Wait, I thought that there was no stigma to them. 
I know that girl works a non-public contact, labor oriented job for the state that has to wear longsleeves at work.
I know another that had a hard time getting a dental hygenist job because of a neck tattoo. And it’s high necked sweaters and t-shirts every workday.
Regardless of job prospects, tattoos are fun.
I got mine a few months back, and it is right over my spine about an inch below the collar line. I can hide it easily and still look professional if I need to, and it’s also a private thing that people don’t notice unless I want them to.
Now, to respond to this part…
Obviously, it is permanent. If it is something you really want, then that shouldn’t be a problem, but a beneficial factor. Visibility is something to be considered, sometimes you need to hide them, sometimes you don’t. If you plan ahead and think it through, that isn’t a problem. People do it for many reasons, they shouldn’t have to explain them. The next part, again, art is subjective. Of course, people get tattoos that they regret. That statement doesn’t matter though, mostly because that is the same as saying “well, my father got married, he wasn’t happy for 10 years and then divorced my mother, so don’t get married because you will obviously regret it,” - the logic just doesn’t work.
And now to get back to the OP…
Mr. Excellent - good luck in your tattooing experience. I only have recently been tatttooed and I loved it. I got my first one and before I was even done I was thinking about another. I think that the biggest reason is, I want several, but thought it would hurt. As soon as I was half-way done with my first one, I figured, “hey, this doesn’t hurt that bad, I would be able to sit through this again for another one…” Another thing is to look at a bit of work the artist has done in the past on actual people. I went to a local shop to look at his work, and after seeing it, I was a little dissapointed. I found a shop about an hour away, talked to the owner a couple times and met a couple of his artists. A little drive is worth it for quality work.
-Brendon
I’ve got two, and apart from a couple moments when I’ve woken up and gone “wow, I’m a guy with tattoos”, I have absolutely no regrets whatsoever. I got my first one aged 36.
Warning: I said I’d stop at one, but already I’m contemplating my third.
What I wouldn’t do is get one that showed when I’m dressed for work. That would be fatal to my career. But I like the fact that I’m suited up in a meeting with government bigwigs, and I know there’s ink under my suit. That, and both tats mean a lot to me.
I believe they can be addictive to some people (cough) Kid Kalhoun (cough). I like some tattoos on some people, but the permanence of them is a total turn-off to me.
Same. And I work in news media (filming, video editing, and reporting - I interact with people in the public on a daily basis). No one cares anymore; at least, no one worth working for. Even McDonalds lets you have tattoos. Slowly but surely people who have tattoos are becoming the norm, and employers, their peers, are willing to accept it. It’s not 100% there, hell, it’s not 50% there, but it’s growing. My father has over ten tattoos in visible places and has never had a problem getting a job (although he HAS, due to alcohol and drug addiction, had problems KEEPING a job…but that’s another story).
Now, to the OP -
I’m going to do what everyone else has said and say don’t go somewhere if you get a bad vibe. I love my tattooist to pieces; every other tattoo parlor I’ve been to I’ve gotten that creepy vibe from.
As to your No. 2 question, choose any font you like. My tattoo artist can do them from sight, but most places have the transfers, so if you bring it in, they can print it off onto a fake tatoo transfer and put it on you so you can see if it’s to your liking, and then just trace over it. There’s a large selection of free fonts at www.dafont.com.
I’d say you could probably, depending on the intricacy of the font and the dexterity of the tattooist, get it done in one longish session, but that does depend on your individual pain tolerance. A friend of mine got a teensy penguin tattoed on her inner ankle and has no pain tolerance (I’m still wondering why she bothered with a tattoo in the first place, but it did turn out cute) and it took them four hours because every twenty minutes or so she’d need a break. Meanwhile, I in the other chair got my shoulder blade done in about thirty minutes, and it was bigger than hers and filled in.
And just like everyone else said - be prepared to be bitten by the bug. For a while it’ll feel like a bad sunburn, and then you’ll start seeing everything as a possible tattoo. I agree with whoever above said look at it for a month and if you like it, keep it, though - remember that tattoos are PERMANENT. Having a tat about justice is fine and dandy, unless you become a crime boss or something. 
~Tasha
<bolding mine>
I don’t see anywhere I said that. Of course there is a stigma to them. There is a stigma to anything outside of the straight and narrow social norm. There will always be prejudicial jerks in a Judges robes, a cop uniform, an employer or girl friends parents. If you get a tattoo under any other opinion you are kidding yourself.
As stated above, they are much more common these days and less shocking to the socially delicate but hey, F**kem, right? I just say to a starter that you may want to keep your options open for unforeseen future roles you will be thrown into.
You’re so lucky to have what employers are looking for – education and skill. Lord knows most intelligent employers could care less about whether you are actually qualified for the job, they want to know what color your skin is, and whether you put said color there yourself.
Come on. Unless you have “Fuck You” tattooed across your forehead, nobody cares except your grandma and people with neurotic insecurities. Look at the bright side: If you are stupid, or otherwise unqualified for employment, you no longer have to take the blame! It was the tattoo that cost you that job, not your incompetence!
Tritto or so.
As to any specifics I can add; 1.) you can get it done all in one session if it isn’t especially huge. 2.) As XJETGIRLX said, people can become especially idiotic about them, although I’ve never encountered it in person, only on here. And I’ve got three! None of which have ever interfered with getting a job. Also, I must admit complete confusion about the “You’ll regret it when you’re in a nursing home.” retort. I mean, c’mon. Who’ll freakin’ be caring about that?!! 3.) Getting one on the top of your foot hurts like hell, but the rest I’ve got (lower back – equal whore stamp, hehehe – and ankle), were infinitely doable.
Good luck and no regrets. The folks that do shouldn’t have been inked in the first damn place.
~faithfool, owner over 8 years and happy still