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Tattoo Hinderance

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Toy Soldier

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 5, 2002
Posts
252
I have NUMEROUS tattoos and was wondering if there are any "positive" stories of pilots getting hired with them.

I have them on my neck, arms. I had the ones removed from my hands with very EXPENSIVE and PAINFUL laser surgery.

I am a retired Army Captain, professional, college degree, and currently fly a twin commander for a local company. I am also a very popular flight instructor at the my FBO.

The moral of my story is that I am a very personable guy that made a bad error in judgement 23 years ago...

I need some encouragement please!!!!!!!

Thanx
Twin-Commander Commander
 
Keep them! Don't be ashamed of them, nor of who you are...nor of who you were!

I flew for a Chief Pilot who had tattoos, received as a Chief Master Sergeant, before leaving the service to start a new career as a pilot. The tattoos didn't make any difference. I've flown with others who had them; no difference.

I can't speak for anyone else, but if I were to fly with you, my only two interests would be how you fly, and your attitude. Outside of that, being male, female, black white or other, having tattoos or not, it just doesn't matter.

I know two corporate pilots who wouldn't be caught dead outside of blue jeans. One just hired with a fractional, and wears black wranglers with his white shirt. The other wears the same, and owns a jet charter company. Nobody has ever said a word.

I'm not advocating rampant individualism outside of a SWA interview, but the point being that you can be accepted, marketable, and do just fine with or without the tattoos. Leave them right where they are, and if the question comes up, talk about them. Not a big deal at all. In fact, probably a marketable conversation piece, used properly.
 
I have three tattoo's including one on each forearm. The one they can't see is definitely taboo. I got hired with nary a question. That's one good thing about the cookie cutter blue interview suit....it hides em real well. They didn't ask and I didn't volunteer. Since then I've never had a problem. One smartass Capt made a comment once. Who cares. He didn't hire me and he can't fire me. Bottom line, it shouldn't be a problem.
 
We have a couple of guys with major tattoos on their forearms. Didn't seem to bother HR when they were hired.

If someone doesn't want to hire you because of your looks, screw them. They are probably not worth working for anyway.

You should be hired on your skills, background and personality.
You've paid your dues, keep looking.
 
Don't kid yourself, Toy Soldier, your "look" does count . . . . A LOT. If you don't think so, just go to your major airline interview in bluejeans and a T-shirt. Just remember, there are LOTS of personable people just as qualified as you (and probably better) that you are competing against for those few jobs . . . and they LOOK GOOD, AND PRESENT A PROFESSIONAL, CONSERVATIVE APPEARANCE. Boeingman is dead wrong. "Looks" do count.

That being said, I wouldn't sweat the tatoos too much, as long as they aren't seen when you are properly uniformed. I'd wear a long sleeve shirt to the interview. Getting the tatoos removed off your hand was a very good idea. In the medical exam, the doc will see them, but I doubt if he'd object, as long as they'll be covered by a uniform.

In any major airline, you need to present a professional and conservative presence. Tatoos are not part of that. Maybe Boeingman thinks that having your tongue pierced or a nose-rings shouldn't matter, but in the real world, they do.
 
error in judgement?

Well, though I'm not about to be hired by an airline, I do have a desk job with a lot of public interaction. I also have a tattoo, about 5"x3", on the upper left part of my chest...and any shirt except a turtleneck shows at least some of it. My boss said, "as long as you can mostly hide it, it's fine." An old co-worker had tattoos all over her arms and just wore a lab coat or long sleeves all the time. I think if you can keep it under wraps, it's not a big issue.

Oh, and by the way...I don't think getting it was a mistake. I wasn't drunk, stoned, or otherwise impaired. I waited a long time to find the right design and artist, and I love it. It's me.

Ravengirl
 
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Draginass said:
Maybe Boeingman thinks that having your tongue pierced or a nose-rings shouldn't matter, but in the real world, they do.

You always this good at putting words in people's mouths?

When I was mentioning personality, this was the general message I was conveying reference your diatribe about a profesional appearance. I'm sure that most of the educated and more relaxed forum members understood my drift.

I'm still looking for the part where I told him to dress with a T Shirt for the interview as well.
 
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Gents/Ladies--Looks do count. I would play it safe and remove any tattoos that show. It may not matter to me, and it may not matter to you, but the people who may hire you know that it WILL matter to SOME of their money-paying customers. Don't give them a reason to not hire you. I'd bet money that a tattoo that's visible to the ticket-buying public falls into the "reason not to hire" category. It may not be the entire reason, but why risk it?

Guinness
 
Tats

Right or wrong, there is no question that people judge you by your appearance and first impressions count. This is especially true for the airlines. They emphasize a conservative appearance. You have to view it from a passenger's point of view. Most passengers won't want to get on your airplane if you look the least bit rad.

I think a lot depends on the tattoos and how and why they were acquired. It is very common for military people to acquire tattoos. I don't know of anyone who would be shocked if they see someone sporting a Marine or anchor tattoo. Consider some of your grandfathers who served in WWII, or Avbug's example. On the other hand, if you look like Axel Rose, you will likely be greeted with revulsion.

I vote on the side of conservatism and common sense. Consider the big picture and don't let your quest for self-expression and individuality kill a career.
 
"My daddy told me "Never get a tattoo where a judge can see it".
Brian Setzer-(Stray Cats)
 

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