| To be

I’m guessing that some of the intended To Be audience is likely a generation of tattoo connoisseurs and I’m not suggesting that’s a bad thing. But, if you’re headed for the professional career track, tattos can be distracting and create counterproductive first impressions. Ironically, these first impressions are not generational.

Just recently, I was on the Homosassa River with neighbors for the opening of scallop season. While our boat was moored at a riverside restaurant, a man and his young daughter paddled by in their canoe. The man was covered in tattoos, causing an unexpected reaction from the 12-year-old girl in our boat. Wide-eyed, she said, “Did you see that? He’s a father. How does he work?” I knew what she was getting at and her reaction crossed generations.

Beyond your resume and job application, first impressions are all you have when you go into a job interview and if you have anything distracting, such as tattoos or body piercings, cover them up. Or, if you’re considering such tattooing endeavors, understand that the interviewer may have a negative association with them.

Know your audience and be sure that you can live with your tattoo decisions and their impact for the rest of your life.

I saw a seemingly nice couple with extensive tattoos on their arms and he on his neck on an HGTV show. They made me wonder where they worked and I found myself thinking more about the tattoos, how much it must have hurt to get them on the neck area and trying to figure out what they represented. I was completely distracted by them, never really seeing the couple or the purpose of the show’s segment.

A couple of years ago I was in a seminar where the featured presenter, a former vice-president of human resources for a major company, touched on tattoos. There was a woman sitting at the next table with her hair pulled back and a tattoo showing prominently beneath her ponytail. I saw her somewhat squirm, look from side to side, as if to see who may have seen her tattoos, when the presenter specifically said visible tattoos are a no, no when trying to progress in your career.

I’m not suggesting that you never get a tattoo, but before you get one, ask yourself if you’ll be able to cover it up, when needed.