at work. Yes, they are unprofessional, if visible. I agree that the stigma is going down, but it's still there.

Tattoos don't affect anyone. Let people do what they want to their body without being discriminated against.

 

[M3z_]

Actions have consequences. Your desire to have a sleeve does not mean other people need to accept them, especially not at work. Yes, they are unprofessional, if visible. I agree that the stigma is going down, but it's still there.

This is a bad opinion.

 

[NoblesseOblige]

But still, does it happen?

Yes, it still happens.

 

[akira28]

This is a bad opinion.

Industry and commerce and business are filled with them. And they're standard.

 

[Puck Beaverton]

Tattoos don't affect anyone. Let people do what they want to their body without being discriminated against.

I'll say this in my interview and see where it gets me.

 

[Bandini]

Listen to your mother.

 

[thelatestmodel]

She is 100% right, and you will also never be able to visit a Japanese hot spring. If that's important to you.

 

[Timbuktu]

Japan certainly does. You can't get into some bathhouses with a tattoo.

 

[Woo-Fu]

This is a bad opinion.

It isn't opinion, it is truth in most industries. Doesn't matter whether you like it or not, it simply is.

Back when I used to interview I wore long-sleeved shirts---which was normal for the IT positions I was interviewing for anyway---so the tats weren't obvious.

Tats tell a story, perhaps not the story you ever intended. Interviewers are going to fill in the blanks based upon their experience, not yours. Simply aren't that many middle managers out there thinking to themselves, "You know what we need to round out this team? A nonconformist!"

 

[Fury451]

Tattoos are generally not supported in corporate environments, I don't really see that changing anytime soon. If you can cover it up then you are fine, but it's something to consider.

As far as the age thing goes, it's not just limited to old-school ways of thinking. I know a lot of young up-and-coming people starting their own businesses or in pretty high positions that do not support having visible tattoos in the office environment when interviewing.

For a lot of people tattoos are not associated with professionalism, and while I've worked with people that have been able to bear their tattoos, most people I know have had to cover them up with h for a lot of people tattoos are not associated with professionalism, and while I've worked with people that have been able to bear their tattoos, most people have covered them up.

Same thing with piercings that are not limited to ears. Even then having more than one or two piercings in each ear seems to be heavily discouraged.

This is a bad opinion.

It's not an opinion, it's the way it is.

 

[Akronis]

I'll say this in my interview and see where it gets me.

I literally just said above that companies are run by out of touch old people, so no shit it won't go anywhere.

I'm saying his attitude towards tattoos is stupid.

 

[Laevateinn]

Japan certainly does. You can't get into some bathhouses with a tattoo.

I picked the wrong hotel on my last trip to Kyoto and couldn't bathe for three days.

 

[AgentLampshade]

My general rule of thumb is to ensure any tattoo you have isn't visible over a suit.

 

[Zekes!]

I'm planning on getting a sleeve this fall, but when I told my mom, she just went "Oh no, then you'll have to cover it every time you go to an interview or somewhere classy".

I kind of chuckled at the concept, considering a lot of people nowadays have tattooes.

But still, does it happen?

Anyone with any experience?

I have a handful of tattoos on my forearms (mostly my right) and usually wear my sleeves rolled up, and haven't had anyone say anything. I'm also in the field of working with children and youth, and it's never been a problem. Then again, I don't wear suits to job interviews in this field, so what do I know.

 

[molnizzle]

Only get tattoos in areas that can be covered by dress clothes.

My general rule of thumb is to ensure any tattoo you have isn't visible over a suit.

Yep.

 

[Fancolors]

I draw for a living, so no

 

[levious]

Yeah don't call this discrimination.

 

[Puck Beaverton]

Is it douchey I judge people with face tattoos?

 

[Stinkles]

Kicked out of a pool and told to put a giant bandaid over the dollar bill sized tattoo of the Scottish flag on my shoulder. Was also told to wear a shower cap in the same swimming pool, despite the fact that I am as bald as a dolphin.

Hyatt regency in Shinjuku. 90% of guests are westerners. I'd been swimming in that pool for ten years, unmolested. I left quietly to avoid a scene, but later kicked up a stink and complained to the front desk. They were mortified and said she was new.

 

[gaugebozo]

Why is this the case? Is it a classist issue? Or does the corporate world require a kind of sleek banality where everyone is dressed in navy, black and grey? Does this more simple and common costume allow for people to focus on attaining profit more easily?

3edgy5me

 

[Akuun]

Yes, tattoos have a lot of negative stigma associated with them, especially if they are on a highly visible area. They will hinder your chances of getting any job where people are expected to be professional, and especially any job that involves meeting with clients.

Arm tattoos are borderline, and might be okay as long as you can cover them. Tattoos in highly visible and uncoverable places will lock you out of a number of jobs. Face tattoos are career suicide for many careers.

As silly as it can be sometimes, looks do matter when looking for work. Some job interviewers will mentally nope out of a candidate as soon as they walk in the door if the candidate "looks wrong" to them, regardless of what "looks wrong" means. This can include ragged clothes, an unkempt look, rude mannerisms, and tattoos. It may not be fair to you, it may be discrimination, but that's how it currently works when looking for work. Getting tattoos in visible places will harm your chances of getting certain jobs. That's just the reality of it.

 

[Fudgepuppy]

I know that it's common to cover tattooes for certain white collar jobs, but I'm probably never going to be working in finance or banking. If I could get my dream job, I would be a cinematographer, director of photography, director or radio host.

Currently I work for an outsourcing company, handling customer support over email, and internal helpdesk support over chat. I recently almost got a promotion to become a team manager (top three), whereas the client liked me the most, and I went to that interview wearing a The Police t-shirt and black jeans shorts. I can also tell you that none of the people interviewing me, dressed or dress up any nicer.

So I don't think any of the industries I'll be working in will hold a tattoo against me. I haven't worked at any place so far with a dress code (and I used to be an administrator for social security in Sweden), as well have I never went to a job interview not wearing at least a suit jacket or blazer (excluding the internal job interviews).

And sorry for the wording with using 'discriminate'.

 

[LinkAndEpona]

Even now it's not a good idea to have visible tattoos for white collar jobs.

Back and face tattoos will probably always be considered a high taboo.

 

[rocketskates]

I'm covered. Probably close to a 100, full sleeves and chest etc but if I wear long sleeves and pants/suit you wouldn't know.

Depends on the job as to whether or not I aim to keep a professional appearance. Some jobs have a policy that requires me to wear long sleeves even in the summer. I was fully aware of all this when making the decision to get tattoos so I have no problem following their rules, as I'm getting paid. However outside of work, I don't give a fuck.

 

[ebullientprism]

I think discrimination is too serious a word to use here.

How? It is literally the correct word to describe what will happen.

 

[Flying Toaster]

Kicked out of a pool and told to put a giant bandaid over the dollar bill sized tattoo of the Scottish flag on my shoulder. Was also told to wear a shower cap in the same swimming pool, despite the fact that I am as bald as a dolphin.

Hyatt regency in Shinjuku. 90% of guests are westerners. I'd been swimming in that pool for ten years, unmolested. I left quietly to avoid a scene, but later kicked up a stink and complained to the front desk. They were mortified and said she was new.

Japan is crazy. Nintendo was not happy seeing a tattoo on my arm and our coworker has them head to toe and never goes to bath houses because of it. Out of respect I always have a suit and tie on and the time they saw it was after dropping off papers to my hotel and I had my shirt rolled up.

 

[Wafflecakes]

As others have said, it depends on the job. I doubt a person would be able to get a job at the school where I work if they had a full sleeve tattoo.

Maybe it's not the way it should be, but it is the way it is.

 

[Imperfected]

I'll discriminate against you for having tattoos if they aren't really cool or funny.

And let me tell you: getting a tattoo that stays cool or funny forever? Not easy.

 

[ebullientprism]

Kicked out of a pool and told to put a giant bandaid over the dollar bill sized tattoo of the Scottish flag on my shoulder. Was also told to wear a shower cap in the same swimming pool, despite the fact that I am as bald as a dolphin.

Hyatt regency in Shinjuku. 90% of guests are westerners. I'd been swimming in that pool for ten years, unmolested. I left quietly to avoid a scene, but later kicked up a stink and complained to the front desk. They were mortified and said she was new.

Between the baldness and the scottish flag looking similar to the confederate flag to a lot of people, they probably thought you were a skinhead.

 

[Barrel Cannon]

I don't have one but will eventually. It's dependent on your field for sure. There are tons of jobs where having tattoos could even be beneficial.

 

[Wafflecakes]

How? It is literally the correct word to describe what will happen.

You are right.

However, I think most people associate discrimination with things you have no control over such as race or nationality... rather than a tattoo which is a choice.

 

[siddx]

I have a bunch of tattoos, including a full sleeve. In my current job (elementary teacher) my boss when I was hires said I'd have to cover it but after seeing my coworkers showing their tattoos I stopped hiding it a few months in and have never heard a single word about it. While I was hiding it I wore long sleeve button up a and never had a problem with heat or comfort. It's not hard to hide.
Outside of work, who gives a shit what anyone else thinks. You get tattoos for you, and anyone who is a shitty enough human being to judge you negatively because of tattoos is not someone worth caring about anyway.

 

[C.Mongler]

If you're going to work some boring ass, suit-and-tie 24/7 corporate gig, yeah, they'll probably care.

If you're going to work somewhere even remotely down-to-earth and/or with younger/new-age staff, they probably won't care.

Mostly just depends on what your career aspirations are IMO.

 

[Flying Toaster]

I don't have one but will eventually. It's dependent on your field for sure. There are tons of jobs where having tattoos could even be beneficial.

Such as? Biker? Bouncer? Drug mule?

Jokes aside I have never been in a situation that showing a tattoo was OK. I guess different fields look at them differently.