https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 12 Apr 2026 00:45:05 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tattoos-and-professionalism/page/2#post-1915343 Sat, 25 Oct 2014 00:39:40 +0000 Boheme 1915343@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs.Panda: Yes! I work in the ER, and it's strange NOT to have a tattoo there... We're a different crowd ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tattoos-and-professionalism/page/2#post-1915336 Sat, 25 Oct 2014 00:22:41 +0000 Arden 1915336@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have zero issue with tattoos in a professional environment or anywhere else. I don't think a tattoo speaks to the person's character or professionalism, just to their artistic leanings and personality.<br /> I don't have any, but I don't mind them at all on other people. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tattoos-and-professionalism/page/2#post-1915332 Sat, 25 Oct 2014 00:16:37 +0000 Mrs.Panda 1915332@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>As a nurse, a lot of people have tattoos in my work place. It really fluctuates depending on the department, too. ER is generally covered in them! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tattoos-and-professionalism/page/2#post-1915038 Fri, 24 Oct 2014 16:48:50 +0000 MrsKMM 1915038@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have a moderate sized tattoo on the top of my foot (&amp; one on my hip, obviously hidden). My foot tattoo says "dream" &amp; is surrounded by stars. I cover it for interviews and when I think it might not be acceptable. My work has a no visible tattoo policy, but I've talked to my superiors about it and they don't mind it. I do cover it about 95% of the time anyway. It's not offensive, derogatory, etc. And I'd like to think I'm a fantastic employee (my reviews speak for themselves). &amp; I work with children &amp; families. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tattoos-and-professionalism/page/2#post-1915026 Fri, 24 Oct 2014 16:27:58 +0000 Boheme 1915026@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Ra: Completely agree. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tattoos-and-professionalism/page/2#post-1914931 Fri, 24 Oct 2014 15:10:42 +0000 mrs. tictactoe 1914931@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: I agree with you. I think, as a society, we need to get over it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tattoos-and-professionalism/page/2#post-1914862 Fri, 24 Oct 2014 14:16:48 +0000 Mrs. J 1914862@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsTiz: oh my goodness!</p> <p>ETA: I don't think I answered the question at any point. They don't bother me. I wouldn't get one, mostly because there is nothing I'd want permanently on my body, at least at this point in my life. I would agree that the placement and content of said tattoos can be unprofessional (eg. tramp stamps etc). I don't think that people who have them are any less capable of doing their jobs. I think in terms of covering them, you need to know your audience. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tattoos-and-professionalism/page/2#post-1914849 Fri, 24 Oct 2014 14:12:36 +0000 Mrs. J 1914849@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrs. bird: True. However, in the 3 I've attended and the one I've worked at, I would say it's a been positive and progressive experience. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tattoos-and-professionalism/page/2#post-1914843 Fri, 24 Oct 2014 14:08:54 +0000 mrs. bird 1914843@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. J: I'm sure you're school is lovely, I don't doubt that there are some more progressive catholic schools, but on the whole, they're not known for embracing nonconformity. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tattoos-and-professionalism/page/2#post-1914841 Fri, 24 Oct 2014 14:07:42 +0000 .twist. 1914841@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsTiz: HILARIOUS. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tattoos-and-professionalism/page/2#post-1914807 Fri, 24 Oct 2014 13:40:59 +0000 MrsTiz 1914807@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@.twist.: @Mae: kitchen magician is someone who gives tattoos sitting at their kitchen table, couch, garage, etc. </p> <p>Usually looks like this,<br /> [attach=2456/14/ndyp8b.600x448.nick2.jpg]</p> <p>and you get beautiful artwork like this:<br /> [attach=2456/14/ndyp8n.240x160.download.jpg]</p> <p>&amp; trust me, this happens SO often. Maybe because I live in an area where there is lot of poverty I see more tattoos like this than professional ones! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tattoos-and-professionalism/page/2#post-1914721 Fri, 24 Oct 2014 12:47:22 +0000 Rainbow Sprinkles 1914721@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>They don't bother me in the slightest. At my husband's place of work, they make employees cover their tattoos. There is a guy who wears a big neon armband around his forearm to cover his up....I think it looks way more tacky and unprofessional than a tattoo showing! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tattoos-and-professionalism/page/2#post-1914689 Fri, 24 Oct 2014 12:25:23 +0000 .twist. 1914689@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: haha while I was young and stupid once, I still went to professionals to get my tats. I would never get anything done "from a friend" "at a party" lol. I know too many people who have and it always has turned out terribly. I had one friend who was at a party and got, for realz, blue lines scratchily drawn down his arm. ALL OVER his arm. with little asterisk stars in between. hilarious. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tattoos-and-professionalism/page/2#post-1914685 Fri, 24 Oct 2014 12:19:49 +0000 lawbee11 1914685@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mae: I think they are a problem because they are distracting as other PP have mentioned. It's the same reason I doubt my employer would be cool with me coming to work with hot pink hair or in a bathing suit. When you have a job where you're dealing with clients, patients, students, etc. they are distracting. I don't think all tattoos are distracting, and a lot of this depends on placement, but I do think if the teacher in the pic that @blackbird posted went to school in a low-cut, short-sleeve shirt that her tattoos would be distracting to her students. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tattoos-and-professionalism/page/2#post-1914684 Fri, 24 Oct 2014 12:19:04 +0000 Mae 1914684@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Ra: I agree :) I am probably also biased because most of my loved ones have many (and visible) tattoos. But I just have a hard time seeing them as anything negative unless the content displays something I find offensive (i.e. racist or something). </p> <p>@MrsTiz: lol what is a kitchen magician? OH you mean badly done tattoos? Yea I guess I just assume those were done when you were young and stupid. But who wasn't young and stupid once? :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tattoos-and-professionalism/page/2#post-1914670 Fri, 24 Oct 2014 12:11:52 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 1914670@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@.twist.: I went in the weeds there a bit. Didn't I? My real point is that regardless of the tattoo, if it's visible, it's distracting at worse and at best it's a conversation starter. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tattoos-and-professionalism/page/2#post-1914664 Fri, 24 Oct 2014 12:09:32 +0000 macintosh 1914664@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would say they placement and content would be factors in my opinion. I have 4 tattoos myself and I have carefully considered their placement so that I wouldn't have trouble covering up in a professional environment.</p> <p>When I worked for a major hotel chain with a conservative dress code, my tattoos were always covered. I would have thought twice about hiring anyone with neck or facial tattoos.</p> <p>Now that I work for a consulting company with a relaxed dress code, I would dress according to the situation. I have no problem going into my office in short sleeves in the summer, because the people there know me. If I was meeting a new client or going to visit a school, I would make sure my arms were covered. I don't agree with it, but some people judge those with tattoos.</p> <p>It's an unfortunate situation in our society, but it's also the reason why I cut off my dreadlocks in my senior year of college. I knew I'd have a hard time finding work. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tattoos-and-professionalism/page/2#post-1914659 Fri, 24 Oct 2014 12:07:49 +0000 .twist. 1914659@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsTiz: KITCHEN MAGICIAN. I'm dying over here. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tattoos-and-professionalism/page/2#post-1914654 Fri, 24 Oct 2014 12:06:16 +0000 MrsTiz 1914654@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't think they're unprofessional! I am not a fan of facial piercings other than maybe a small nose stud. </p> <p>My tattoo qualifications for what is acceptable in any work environment or not are if they're on your neck, face or hands and the quality of the tattoo. If they're nicely done on your arm I would not think anything about it. If you've got a kitchen magician's sleeve, I tend to think less about those tattoos &amp; their owners if we're being honest. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tattoos-and-professionalism/page/2#post-1914623 Fri, 24 Oct 2014 11:47:57 +0000 .twist. 1914623@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: Well, sorry that your friend feels that way. I think if we're speaking generally, which we usually are on HB, my point still stands. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tattoos-and-professionalism/page/2#post-1914612 Fri, 24 Oct 2014 11:32:40 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 1914612@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@.twist.: one of my close friends is Jewish and swears everyone else is anti-Semitic unless he knows them personally (like me). So, for him to see someone so proudly advertising their religious beliefs would give him major pause. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tattoos-and-professionalism/page/2#post-1914587 Fri, 24 Oct 2014 11:22:17 +0000 Ra 1914587@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My husband has a sleeve (plus several other tattoos) and he hold an upper management position at a softwear/web design company. He doesn't hide them at work, either. I've worked with amazing teachers with sleeves and chest/back tattoos. I've also had many nurses that have been heavily tattooed.</p> <p>I think it's sad that people are equating artistic expression with poor judgment and jeans with cigarette burns in them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tattoos-and-professionalism/page/2#post-1914565 Fri, 24 Oct 2014 11:14:03 +0000 Mrs. J 1914565@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrs. bird: I work at a Catholic school, where our art teacher has a visible tattoo. There have been no issues. Also, I went to a Catholic school, where my senior HR teacher had an ankle tattoo. She was never told to cover it up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tattoos-and-professionalism/page/2#post-1914563 Fri, 24 Oct 2014 11:11:06 +0000 looch 1914563@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@.twist.: well, you've never seen the episode of the original 90210 when the girls are rushing a sorority, and Andrea wears a Star of David necklace. :silly:</p> <p>I mean no disrespect, but in this day and age, you never know what nerve you're going to hit. I do think things have gotten a lot more open than they were, say, 50 years ago. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tattoos-and-professionalism/page/2#post-1914562 Fri, 24 Oct 2014 11:10:36 +0000 .twist. 1914562@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@youboots: I tend to agree. Being of a certain race or being gay are not choices you get to make. Putting permanent ink all of your skin? That is your choice (because it can't be done until you're of a legal age to know better) and you need to deal with the consequences of your own decisions. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tattoos-and-professionalism/page/2#post-1914559 Fri, 24 Oct 2014 11:07:23 +0000 .twist. 1914559@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: I'm not sure anyone would think twice about someone wearing a visible gold christian cross. :P </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tattoos-and-professionalism/page/2#post-1914558 Fri, 24 Oct 2014 11:07:12 +0000 Mae 1914558@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: @.twist.: that's another content question. That's like handing in a resume that says I've killed two people or want you to think I have. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tattoos-and-professionalism/page/2#post-1914557 Fri, 24 Oct 2014 11:07:03 +0000 youboots 1914557@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@jojogirl I disagree for one small reason, who you are (race, orientation) and who you love is not a choice. </p> <p>Paying someone to dye your skin with ink is a choice. I do think it will become more acceptable over time, but I see it more as permenant fashion than fundamentally who a person is.</p> <p>For what it's worth, living in Portland makes me a little cynical about it. People try desprately to be different and just end up looking like eachother. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tattoos-and-professionalism/page/2#post-1914551 Fri, 24 Oct 2014 11:02:01 +0000 .twist. 1914551@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: haha yes, but I'm just being silly. lol </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/tattoos-and-professionalism/page/2#post-1914550 Fri, 24 Oct 2014 11:01:27 +0000 looch 1914550@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@.twist.: regarding the tear drops, that would give me pause as well, because aren't those typically used by folks that have served time behind bars? </p>