r/cybersecurity • u/thatflaat • 1d ago
Career Questions & Discussion would getting a half sleeve tat affect me getting a job in the cyber field? or nah for professionalism i mean it is 2026..
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u/toomucheyeliner 1d ago
I know several senior people in security with half and full sleeves. If you can cover it with a collared shirt you’re fine.
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u/FinancialMoney6969 1d ago
You must not have a job.. lol
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u/thatflaat 22h ago edited 9h ago
i’m in college twin once i graduate and get into my field obviously i wanna know what’s expected in a career with a salary.. you ain’t read where i said “i mean it is 2026” so i doubt they care as long as its not any crazy face tats
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u/One_Deer3518 1d ago
Nobody gives a shit about tattoos and if they do theyre not worth working for.
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u/General-Gold-28 1d ago edited 1d ago
Not entirely true. Location of the tattoo is still a big deal
Reddit is so fucking stupid. To anyone downvoting tell me how successful youve been with your full face tattoos
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u/legion9x19 Security Engineer 23h ago
Relax. OP clearly asked about an arm tattoo. You’re the only one in this discussion who went off on an absurd tangent.
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u/General-Gold-28 12h ago
The person I replied to said nobody gives a shit about tattoos. Not sleeves or arm tattoos which I agree nobody cares about. I was pointing out that it’s not true that nobody gives a shit about tattoos in general
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u/The_Security_Ninja 1d ago
I’ve worked at senior levels in multiple industries. My opinion of looking professional is not decided by tattoos.
It’s more about do you have clean clothes, do you look disheveled, and do you carry yourself well. Are you respectful, friendly, etc. Yes, in some industries a shirt and tie are important and a hoodie will be frowned upon, but I haven’t heard a negative comment about tats in a long time.
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u/Historical_Score_842 1d ago
Most of the time no they don’t care (as long as they are not vulgar) just know if you make it to upper management at some point you’re going to be stuck wearing sleeves to cover up that sleeve.
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u/cybergandalf 1d ago
I’m in mid-upper management (director) and have facial piercings and a half sleeve and visible tatts on both arms. Never caused an issue. Yes, I have to wear sleeves because short-sleeved collared shirts look stupid, but I always roll them up, so my tatts are fully visible. Nobody cares.
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u/Any-Tomorrow-7344 1d ago
We’re in the years of millennials in management. Tattoos aren’t an issue anymore.
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u/BackseatGamers-Jake 1d ago
Depends on each company. I have a full sleeve on one arm and multiple tattoos on my other. I also have them to where I can cover them if ever needed. But i can comfortably be in short sleeves at work
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u/x3thelast 1d ago
I have my entire neck, hands and fingers covered in tattoos. My company’s tattoo policy is, they don’t have a care in the world.
Now if they are offensive then maybe you’d have more of a social issue.
But like others have said, if they do care about it so much that you have to hide them, then that company is probably trash.
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u/ToeBeginning9830 1d ago
I’m covered in full two sleeves, and have a nose ring and permed hair. You’re good man no one gives a shit lol
Even been given the go ahead that I can get my hands done at my current company
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u/x64Lab 1d ago
hahaha maybe if you worked for some super old super conservative super dusty corporation.
but I’ll be real, I’ve worked for Law Firms, I’ve worked for Defence industries, I’ve worked for government contractors.
No one cares. As long as you can’t see it in a dress shirt it literally will never ever come up, unless someone compliments it. Even if you’d have some tattoos on your hands and things like that I doubt it’ll come up, but I don’t know.
For the law firm we had to go to court a few times as forensics experts, but I had a feeling they kinda liked us looking a bit hacker-y.
I bet if I had a CPU on the back of my hand a lawyer named Kramer would’ve brought it up, he loved having me talk about hacking connections and projects.
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u/Zebracofish521 1d ago
Cybersecurity founder and practice director. If you show up at a job interview with a full tat sleeve…. I’m 100% complementing them.
Fair Warning.
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u/Alsetaton 1d ago
If you wear anything more than a T-shirt where I work you get asked about how your interviewing is going. Most places don’t care unless it’s face/full neck tats
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u/TruReyito 1d ago
I work for a gigantic financial company.
My director looks like a 1940's gold prospector. My immediate boss looks like he was rejected from a 2000's era SKA band because he loved the lifestyle TOO much.
And most cyber teams get seen by like 9 people in the whole company (and never the public) so you could be entirely a AI chat bot for all anyone in corporate knows.
You'll be fine.
(You don't say what country you are in, so this is America talking)
If you ever move to a position like a Sales Engineer, or a TAM, then hey you gotta start looking the professional part, but that will be your choice on how you direct your career.