For Jacky Kirkpatrick, preparing for work each day as a hospital secretary takes a little extra work. First she has to take out her nose ring, and then make sure that her 16 tattoos are covered up.
Short-sleeved shirts are out and skirts and pants must be long enough to cover the tattoos on her calves, feet and ankles.

Her long hair is worn down to cover the large Aries sign on her neck.
It's tricky in the summer heat, but Kirkpatrick, 24, is insistent: "I can't show any of them at work."
Many young employees find themselves in the same boat.

It seemed like a great idea in college to get that tattoo of a giant tiger on the forearm or that silver barbell through the lip. But now that they're entering the "real world," potential employers aren't quite as enthusiastic about body modification.
Dr.

Randall Hansen, a career adviser and professor of marketing at Stetson University in Florida, says that "although opinions of tattoos may have softened a bit in the last one or two years, the vast majority of employers prefer to err on the side of conservative."
What to do? There's laser removal of tattoos of course, but that's expensive and tedious.

Besides, maybe you don't want to permanently remove your body art or jewelry.
Mark Spallone, 24, of Greenwich works at an engineering firm and is able to keep his five tattoos hidden under a shirt.
A tattoo artist suggested he think carefully about being able to cover them up if need be, for job interviews and meeting new girlfriends' parents.

It turned out to be good advice.