Why the **** are tattoo's looked down on in the professional world?

Does anyone else ever wonder this?

I am a fully mature 22 year old guy hoping to go into the Aerospace sector. I am hardworking, honest and reliable and know my stuff arguably better than some of my fellow students (that's not a brag at all - i'm just making my point).

As with everyone, i appreciate art and am creative and has always wanted a forearm tattoo, that i have spent so far three years designing (and have been thinking of designs for over 5 years).

However, i am constantly warned about how this will affect my professional career, as the forearm is not so easily covered. I am also always being told about how (insert some completely bull**** made up statistic) of people come to regret their tattoo's when there older and it shows an irresponsible and 'wreckless' person. This makes me feel absolutely sick and annoyed, and, even though i'm not saying i will regret parts of my design 45 years down the line, but i really don't give a **** what boring bastards think i'm not afraid to express my personality.

Does this not bother absolutely anyone else?

TL;DR: been designing a tattoo for 3 years, but warned it will affect my professional career, want to know why on earth non-offensive tattoo's are not allowed in many professional careers, bearing in mind i commit almost all my time to my education and career. :angry:

Reply 1

LemonGingerTea

7

Employers want to know what you are most committed to, them or the tattoo. It's a kind of test.

I'm afraid the world of work is conformist. Employers don't want alternative types. They want people that will fit into the ethos of their firm.

Reply 2

Get_Lucky_606

9

It's quite understandable IMO and it's the way it's always been in a professional environment, sadly not everyone thinks tattoos are as cool as you and sometimes people who don't have them can be quite judgemental. Tbh, I have a very small tattoo on my shoulder but if I was going for brain surgery and the doctor turned out to have full sleeve tattoos I think I would feel slightly less comfortable :tongue:

Reply 3

Gillybop

14

I've got a full sleeve right down to the beginning of the palm of my hand, and starting a second. I got it travelling, fully in belief that I wouldn't ever be in an a customer facing environment.

After I came back, one thing lead to another, and from a call centre job, worked my way into wealth management, where i was meeting clients etc, but I never wore anything other than long sleeved shirts anyway, and wear a watch, so in 5-6 years it was only really spotted a couple of times by clients, and the ones that did had tattoos themselves. My manager never even seen it for about 2 years.

However, had I turned up to the interview with it showing out of my shirt sleeve, I would never have gotten the job. The stigma around tattoos comes from a different generation who believe its only prisoners that get them, and its usually someone a couple of generations older than you doing the interviewing, or managing you etc

And the ones from our generation that have an abject hate of them have listened to their parents too much 'tattoos are for idiots' 'if you get a tattoo you will never get a job' and so on.......

My favourite one is the 'it will look terrible when you are old' I usually say, well so will you, ill just have tattoos.

Reply 4

inthedark1

19

because they want clones who follow rules and regulations, they assume there is stigma attached to tattoos.

Reply 5

inthedark1

19

Original post by Gillybop

My favourite one is the 'it will look terrible when you are old' I usually say, well so will you, ill just have tattoos.

I dont have any tattoos but when people say that I just think why does it matter, my skin and body will probably look terrible along with it.

Reply 6

roh

17

Original post by physicso

Does anyone else ever wonder this?

I am a fully mature 22 year old guy hoping to go into the Aerospace sector. I am hardworking, honest and reliable and know my stuff arguably better than some of my fellow students (that's not a brag at all - i'm just making my point).

As with everyone, i appreciate art and am creative and has always wanted a forearm tattoo, that i have spent so far three years designing (and have been thinking of designs for over 5 years).

However, i am constantly warned about how this will affect my professional career, as the forearm is not so easily covered. I am also always being told about how (insert some completely bull**** made up statistic) of people come to regret their tattoo's when there older and it shows an irresponsible and 'wreckless' person. This makes me feel absolutely sick and annoyed, and, even though i'm not saying i will regret parts of my design 45 years down the line, but i really don't give a **** what boring bastards think i'm not afraid to express my personality.

Does this not bother absolutely anyone else?

TL;DR: been designing a tattoo for 3 years, but warned it will affect my professional career, want to know why on earth non-offensive tattoo's are not allowed in many professional careers, bearing in mind i commit almost all my time to my education and career. :angry:

Clients might not like it, if they don't choose your pitch for the job because of a tattoo then that costs the company money, so they don't like employees with visible tattoos.

I'm sure there are exceptions, Olympic rings and the like.

Reply 7

User995789

14

I have nothing against art or tattoos and personally I think some tattoos look cool,
but the idea of putting it onto my body with a needle pouring ink all over my smoldering flesh just turns me off.

Why would you want permanent ink scraped into your skin? I mean you can't take it off like an earning.

The cooperate world is filled with many stereotypes, as long as the person is good for the job then so be it, but like I said, the idea of putting it onto my body with a needle pouring ink all over my smoldering flesh just turns me off.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 8

Ry_p94

12

I don't really have an opinion on tattoo's, I've never particularly wanted one but I don't hate them on other people or anything. You can spend your time arguing about why employers in certain professions dislike them or you can simply accept it and just get a more subtle tattoo that wouldn't be visible at work. Maybe after a few years when you are secure in your job you can opt for a larger one?