Tattoos and professional jobs: Do they mix?

Do you have a tattoo? Are you considering getting one? Have you stopped to think about how it might impact your job opportunities in the future? Tattoos are more mainstream than ever before, thanks to a variety of cultural influences. But are people really stopping and weighing all the pros and cons before they get a tattoo? Especially in more traditional professions, a tattoo might severely limit your job opportunities.

Let's face it, plenty of people are still turned off by visible tattoos. Whether right or wrong, there is something about tattoos that screams "unprofessional" and "irresponsible" to them. Part of the key in dealing with this issue lies in thinking about what you're going to have tattooed and where you're going to put it.

This is a picture of the tattoo I have covering the top of my foot. It's the most visible of my three tattoos, and I got it only after I was well-established in my own business. I have a smaller one that I got on my ankle while in college, and it was purposely small because I wanted to be able to cover it up if necessary, even when wearing a skirt.