Quote from: wantingaduc on June 11, 2009, 12:11:27 PM
I have a question for everyone else out here who has ink

I’m thinking of getting another tattoo. All of the ones I currently have are easily covered by normal daily clothing. But I have an idea for something small that would go really well on my inner wrist. I spoke to my artist and he said he’ll do it but was very specific about telling me to think carefully about it as it is one place that can never really be hidden.

I have no problem with it, nor do I think it’ll present a problem in my field of work, but there is still some stigma to having them, especially on such a conspicuous place. I went so far as to have him stencil it for me and wore the stenciled version for about a week. I didn’t get any bad feedback from my co workers, but I wasn’t out showing it off to everyone I could find.

Is there anyone else who has ink there and what has been the general reaction to it, and have you regretted getting it there at all? What would your initial reaction to someone with one there be in general?

Thanks for the feedback and potentially helping me make my decision.

jimi

I have a tattoo on the inside of my left wrist. Two lines of roman numerals. I have had no problem with it at any of my jobs, or interviews. It actually seems to be something people like to talk about. They ask what it is and then I tell them (each line is one of my brother's birth dates), and it usually makes people understand it a little more...I guess it would depend on what you are planning on getting.

I actually feel like it is pretty easily hidden though...long sleeves or a watch cover it no problem if I do worry about it. But again, that depends on how big you're going.

Honestly, I'd say go for it.

Quote from: wantingaduc on June 11, 2009, 12:11:27 PM
I have a question for everyone else out here who has ink

I’m thinking of getting another tattoo. All of the ones I currently have are easily covered by normal daily clothing. But I have an idea for something small that would go really well on my inner wrist. I spoke to my artist and he said he’ll do it but was very specific about telling me to think carefully about it as it is one place that can never really be hidden.

I have no problem with it, nor do I think it’ll present a problem in my field of work, but there is still some stigma to having them, especially on such a conspicuous place. I went so far as to have him stencil it for me and wore the stenciled version for about a week. I didn’t get any bad feedback from my co workers, but I wasn’t out showing it off to everyone I could find.

Is there anyone else who has ink there and what has been the general reaction to it, and have you regretted getting it there at all? What would your initial reaction to someone with one there be in general?

Thanks for the feedback and potentially helping me make my decision.

jimi

I don't have any ink, but I do have a large number of people who work for me, and for the record, your appearance is judged. This includes tattoos. I wouldn't get it anywhere visible.

i decided a long time ago
that i'm WaY to fickle for any tattoo...

...but that spiderman one is really cool!

(not for me of course)

Your avatar would make a nice one, 'tini. . .

+1

The tat I’m considering is very motorcycle specific, colorful and simple, and not too large, probably about 3 inches long. Still it would be larger then could be hidden by a watch, plus it would be on my right wrist. My artist (who does have both his wrists inked) was VERY specific that he considers anything on your wrists as not something that can be hidden. He mentioned that with a long sleeve dress shirt it would still be exposed when you went to shake hands with someone. He also pointed out that quite a few HR managers are female and that they, in general, have a more “opinions” about tats.

I’m a manager in the automotive field so work shouldn’t be a problem but I still keep the stigma in the back of my mind. I really like the tat and the placement is perfect in my mind I just hate the fact that I’m waffling due to what other people might think. A big part of me says, F*2k’em if they don’t like it, but… it’s still something people have strong opinions about.

Mr. Inc, if you don’t mind me asking you, what field are you in and are you responsible for hiring? If so, are your impressions of a potential employee influenced by the tattoos in general or by what they are of? If you were to have me sitting across your desk at an interview would it be something you would bring up when you noticed it? I’m just trying to gauge the impression it would make on someone who’s impression of me mattered to me.

in a similar vein, i want a full sleeve but its not going to happen, because i may need to change jobs or do this or that in the future, and I don't need to be screwed because of it.

a friend suggested "socks" instead of sleeves. that's just ridiculous.

Quote from: ato memphis on June 12, 2009, 06:07:10 AM
a friend suggested "socks" instead of sleeves. that's just ridiculous.

that's GOTTA hurt...

I went through a similar process before I started my full sleeve and this is what I ultimately decided:
   If I go to someone for a job and they judge me on my ink and not on the quality of work I do, then they aren't someone I want to work for. Plain and simple, no matter how much they want to pay me or how badly I want the job.  Now while this may come back to bite me some day, I'm sticking to it.  To me it shows they are close minded.  I'm not quite 30 and I feel that as people my age start make up a bulk of the work force tattoos are going to become an after thought.  Now depending on where you live in the country opinions in general my differ. I feel that people need to get over the negative stereotypes that associated with tattoos. Why not become another person that can help do that? IMHO if you can't get by the fact someone has ink then you are living in the stone ages.

One thing to think about is, if the tattoo is rather small and things in your life change down the road you can always get rid of it. It's gonna hurt, a lot, but it won't be there any more.

I say go for it.

Quote from: wantingaduc on June 12, 2009, 05:59:06 AM
I just hate the fact that I’m waffling due to what other people might think. A big part of me says, F*2k’em if they don’t like it, but… it’s still something people have strong opinions about.

Mr. Inc, if you don’t mind me asking you, what field are you in and are you responsible for hiring? If so, are your impressions of a potential employee influenced by the tattoos in general or by what they are of? If you were to have me sitting across your desk at an interview would it be something you would bring up when you noticed it? I’m just trying to gauge the impression it would make on someone who’s impression of me mattered to me.

I work in aerospace-we build satellites. Sirius, XM, Direct TV etc-all us. I supervise the build, AKA I have a team of technicians who do work per instructions-these are guys without degrees, just a good set of computer skills, can read a drawing, and follow out a well laid procedure. They get paid a lot, and they should-the average cost is around 200 million to get one of these up there. I don't hire them, I do interview them though, and occasionally, I have them fired.

Let's run down a few issues I would see here.

We work with the customers, closely. We have a full time customer rep (sometimes two), who do nothing more than watch us build the thing. If you work for me, you WILL look professional. AKA, shave your face, cut your hair, and leave the piercings at home. We do our best to give the customers nothing to question (delays run around $4000/hr). Having the guys look clean and neat is an easy one.

Social norms-see your own post You're concerned with what other people might think, then coming to the conclusion of "make the beast with two backs 'em if they don't like it". That doesn't scream top employee to me. No, I don't like it-most people don't, this is not news. The fact that one would go and do it anyway basically screams to me "I don't want a job". It's the classic "dress for success" thing. You need to look and act professional if you want to be taken seriously.

I don't care if the quality of your work matters more-I haven't seen your work yet. I'm seeing you, and one of the first things I'm seeing is, you don't care what people think of you're appearance. Like it or not, it's not accepted yet. If you want to be part of bringing it about, that's fine with me, but be aware you will be judged on it.

Which doctor do you want checking your health? Appearance matters.

+1. Appearance matters for various jobs. Do you want a tatted up lawyer representing you in a divorce proceeding / child custody battle?

Mr. Inc,

First off thanks for replying to me. Your the opposite side of the fence in this for me and I'd like to bounce a few things off you if you don't mind.

Social norms-see your own post You're concerned with what other people might think, then coming to the conclusion of "make the beast with two backs 'em if they don't like it". That doesn't scream top employee to me.
Your right here but the tattoo I'm thinking of isn't large or offensive.

No, I don't like it-most people don't, this is not news. The fact that one would go and do it anyway basically screams to me "I don't want a job". It's the classic "dress for success" thing. You need to look and act professional if you want to be taken seriously.
The situation I'm talking about would be more where I was professionally dressed, in a proper corporate interview environment. My shirt and suit would cover most of the tattoo but I know that at some point in time during the interview you might, you will see it. I'm wondering if your view of an otherwise worthy Candidate would change in this case.

I don't care if the quality of your work matters more-I haven't seen your work yet. I'm seeing you, and one of the first things I'm seeing is, you don't care what people think of you're appearance. Like it or not, it's not accepted yet. If you want to be part of bringing it about, that's fine with me, but be aware you will be judged on it.
Again it's not something that I would throw in the face of an interviewer but I'm aware that they will see it. Do you think that if I presented myself in an otherwise professional manner the sight of the tattoo would change that impression?

Which doctor do you want checking your health? Appearance matters.
Agreed, but I'm not talking about that drastic a difference in my appearance. 

Quote from: MrIncredible on June 12, 2009, 01:26:28 PM


I don't care if the quality of your work matters more-I haven't seen your work yet. I'm seeing you, and one of the first things I'm seeing is, you don't care what people think of you're appearance. Like it or not, it's not accepted yet. If you want to be part of bringing it about, that's fine with me, but be aware you will be judged on it.

Right there...  that is all that needs to be said. 

I usually don't care or give a crap on whats said in alot of these threads.  But the above statement is wisdom.   

Not that I agree with everything you say in other threads.

I will agree that people will judge you to some extent. I find it rather sad that you all seem to associate tattoos with the negative. Just because someone has ink that's poking through doesn't mean the aren't/don't want to be successful/professional.  Nothing I say is going to change that, but I'll leave a cut and paste from wiki below for everyone to think about. To each is own I guess.
   
A prejudice is an implicitly held belief, often about a group of people. Race, economic class, gender or sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age and religion are other common subjects of prejudice. It can be used to characterize beliefs about other things as well, including "any unreasonable attitude that is unusually resistant to rational influence."