How tattoos in the workplace might help you

How tattoos in the workplace might help youHow tattoos in the workplace might help youIn centuries past, tattoos were mostly considered the exclusive domain of tribe members reaching manhood, or seafaring sailors whose skin reflected their travels. In decades past, edgy rock stars hinted at seduction via a glimpse of their forbidden ink, or Let me show you my tattoo, as Gregg Allman famously sang in Im No Angel in 1987. These days, youre as likely to see a generously inked CEO or member of the clergy as you are an aging club kid.A February 2016 Harris poll declared that three in ten Americans have at least one tattoo, with nearly half of Millennials (47%) and over a third of Gen Xers (36%) saying they have at least one. So, does that mean that tattoos are fully acceptable in the workplace? Maybe, but it still depends on your workplace and employer. Despite the prevalence of ink-covered appendages, the jury is still out over whetzu sich tattoos are considered corporate appropriate. Th en again, some people are getting tats of their corporate logos or matching tattoos with their work besties, so its hard to know whats mainstream anymora, so we asked around. Because of the sensitive nature of the question or tattoo positioning, some of the people we spoke to didnt want to go on record at all, since they worried it could kompetenzly offend their employers or negatively affect their careers. To show or not to show? That is the questionEmily Ambrose, who works in hospitality marketing, has eight tattoos, each with special meaning. Her Yin and Yang symbol tattoo commemorates zu sich late grandmother, a nurse with a special interest in Eastern medicine and her own Yin/Yang tattoo. While Ambrose freely exhibits her ink at her current position, that welchesnt the case at a previous job working guest services at a high-end boutique inn. I had to keep all of my tattoos covered all the time - even during the heat of high summer, Ambrose said, adding that meant wearing long sleeves, scarves, tall boots or tights all summer long. While Ambrose found the imposed dress code frustrating, she says the impediment to my comfort - and as a result, most likely my gracious guest-facing demeanor - was the most trying. When youre running bottles of wine up and down flights of stairs, or traipsing across lawns at high noon in mid-July, being covered head to toe is less than ideal under any circumstance. Beauty Wellness Expert Jeannine Morrishas three tattoos, including a prominent hand-drawn butterfly on her wrist. While Morris doesnt hide her ink from potential clients, she is sometimes asked to cover up. I do a lot of TV work as a beauty expert and often get hired as an influencer for branded content campaigns with beauty brands. Most of the time when on TV, I dont have to cover up my tattoo, but when appearing on the Dr. Phil-produced CBS showThe Doctors, they made the makeup speciesist cover it, because they were afraid of copyright infringement if they show ed it on air, she explained. I told them I drew it myself, but they didnt care. I wore a cobalt blue dress and had to make sure not to get the cover-up on it for hours, which was quite the challenge. As a spokesperson, it really depends on the brand who hires me. Recently on set for a shoot, the client asked that I hold the product with my left hand instead of my right, where the tattoo is. I of course dont mind.Financial journalist Kelsey (who prefers to be identified only by her first name) started getting tattoos at a young age and was constantly asked if theyd hinder her career. For that reason she initially got tattoos in places could be easily covered up.While shes grown more comfortable with having tattoos people can see, Kelsey said letting colleagues or clients know about her tattoos sometimes reveals more about them than it does about her.In the past, sources or professional contacts who are typically strait-laced have felt like it gives them a free pass to ask inappropria te questions - Where are your other tattoos? and Were you drunk when you got them? are two popular ones. I almost feel like it emboldens people to ask you questions that they normally wouldnt in a work setting or a professional networking event, she says.When a visible tattoo is a professional assetSometimes, the opposite effect happens, particularly for those in creative environments.For example, an art director at a gallery might find her hand-drawn ink inspires ooh and aahs, while a school teacher might see his ink increase his cred with students. Chris, an assistant teacher at an elementary school, previously worked in the restaurant industry where his three tattoos went largely unnoticed. When he first started teaching though, Chris covered up since he worried about how his ink might be perceived.When he realized the school didnt care if teachers had tattoos and noticed the other teachers at his school with tattoos and they werent covering them up, I was relieved and thats whe n I really started to care less about having them covered up. Im not sure if the kids think that Im cooler for having tattoos, but they do ask me about my tattoos from time to time, he adds.The double standard of tattoos for men and womenAttorney Anjali Sareen keeps her four tattoos mostly hidden. I honestly got them all where I did specifically because I knew I was going into a very conservative field - the law - and I didnt even want to tempt fate that I wouldnt get a job because of my tattoos, Sareen says.Now, at the age of 30, I care way, WAY less about what people think, but I have also become not a huge fan of visible tattoos myself - oddlySareen runs her own practice now, so I can do whatever I want, but she says she sometimes chafes against the expectations of her profession.I love tattoos and have a love/hate relationship with my career. The legal profession has a LONG way to go before visible tattoos are accepted, she explains. I absolutely hated the conservatism of the field and the double standard that women are meant to be all prim and proper but for men, things like a tattoo here or there were more acceptable.Tattoos welcome can be a sign of a more accepting workplace Since tattoo culture can vary intensely from industry to industry, and some find that a tattoo-friendly workplace culture is actually a sign that theyre more free to do their job without other restrictions as well. Ambrose, the hospitality marketing professional, no longer covers her tattoos and says its a huge relief. If were having a more formal event, Ill be more cognizant of my tattoos and how visible they are, but I dont go out of my way to hide them. I feel more free to be authentic to myself - which is in-line with the values of our parent company - and to express myself creatively. And honestly, the less I have to think about covering up my tattoos, the more I can spend time thinking about hospitality and marketing, and how to succeed in my position and to benefit my pr operty.

5 Steps to Become A Manager

5 Steps to Become A Manager5 Steps to Become A Manager Many people reach a point in their careers when they decide theyd like more responsibility. Becoming a manager can be an excellent way for professionals to advance their career development and even earn more money .Managers are responsible for coordinating and overseeing many company projects and everyday tasks. That makes their position a unique one within the company one that holds particular importance for maintaining business success. But becoming a manager isnt always easy, youll often find yourself competing against other qualified candidates and co-workers to snag the position.Here are five steps to take toward becoming a manager in your companyIf you aspire to become a manager, dont stay quiet about it While you dont have to border on obnoxiousness, its still important to let the right people know youre thinking about taking the next step so they can help you get where you want to be. Let your curren t manager or babo know you aspire for more, and work with them to develop the skills you need to eventually make the transition.Ask your manager or boss if opportunities exist for you to become a mentor, or join a professional organization in your industry that will set you up with a mentee. This can be an excellent way to show you have the expertise to work closely with others and develop solid interpersonal relations a must in any managerial position. Or, consider taking on a mentor yourself someone who has more experience than you can help you to prepare for more responsibilities.As a manager, youll experience less leisure time, more authority, more leading, and tons of other new requirements. For this reason, its important to strengthen your skills to ensure youre prepared to step up to the plate. Actively assess the skills you already have, and talk to those already in managerial positions to determine what skills you need to acquire. Do your research, stay up to date on indu stry trends, and seize any opportunity to strengthen your abilities.Its important to put your ambition into action. If you feel as though you need to show your boss how valuable you are before you can have a gelegenheit at landing a higher position, consider setting up a meeting and prepare a presentation that highlights your accomplishments and commitments to the company thus far. Provide concrete numbers to describe your accomplishments (increased client leads by 40 percent, or managed accounts of advertisers contributing to a total budget of $200,000) to make your arguments irrefutable.Ask your higher-ups and coworkers to assess your performance so far. Do you do a good job of responding to conflict? Do you react well to stressful situations? Are you able to lead a group without trying to take too much controlor too little? Glean feedback from your coworkers or managers to determine where your strengths are and where you need to improve. Not only will this show youre open to fe edback and continual improvement, but it will show you value the opinion of individual group members, something that any manager should commit to.Becoming a manager can be an excellent way to advance your career and prepare you for further professional opportunities. As the year comes to a close, make a commitment to taking these steps next year to increase your chances of landing a higher role in your company. Good luckWhat are some other steps professionals can take toward becoming a manager? Share your thoughts belowAre you an employer? Check out our Talent Solutions Blog .Thanks for finding us We cover everything from career advice to the latest company headlines.Were always looking for experts, executives and trends to feature on the Glassdoor blog. Interested? Contact us.

How to Select a Professional Letter Font and Font Size

How to Select a Professional Letter Font and Font SizeHow to Select a Professional Letter Font and Font SizeWhats the best font to use for a business letter? When writing formal letters, of course, you want to make koranvers the content of your letter is clear and easy to understand. However, you should also think carefully about the font and font size. The font is the style of the text you use in your letter or email message. Its important to make sure the font you choose for your correspondence, both printed and emailed, is clear and easy to read. Otherwise, your reader might not take the time to read your letter. This is particularly important when writing job application letters, such as titelbild letters. If an employer cannot easily read your letter because the font is too small or too difficult to read, they may not bother to look at your resume. Your best bet is to keep your font and font size simple and professional. Make sure your message not your font stands out. What Font to Choose Its important to select a font that is easy to read. You should select a font that is large enough so that the reader doesnt have to squint to read your letter, but not so big that your letter doesnt fit well on a single page. Using a simple font will ensure that your message is clear. Basic fonts like Arial, Cambria, Calibri, Verdana, Courier New, and Times New Roman work well. Avoid novelty fonts like Comic Sans, or fonts in script or handwriting-style. What Font Size to Choose Once you have selected your font style, select a 10- or 12-point font size. The size will depend on how much content you have its best if you can format your letter so it fits on one page. If your letter has a heading (such as a heading with your name and contact information), you might choose to make the heading font slightly larger (14 or 16). However, this is not necessary. Tips on Font Style In addition, avoid writing in all capital letters when you format your letter. Letters a nd email messages in all caps make it seem as if you are yelling. Also avoid underlining, bolding, and italicizing these can make text difficult to read. Include White Space Regardless of the font and font size, you select, there should be white space at the top, bottom, and sides of your letter. You also want to leave some white space between each paragraph, after the body of the letter and before your closing, and between the closing and your signature. A squished letter without enough spacing is hard to read. More Tips on Spacing Your Letter Keep your cover letter to one page or less. Email cover letters should be a few paragraphs long and be easy to scan.Align your cover letter to the left.For email cover letters, use your formatted email signature. Try a variety of font types and sizes to see which one allows you to fit your letter on one page, while still leaving some white space. You might also adjust the margins of the page to be slightly bigger or smaller to keep some w hite space while making the letter fit on one page. As a general rule, margins should be no wider than 1 and no narrower than .7. Proofread Be sure to thoroughly proofread your letter for grammar and spelling errors. Even if your font and font size are clear and easy to read, errors will make you look unprofessional. If this is a cover letter, an error might even cost you a job offer. More proofreading tips Read your letter out loud. Youll find any typos and might also spot opportunities to improve your word choice and sentence structure.Check and double-check the spelling of all company and personal names.Take a break before you review your final document. You may find errors with fresh eyes that you wouldnt have found right after writing the letter.Ask an eagle-eyed friend to review your letter before you send.For email cover letters, be sure to send yourself a test before emailing the document to a hiring manager. You might uncover spacing oddities and formatting errors that you wouldnt have seen without a test. How to Select a Font You may need to try a few font styles and size variations so your letter fits on a single page with enough white space that its not crowded. Below are steps to take when writing a letter and selecting a font size and style Select a font from the list at the top of your document before you start writing your letter, orschriftart your letter.Highlight the content of your letter.Either select the font from the pop-up window or select the font from the list at the top of the document.Select the font size you want to use the same way. Try some different fonts and font sizes until the letter fits onto one page. Again, make sure there is white space in your letter. Consider playing with the spacing and margins as well.Proofread letter. After completing and proofreading your draft, print your letter (even if you are going to upload it online or email it) to make sure that it is formatted, properly spaced, and looks the way you want.