<p>Im going to school to be a mechanical engineer and I have an inner bicep tattoo. I was just wondering if I would have to wear a long sleeve shirt to work in the future or I would be able to wear like a polo. Also, would the same apply to internships?</p>
<p>Generally speaking, as long as it is not visible they won’t care - whether that means polo or long sleeves depends solely on whether or not THAT shirt covers THAT tattoo with enough margin to allow for movement. I know several engineers with tattoos (including myself) and none of us have ever gotten grief for them. The only reason I would know who does and does not have any tattoos would be their visibility at times when professional attire is inappropriate (like company picnics or recreational events).</p>
<p>I had a boss (structural engineer) who had quite a few tattoos. Several of them were visible. He must be close to 70 at this point.</p>
<p>While some industries and regions may not care about having visible tattoos, if you do not want to limit yourself in this respect (especially as a student with no experience in company cultural type of things), it would be wise to avoid getting any tattoo now that would be visible when you are wearing clothing that you may wear to work (e.g. consider the possibility of wearing short sleeved shirts on a warm day in a casual dress office).</p>
<p>We older engineers are around Gen Y kids with tatoos all of the time. Some are not affected by them at all. Some will assume you will be leaving work and heading straight for a meth-fueled binge. Discretion says to keep them covered for the next 10 years until you have proven your worth. If you are otherwise well-kept, it is less of an issue. The software industry, being youngster heavy anyway, is more accepting of them.</p>
<p>Personally, I am much more offended by blatant displays of underwear or anyone with dreadlocks.</p>
<p>alright sounds good, I have no problem wearing long sleeve shirts and I dont think dreadlocks should be a problem haha</p>
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<p>Until you get a job in a place that is hot, humid, and tattoo-unfriendly.</p>
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<p>What is the big deal with dreadlocks?</p>
<p>Magnetron- Yeah dreadlocks are bad. I am even more offended by men with bald heads or beards…</p>
<p>^ Take it easy guys…Different strokes for different folks.</p>
<p>Coming from the military, any man with long hair looks ridiculous to me. But I guess I can say that I have seen Dread’s look professional before. An ex PhD math professor, foreign older man with dreads down past his shoulders, though he kept his hair pulled back. I admit I was thrown off at first to see a professor with Dreads, but the man was smart, so that is really all that mattered. </p>
<p>OP: I too have an inner bicep tattoo and worry about it giving the wrong impression to superiors. My plan is to wear oxfords and roll the sleeves up for a bit. Everyone else at my coop wears button ups so it shouldn’t be a huge deal.</p>
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<p>I design for a number of military programs and defense contractors. Anything seen as overtly counterculture is out of place in an engineering office like ours and would probably disqualify you from an engineering job here. We rely on people being confident enough to speak freely in our design discussions. Days were that wearing a suit with stripes to an interview would get you disqualified from some places - too stylish.</p>
<p>I have no issue with dreadlocks on the produce guy at the organic market. Only two types of people show up to engineering work dressed like a bum: geniuses and idiots. Don’t make me guess which one you are.</p>
<p>And to add another thing to the list - a student came in, took up my time asking for free design advice and free sample parts. He kept his iphone below the table and texted while we were talking, as if I wouldn’t notice. I complained to the instructor who had recommended he come to me.</p>