You may be familiar with the phrase "dress for success," and for many businesses, that means protecting their image by hiring employees that meet their standards.

While that makes some folks with visible tattoos ineligible for a job, it also means employers are having to "rethink ink" to hire qualified applicants.

Jacquelin Dunn is covered in tattoos from her fingertips to her toes. She works for Walt Disney World, but behind the scenes.

"They're OK with my tattoos, because I'm not in the public; I'm in the kitchen," Dunn explained. "They don't allow any visible tattoos, but they let you cover them up."

That's a compromise more employers have been willing to make as tattoos in the workplace appear to become more socially acceptable.

"If their policies are too strict, they run the risk that they might forego a really skilled candidate," says Michelle Clark, with CareerSource Central Florida.

That's exactly why the Orange County Sheriff's Office says it made changes to its tattoo policy earlier in July.

"We wanted to take a look at the fact that tattooing — people using ornamentation on their bodies — is something that's more the norm nowadays," explained Capt. Angelo Nieves, with the Orange County Sheriff's Office.

The old policy would not allow deputies to have more than one tattoo that was larger than a notecard. Now, any tattoos smaller than a 3-by-5-inch index card can be visible on deputies' arms and legs. Tattoos on the hands and above the collar bone are still prohibited.

"There's a limit, obviously, on how much can be shown," Nieves said.

But with dozens of jobs to fill, the Sheriff's Office is now giving ink a second chance by reaching out to applicants they once denied.

"We think this gives us a greater opportunity to get individuals that are qualified — well qualified — to serve our community," Nieves said.

While the numbers of people opting for tattoo removal surgeries has increased in the past couple years according to the American Society of Dermatologic Study, the inking industry is alive and well.

Still, career advisors I spoke with say they will continue to recommend that all job seekers cover up visible tattoos to make themselves more hirable.