tattoo and Workplace

dachinababe
dachinababe Posts: 185
edited September 20 in Chit-Chat
So I have been thinking of getting a tattoo for me and my sisters. I designed the tattoo myself and decided to get it on my forearm because they are like my arm, cause i can't live without them. However the issue is I am going to law school in the future to become a lawyer. I'm a bit concerned about getting this tat now bc I don't want it to get in the way of my career.
Just curious what you guys think of it? should I be concerned?
ps. I do want to know what you guys think but I will be getting this tattoo bc it means too much to me.
Thanks all:smile:


PPS. The tattoo is a tribal tiger claw with purple scratch marks and three sisters ring (with each of our astro signs in the cicle)as the palm.

Replies

  • ♥seoid♥
    ♥seoid♥ Posts: 476
    Yes you should be. We have our tattoos at work covered & it sucks!!!
  • omid990
    omid990 Posts: 785 Member
    it will most likely have to be covered.
    is there anywhere else you can get it so that it's easier to cover up?
  • logiesmom
    logiesmom Posts: 142
    I have a tattoo on my wrist but it is small enough for me to cover with a watch if I need to. At my current job I am not required to cover it, but I am starting school in the fall for my RN and I am sure that once I obtain a job in healthcare I will be required to cover it. I guess it just depends on how big it is and if you will be able to cover it if required. Of course you could always get it on your leg or back. You can't live without those parts either. :wink: :tongue:
  • spacie
    spacie Posts: 82
    When I decided to get a tattoo my mum said I could only get it as long as it was somewhere that couldnt be seen on my wedding day, so I got it on my foot!

    My friend has one on the inside of her upper arm, so even when she is wearing vest tops, you can only see it when her arms are out.
  • 1harleygal
    1harleygal Posts: 226 Member
    :tongue: Absolutely get your tat but maybe think about putting it some where were it won't be seen alot like ankle, shoulder etc.. that is where I have mine plus one on my lower back. Love tats and will get 2 more before it is over to pay homage to my son and mom! I love them so much and want to honor them! :tongue:
  • TheMaidOfAstolat
    TheMaidOfAstolat Posts: 3,222 Member
    There are several products out there to cover them if need be. I have one on the back of my neck and it's highly visable when I have my hair pulled up. That's one of the reasons I have it there rather than else where on my body...if I don't want it seen all I have to do is let my hair down.
    Here's a link to some cover-ups
    http://www.tattoocamo.com/compare/compare1.html
    tattoocamo is a brand that my brother uses.
  • lawkat
    lawkat Posts: 538 Member
    If you are going to get it on the arm, you won't be able to go sleeveless at work. However, it does depend on what type of law firm you want to work out in. You certainly wouldn't want a client to see your tattoo. I have 2 tattoos and very few people know about them due to them always being hidden under clothes. There is still a huge stigma about people having tattoos as being trashy or low class. I don't get that, but in the legal profession, with some of the older partners, it might not go over well if it is visible for all to see.
  • LacyBryanna
    LacyBryanna Posts: 4
    I would def. consider finding another location for the tattoo. It would be terrible to have to wear long sleeve shirts all year long to cover it up. It might be a bigger deal than you think once you enter into the proffesional atmosphere. I would maybe speak with your proffesors if your still having doubts. Good Luck! What is the tattoo of?
  • jennylynn84
    jennylynn84 Posts: 659
    You'll probably have to cover it. Even though TONS of people have tattoos now, there's always going to be a company that will hate them and make you cover them. Especially in law, where there are quite a few old firms and experienced pros who are going to be old-fashioned.

    Is there someplace else you can get it?

    I'm looking into getting one myself (I need to find someplace that has nickel-free ink though, as I'm allergic), and I was going to do shoulder blade. I have a couple of friends with ankle tats that don't have many problems (when they wear pants to work).
  • Phoenix_Rising
    Phoenix_Rising Posts: 11,417 Member
    The law field is pretty conservative. So long as you don't mind wearing long sleeves, it won't be a problem to cover it.

    My tatt is on my shoulder blade. Very easily covered. There is a pic in my profile.
  • TnTHawkins
    TnTHawkins Posts: 285 Member
    I would find another location for the tattoo, expecially in a professional enviroment.
  • RedneckWmn
    RedneckWmn Posts: 3,202 Member
    I'm all for tats. But I agree with the others. Maybe think about putting it somewhere that is easier to cover up. If you do on upper arm that can be covered with everything except tank tops. I have one on my foot and my ankle. The one on the foot is hard to cover up. Depends how big the tat is. If it's small that can be covered with a braclet or something. Most places will require you to cover it up though. I don't know many that you are allowed to keep it showing.
  • CasperO
    CasperO Posts: 2,913 Member
    You gotta think hard about inking public skin. You really want to wear short sleeves your whole career?

    Someday a little ink will be like earrings, totally no big deal. But not yet - especially in a conservative field like law.
  • bbblue92
    bbblue92 Posts: 108 Member
    Wow, lots of responses! I am a legal assistant and work at a major law firm. I have some tattoos but they are in places that are covered by clothes. I do have a fairly decent sized one on 3/4 of my upper arm and most short sleeve shirts cover it up if only a bit peeking out at the bottom. Ones that are out in the open are not necessarily looked upon in a positive way in my office . . . it also depends on what area of law you are interested in I can guess can make a difference as well . . . think of job interviews, meetings with clients and if you wish to wear long sleeved garments to cover up at work. For me, I'm always hot so need to wear short sleeved shirts! Hope that helps???
  • gilsalliss
    gilsalliss Posts: 24
    I've got 10 tattoos and I also work in a solicitors! But they are mostly in places that are covered anyway. I have one on my arm which means I now have to wear sleeves all the time.

    The only one I dont worry so much about covering is on my foot because eyes aren't automatically drawn to your feet!
  • littlesuzieq
    littlesuzieq Posts: 103
    I have several tats and our workplace just changed their dress code policy so that they have to be covered whenever we have visitors/clients in the office. This applies whether or not you meet with them or present to them. I'm OK with that - I understand the stigma attached to them but there are several in my workplace that are NOT happy. Specifically the ones with tats in "public" areas (inner wrist, ankles, necklines, etc.). Mine are on my upper back/shoulder blade and lower right leg. I just wear slacks on our "business professional" days.
  • ♥seoid♥
    ♥seoid♥ Posts: 476
    I spent way too much money to have my tats covered and it frustrates me that they have that policy.
  • littlesuzieq
    littlesuzieq Posts: 103
    I spent way too much money to have my tats covered and it frustrates me that they have that policy.

    Me, too, but I'd rather cover them occasionally that get fired. :grumble:
  • Laceylala
    Laceylala Posts: 3,094 Member
    I have 8 tattoos...ankles, upper shoulders and one on my wrist. The one on my wrist is inside and is about 4" wide and 1.5" thick. Very colorful and very visible.
    When I have customers to my work or travel to meet them I cover them up. I have leather banded watches that are thicker that I use (look at fossil.com for these) to cover the one on my wrist.

    I also have my nose pierced. So I wear a clear acrylic stud for those times as well.

    To me, I don't mind covering them up. It is part of my job to look professional when meeting customers so I do. I knew that going in.

    However on days like today...I've got jeans and a tshirt on and the ones on my shoulders are peaking out and the one on my wrist is showing and my nose piercing is pink.
  • Breckgirl
    Breckgirl Posts: 606 Member
    I would put that tatoo somewhere that you can hide it easily. It sounds cool and I think it would look good on youe side, waist high. I saw a picture of a guy who tatooed his whole face to look like a skull. My first thought was, "Well, he'll never be President!" I try not to limit my horizons and and ill placed tats just might do that. Here's a link to that skull faced guy I mentioned...

    http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=skull+face+tattoo&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=ZTLGS_LjOpPc8QSf1_miDg&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CBcQsAQwAA
  • surlydave
    surlydave Posts: 512 Member
    As a lawyer with a tat, I strongly encourage you to think about another location. It will be frowned upon, even if it shouldn't be.
  • Breckgirl
    Breckgirl Posts: 606 Member
    As a lawyer with a tat, I strongly encourage you to think about another location. It will be frowned upon, even if it shouldn't be.

    Well said. We are a long way away from tptal acceptance and not prejudging when it comes to tatoos.
  • mvl1014
    mvl1014 Posts: 531
    Having a close female friend who is a lawyer, I hear all to often of judges making comments in open court about women not looking professional enough. Pant suit, not acceptable, must be long skirt before you enter my courtroom-kind of comments. I'd consider your torso.
  • Breckgirl
    Breckgirl Posts: 606 Member
    Having a close female friend who is a lawyer, I hear all to often of judges making comments in open court about women not looking professional enough. Pant suit, not acceptable, must be long skirt before you enter my courtroom-kind of comments. I'd consider your torso.


    There's a company in my area that the women are not allowed to wear pants unless it is a actual pant suit, not separates even. Most women there just walk around in pencil skirts and twin sets with pearls. It's like you stepped back into the sixties!
  • fauxdetresse
    fauxdetresse Posts: 40
    i'm a big tattoo person (over $2000 worth), so i'm careful where i put mine. the only one that is usually visible is a tiny one on my wrist that i cover with a bracelet, though they cover my shoulder, stomach, leg, etc. being professional is important.
  • bksteve26
    bksteve26 Posts: 216 Member
    I definitely agree with everyone on here about finding another place. Even if you don't think about work, you don't want the stigma that comes along with having something like that. Purposely putting yourself in the position to be discriminated against and treated differently than everyone else is probably something you want to think about. I have a few tattoos, but I always make sure to put them in places that can be hidden when i want, and shown when i want.
  • XFitMojoMom
    XFitMojoMom Posts: 3,255 Member
    I have a pretty large tattoo on my forearm, which I got after I left the "professional" environment. I know Kat Von D now makes a cover up for tats - although I haven't tried it myself.
    I think if you are set on getting the tattoo in that spot, and as far as I know lawyers always wear sleeves - you should be safe. Tats are becoming more and more mainstream and it wouldn't surprise me if Judge X has one too.
  • dachinababe
    dachinababe Posts: 185
    WOW, Thank you all so much for the feed back. I am a serious career oriented person, even though this tattoo has really significant meaning for me but its not something I want to explain to my clients over and over again...Now I'm not sure where else (on my body) I can get the tattoo because I'm gettting a third tattoo ( one of my favorite quote )on my torso in August when I have a flat abs. I already have a tat behind my neck, I feel like it would over crowd my back if i add another one to my shoulder blade. What do you all think about upper inside arm, like around the inside bicept? Would that be better in a more artisitic sense?
    Ps. Love that so many of you love tats as much as I do (probably more than I do) :D
  • XFitMojoMom
    XFitMojoMom Posts: 3,255 Member
    The inside bicep is going to be VERY sensitive, so be prepared for that to hurt like a mo-fo.
  • dachinababe
    dachinababe Posts: 185
    Oh goodie..I always pick the worse place to get a tat don't I lol.. Got my first one on the back of my neck, i was about to cry lmao..I think I'll be okay with this one since I broke my collarbone, my ribs and my finger in the last year...
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