Check Your Tattoo(s) at the Door

“I’m getting a [new] tattoo!” you proclaim. Yep, we bet your next thought was, “What will my future employers think?”

Well, maybe it should be a consideration. But the give-and-take should come from both sides—why do companies have to be so strict? In 2006, 24% of Americans ages 18 to 50 were reported as having at least one tattoo, according to the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. Let’s outnumber those corporate snobs!

Chill your nerves and think about why the company would have a no-tattoo policy. Does it have a clean-cut image and will you be dealing with people? Chances are Babies ‘R’ Us is not a tattoo-friendly environment. But more creative outlets, such as design firms or internet companies, might allow you to show your inked skin.

You’re in luck because while some places have a strict no-way policy, some don’t have any policy at all. Seattle-based career coach Janet Scarborough Civitelli suggested to CNN doing a little detective work. Scoping out the scene in the employee parking lot or trying sites like ModifiedMind.com may give insight on the rules…before you go for the job and get stuck wearing long sleeves on business calls in 90-degree weather. Yikes!

Or you could be real bold and ask about tattoo-enforcement at your interview. Would you dare? [CNN]