<p>My daughter has a small angel on her shoulder and it was exposed in her wedding dress. I don’t think anyone ran from the church in horror. Her clerical garb certainly covers it as far as work goes.</p>
<p>I have seen plenty of lawyers and CPAs with tattoos at running and cycling events, but most of them are men and business clothes cover the tattoos. It just isn’t an issue. When summer rolls around, my ankle tattoo will be visible when I wear skirts or dresses. I don’t feel the need to hide it at work. </p>
<p>When I got my tattoos, I was at a job that I never expected to leave and all my quirks were known and accepted. Tattoos didn’t alarm people as much as the fact that I ran 26 miles on a fairly regular basis! I DID leave that job for a better one, and I didn’t flaunt the tattoos for awhile nor did I flaunt other things about my personal life.</p>
<p>I would never hire a smoker. If one slipped through, I would do everything I could to get rid of him or her. Like I said, we all have our “things”.</p>
<p>If business clothes cover the tattoos, how do you know it isn’t an issue, or potentially one, with clients? I don’t see CPAs or attorneys at running events; I’m commenting on their work attire. In my locale, and at state-wide continuing ed events, I don’t see them. Not saying they are not there; but not visibly.</p>
<p>Romani–good luck with finding a wedding dress that covers all your shoulders and back! Those styles seem to be currently few and far between.</p>
<p>I have worked in many jobs where my tattoos were visible in short sleeves or skirts. I don’t work at a law firm so my clients are all internal. They can’t fire me, for the most part. A number of times when people at the company saw my tattoos, they showed me theirs! Mine is very unique, colorful and beautiful, and I get a lot of positive comments. I’m sure there are people who hate it, but I haven’t heard from them yet. My sister and brother in law (both professionals) got tattoos at age 49 (her) and 54 (him). </p>
<p>I really don’t understand why this is such a big deal, especially for adults who probably aren’t going to regret it. I think boob jobs are stupid. Tattoos are a lot safer than boob jobs!</p>
<p>I already have some friends who have offered to make my dress (one of the perks of having a lot of art friends). If not, I plan on using my debutante dress and altering that. Luckily, I want a very, very simple dress and have no interest in any of those poofy typical dresses. </p>
<p>But, as I said, if all else fails I don’t really care if I get judged for my tattoo. It is even one that my parents like and anyone who knows me well knows why I am getting it. I will not regret it because, again, it is something very personal to me.</p>
<p>I find it pretty amusing when I see this word used. I suppose my general experience with the word is silly teens throwing it around trying to flaunt individuality, and I’m sure that many people who get tattooed are doing something to that effect. (Either that, or I see older individuals using the word to try to dissuade us young 'uns from doing something they find distasteful by trying to convince us that it is “lame.”) That doesn’t change the fact that people have a variety of different reasons for modifying their bodies, one of which could very well be to conform to some sort of image. I will say that a couple of my (very immature) young adult friends who have tattoos have gotten them primarily because they could and secondly because they liked the attention they received for showing them off afterward. On the other hand, I know many people who have tattoos that were well-researched, deeply meaningful, and that they don’t make any particular effort to talk about or to show off, because they got tatted for personal and, in my opinion, better reasons. </p>
<p>I am pretty shocked at how vehement the opposition to body modification is on this forum. I suppose it’s good to know that there are people who see me and think that I am stupid and shortsighted, but if they choose not to get to know me on those grounds, that is their loss, not mine. Other than that, I am pragmatic enough not to wear my piercings to interviews or work (other than for my current job), so I generally don’t see the harm.</p>
<p>musica, I’m allergic to smoke. I can smell a smoker from a mile away with my GC/MS nose. Smoke free environment does not mean that they will not reek of tobacco. It jsut means they do not smoke on premises, but the stench will still be there. Unlike a small shoulder tattoo, it cannot be easily hidden.</p>
<p>Must admit, tobacco smoke & other lung irritants (including scent) can really have a bad health effect on MANY people, especially the medically fragile. The person emitting the scent pftem can’t even tell but it can trigger serious allergic & other reactions. I am very glad that some places are going “scent free.”</p>
<p>Sorry to have strayed from the topic, but it seems that folks are pretty clear where they stand on the issue and most seem pretty content with their stance.</p>
Well, just how stupid and short-sighted we will think you are depends on the specifics of your tattoo or piercing. If it’s a little kitty-cat on your shoulder, it’s one thing, but if it’s a snake on your face, it’s something else.</p>
<p>I think lines are blurring here. The Op has a serious, specific reason for health concern for tatts. Visible tatts, or hidden? Rights of individual to choose tattoos? Rights of those that don’t like them? And of course, should having tattoos make a difference in hiring?
Study after study shows smokers cost a company more money. Valid point.
With tatts, it’s a different angle. This thread has proven having tatts can be detrimental- fairly or not. The question for jobs then becomes- is the tatt so valuable to me, right now, that I’ll take the job risk? Some say yes, some do not.</p>
<p>I caused a stink (ha ha) when my H hosted his office Christmas party at our house, and someone went into my garage, opened the garage door, stood next to my car and started to smoke. Nope, sorry. You’re not smoking on my property. I, too, am allergic to it and I can smell it even if I’m in a car and someone in the car in front of me is smoking.</p>
<p>My comment about smokers is actually quite on-topic. Whether or not I can smell the smoke (which I usually can) or whether they don’t smoke within 100 yeards of the office, if someone smokes it tells me something about them that I don’t like. The same way many of you feel about tattoos…</p>
<p>Amazing! Mowc and I largely agree! Often we disagree. I think we both feel tattoos can negatively affect employment, but that generally they shouldn’t do so. In a more perfect world, people wouldn’t make quick judgments about a person based on hair color, height, style of dress, weight, tattoos, physical beauty, or other aspects not covered by law. Right now, we aren’t in that world.
And I agree about the smoking- in that someone else’s tatt doesn’t affect my health, but someone else’s smoking can.</p>
<p>Though I do tend to sneeze around cigarette smoke, I suppose my schnoz is not as sensitive as other CCers. I guess I just am not adept at sniffing out the sins and personal foibles of others. I must have spent too much time in smokey night clubs in my miss spent youth. I just can’t see being vindictive enough about tatoos or any other personal habits that don’t affect me enough to ruin someone’s livelihood. (this is assuming a smoke free environment)</p>
<p>If someone is a smoker, it tells me that they don’t value their health and that they lack determination and willpower. Not what I want in an employee.</p>
<p>I agree completely. And if someone has a visible tattoo it tells me they make foolish choices, are given to fads, and don’t think about long-term consequences. Also not what I want in an employee.</p>
<p>You are right that many feel the same way about tattoos that you do about smokers. It’s a visceral negative reaction that has a logical or common sense basis but probably goes deeper than that.</p>
<p>coureur- I hear you. However, I think many adults who get tattoos don’t really fit that mold. Maybe I am justifying my own actions (not that I feel I need to), but most of the people I know really planned the tattoo(s), thought carefully about the placement and chose something meaningful to them. I’m not seeing much of the “drunken Saturday night” tattoos in my age group and I don’t think many of these people are particularly faddish. I know I’m not.</p>
<p>“Programmable tatoos” – hmm – I think tatoos that stay on until they are washed off will be the big money maker…why can’t those who decorate themselves with such revolting things make them temporary?</p>