The move from upper arm tattoos to a full sleeve..

[lving4today]

There's apparently an "HR rule" about tattoos, but in my department it hasn't been an issue. I started wearing long sleeves when I got hired, I eventually said fuck it. My arms show, but I work mostly in the operating room handling X-ray equipment. As long as I perform proper imaging, I doubt the surgeons give two shits about tattoos.

[Colored Guy]

There's apparently an "HR rule" about tattoos, but in my department it hasn't been an issue. I started wearing long sleeves when I got hired, I eventually said fuck it. My arms show, but I work mostly in the operating room handling X-ray equipment. As long as I perform proper imaging, I doubt the surgeons give two shits about tattoos.

We have a dress code, mainly about safety stuff and women coming in dressed like hookers... distracting perhaps (gotta see Steffi in her short leather skirt.... whew....). I'll take another look at it regarding tattoos, but doubt there is anything since the shops are full of inked up people.

My wife's job has a real strict dress code, down to what color suits and shirts the guys have to wear. One lady is loaded with tattoos and she was recently told she has to cover them up. So long sleeves and dark panty hose it is.

Rob

[WGDRMZwylie]

I'm surprised everyone here has had such a hard time with their work and tattoos. I'm currently in University, but when I work in a hospital during the summers I do non-invasive cardiology testing, cardiac rehabilitation and knee/hip replacement surgery rehabilitation. Basically I'm always working with patients, physicians and other departments of the hospital.

I always wear a black t-shirt and camo shorts to work.

I guess this picture shows what is visible on me throughout the day (save for the foot tattoo and a shirt with a logo on it). I've never had any problems or complaints and it's been a couple years since I started there. Usually the tattoos serve as an ice breaker with patients and initiates conversation.

thats chris conn foot right

[Dennis]

thats chris conn foot right

Nope! All the work you see there is from Kurt Wiscombe!

[WGDRMZwylie]

Nope! All the work you see there is from Kurt Wiscombe!

thats some nice B&G

[Dennis]

thats some nice B&G

Thanks! :)

[KYboy]

I made the decision to tattoo my lower arm after both upper arms were done, among other places. I knew one day I wanted sleeves, So I just did it. I knew I was going to do it anyway so why wait. I have put a lot of thought into what tattoos I wanted to be visible and which ones I'll keep to myself. I think some might just be more acceptable to be seen all the time and others not so much. After 8 years I have finally finished my left arm sleeve and I couldn't be happier with the way it turned out. My current situation at work does not require me to cover up, but if in the future my situation changes I will gladly cover up and continued to get tattooed.

[rileykill]

I work for the Feds, and there is no rule against tattoos (as long as they are not considered offensive) .... but I still have reservations about going below the elbow. For starters, who defines "offensive"? Is a skull offensive? A dagger? I dunno. I do wear short sleeves sometimes and my tattoos can be seen.

My boss asked me advice about picking a shop for him and his wife, so I guess that's a good sign, but if I get promoted again I will be in a position equal to his and I wonder if that would put me at a ceiling.

[username1]

I worked in a Industry that did not like you having a tattoo at all. 20 years ago, I was asked at my job interview if I was 'inked'. I was not at the time an worked for 20 years in this industry. Towards the end, two people that I knew got employed with a tattoo on them but these guys were super highly trained in there field of study and were not a dime a dozen sorts of people you could employ easily. Still, they had to cover up at work and during our summer season, these guys suffered a great deal with the heat out in the field in long sleeve shirts.

I got my wrist area done as soon as I resigned from the company. I had decided that I was never going back into that line of business again and I had wanted to be inked for a very, very long time. I had to think very long and hard about this fact but the underlying matter was, I was not going back to that line of work and getting these tattoos just sealed the deal for me. Now I am doing a full back cover but I would really want to think about doing full sleeves on the fact, I do not have the body yet to fill my arms out.

Since getting my back cover started, my body itself is not in the greatest of shape and to fill the work out to the way I want them, I have changed my lifestyle a lot. I have lost a lot of weight, go to the gym now and take a lot more personal care of myself then I have ever done before. I use decent creams on my skin now, less sun time and I have really found, this has motivated me to look good. Has been a positive experience for me an even my doctor has noted a pretty good outcome on my health.

I think doing sleeves is a pretty major step up to the plate an something that needs to be planned out well in advance (months to years) but each to there own. My back piece has been 20 years of pictures of saved of places I have visited in Japan; a photo of a Japanese girl I meet in person 15 years ago, Photos of Palaces and memories that are important to me. If I was ever to do sleeves, the same thought would want to go into it.

Still, I meet a female Danish Lawyer at a bar the other night an she did not have full sleeves, but was working on it! I really do think, times have changed a lot since I was asked if I was tattooed, 20 odd years ago.

[Genie of the West]

I say, be punk rock about it.

Don't let the "man" hold you down.

If someone is going to deny me a job because of how I've decided to decorate my skin, then that's not a person I wanna work for.

Getting visible tattoos is a lifestyle decision, so doing it means you truly need to commit to it and be aware of all of the consequences of those actions. I'm not saying don't do it. I'm saying that if you do it, do it for you, know what it means, and know the doors it will close (and open) for you.

This is just fucking silly. The real world should knock this thinking right out of anyone and I'm only 21 years old saying this.

As for myself I have my upper chest completed and my right sleeve completed in 1 more session scheduled next month. When I was 19 I made a huge mistake and got a chest piece that comes slightly onto my lower neck/throat. I was an idiot who didn't think it through and misjudged just how visible it would be. The tattoo shop I went to didn't do a good job of warning me and I wish that they'd refused to tattoo me. At the time I had a half sleeve and a chest plate. Definitely not enough coverage to be getting inked near the neck.

Luckily for me I wasn't a complete moron and the tattoo is so low on my neck that I can barely call it a neck tat. It can be covered in a well fitted crew neck shirt and definitely with a button up shirt so I'm still employable! Whoo!! :cool: As for me I plan on being covered from collar to toe eventually. I have not established my career yet but I have a job and am also in school for a white collar professional degree. I'll probably never get my neck or hands done though. I would love a hand tattoo but it'll probably never happen until I'm like 60 and ready to retire.

I don't understand the people who mentioned getting half-sleeves but not going full sleeve however. My first tattoo was a half-sleeve to my elbow at age 18. Fairly safe not too radical or anything. The thing is though, employment and career wise, I was already wearing long sleeve shirts for interviews and for work because my half-sleeve would peak out. Most half-sleeves can be seen in a short sleeve shirt so why not just go full sleeve?

If you want to retain chameleon ability at all times I understand that because half-sleeves are quite discreet but if your only concern is getting/keeping a job, you'll be wearing long sleeve shirts anyways regardless of if you stop at the elbow or the wrist. That is why I decided a few months ago to finish my sleeve.