To ask if you have lots of tattoos do you have a professional job?

[drivinmecrazy]

DD1 (21) is about to graduate and is looking to her future. She's hoping for a career in publishing (I know that's quite a broad sector).
BUT my beautiful little girl who's as intelligent, funny and talented as it's possible to be has developed a love (or addiction?) to inking.
She now has many on her upper arm (maybe 3, I've lost count). They are undoubtedly beautiful tattoos, very tasteful black and white images that are significant to her.
But I worry. Admittedly I'm 50 with no tattoos so acknowledge I'm way out of whack.

I do however worry about how it might impact on her career. She says she can hide them when/if necessary but is also of the view that in todays world they won't have any impact.
Guess I'm asking has she ruined her life?
I'm in two minds in that I love the fact she's able to express the artistic side of her talents, yet worry for her.
Don't know why I'm asking really.
I remember a time not so long go that tattoos were a no no for several careers, is it the same mindset now??

It’s not even true. I’ve lived in an ‘affluent town’ in Surrey and my father worked in finance. It was never lacking in tattooed people, neither the town nor the sector.

I think answers are based on your daughter wanting to live and work in the UK or similar western place. If that's the case then gr8 but they may be less accepted in other countries. China for eg they are still associated with criminals (and maybe nowadays with those strange UK people 😁).

I’ll admit I haven’t read the whole thread…

My dh is covered in tattoos. However, when he wears a suit you would never tell. He would never get his hands or neck done -in fact those and his penis - too much information!- are the only places he hasn’t had done. He works in a fairly senior role in a very old fashioned type industry (think academic, museums, heritage type stuff). He acknowledges that despite what many young people want to think there is still a snobbery and judgment about tattoos so he chooses not to let people know he has them. It’s sad really but that’s the way the world is.

When he bumps into people on a day off or goes into the office in normal clothes people are absolutely shocked. He does find it amusing.

Bollocks.

I literally don't know anyone at work or my friends that doesn't have tattoos.

In fact my parents and DPs mum is the only people I know closely without them.

Not a single person I work with doesn't have tattoos and all my friends do.

I AM a banker. Come from a working class background but work with lots of middle class ex private school, affluent people and lots have tattoos and piercings.

My brother has/had about five tattoos. He's been getting some removed. He earns over £100k pre bonus so definitely not an issue. They aren't on his face mind, arms and back.

I'm a primary teacher I have 25+ tattoos.
They are pretty mainstream now 🤷🏻‍♀️

I am an academic who used to be a teacher. My tattoos have never been an issue. There were teachers at my school who were a great deal more tattooed than me. Again, no issue.

I work in law and have plenty of tattoos. I work with lots of people with tattoos - nobody gives a shite these days. It’s about your ability to do your role, not how you look or what you wear.

I am a teacher. I have some descreet tattoos but my younger colleagues have loads it's very mainstream now

Almost everyone at my workplace has them - those who don't are definitely in the minority. We are a relaxed, independent business but I would consider us to have "professional jobs".

@drivinmecrazy i (female) have my whole arm done and 12 others in other places. I can cover them all.
people always ask what will I say when my DD wants them and i say I’d tell her what my parents told me if it won’t affect what profession you want and it’s tasteful go for it but always make sure they can be covered.
they aren’t frowned upon like they use to be it won’t hold her back so don’t worry.

In the interests of data, I work in a very conservative area of finance and of the hundreds of people I've worked with over the last decade literally none of them have had tattoos visible under work clothes.

Come the summer softball tournament there are a fair number on display on male legs and arms and I assume a lot of the younger women have them on backs and shoulders but you'd never see them in the office.

Likewise I've never worked with anyone with facial piercings or hair of a colour nor found in nature, or seen any of my workmates' toes - we don't have a prejudice against people who possess toes, it's just that our dress code insists that they're covered up in the office.

I think the problem with tattoos (beyond aesthetics, which is a matter of personal preference) is that they (perhaps?) give away too much information e.g. somebody's mindset, political affiliations, attitude towards life? Same as clothes, haircut, so many other things. And it's something that you cannot easily undo if you later evolve in a different direction.

And most people do judge on all these perceived aspects, whether they admit to it or not.

Having said that, if your DD will work in the creative industries, I don't think it should be much of a problem as I imagine they are much less conservative in those fields.

The only exception I can think of is the military, where I would perceive tattoos differently somehow

I have lots, including visible ones on my hands, neck and behind my ear, I work in the financial sector (senior actuary), it has never caused me problems securing work, I also present at conferences from time to time, so my employer is also happy for other companies etc to have someone with visible tattoos presenting.

Thought of in really simple terms, market forces mean tolerance of tattoos will only grow. Any field that relies on being able to attract skilled people increasingly has to avoid having rules that people can't see the point of, because skilled people won't put up with that. And tech, which has very, very relaxed norms for appearance and only cares about output, will be a bigger and bigger slice of the economy. Anyone who has to compete for talent has to go with changing norms. Even i-banking is jeans now, because they're struggling for talent too. Law is one of the few exceptions where there are more trained people than jobs available and can therefore get away with having very conservative corners.

Worst case scenario, if your DD decides she absolutely must work in a Magic Circle law firm, she can wear long sleeved blouses.

IRL, I don't think everyone is so relaxed about them

Where do you think we’re all working, then? Some sort of parallel universe? We’re all real life people with real life jobs, you know!

I’m tattooed and I work in a professional environment. There are lots of people with tattoos where I work; it’s never been any kind of issue at all.

I also manage a team so I interview people for jobs now and again. Provided they’re clean and tidy and well-presented I don’t care if they have tattoos, piercings or whatever.

I’m a senior associate lawyer and have many. However I was sensible enough to have them all in places that are covered up by usual office wear. None of my colleagues have visible tattoos and those that did and considered themselves ‘edgy’ don’t work for us any longer/were never taken very seriously

I don't have many bur I plan to have quite significant inking to cover up some scars over the next few years. I wouldn't think twice about it in reference to work. No-one cares at all.

Not me but my 22 year old daugher has a professional job and adds to her collection, it seems weekly. Although they're all lovely i do wonder if she will regret so many so young.