Tattoos no longer a workplace taboo, top earners want bigger paychecks, and more top insights

What’s happening in the world of work: The Saturday edition of the Daily Rundown highlights the business trends, perspectives, and hot topics you need to know to work smarter. Read on and join the conversation.

Hiring managers may be warming up to tattoos. While conventional wisdom holds that body art is unwelcome in the workplace — and there’s research to back that up — a few signs suggest a possible thawing. Researchers at the University of Western Australia and the University of Miami found that tattooed and non-tattooed applicants enjoyed similar levels of employment and income. And some employers in fields that are short on workers — like health care — are dialing back on their dress code and appearance restrictions. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Big earners want even bigger paychecks. 37% of those who earn more than $100,000 say they're underpaid, according to a recent survey by Robert Half. Why do they feel like they’re getting a raw deal? In some cases, such lofty incomes don’t go too far, Money reports. In one of the world’s most expensive cities San Francisco, a four-person household earning $117,400 a year or less is considered low income by the federal government. The other part? Our sense of wealth is often based less on numbers and more on how we feel and what those around us make. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Hot topic: Get back into gear

Welcome to September. It’s time to get your act together. Here are a few ways you can up snap out of the lazy days of summer and hit the ground running. ? Here’s what people are saying.  

• The best to-do list? The kind with just one item. JotForm CEO Aytekin Tank recommends that, instead of drawing up a laundry list of tasks, dial everything down to a single daily objective. Simplifying your goals will keep you from getting sidetracked by less important, time-consuming activities.
• Tight deadlines beat flexible ones: Lengthy deadlines tend to psyche us out, convincing us that such tasks are harder than they really are, according to research by Johns Hopkins’ Meng Zhu. To maintain momentum, break long-term projects down into small pieces with tight turnaround times.
• To kill distraction, give yourself more to do: We’re more likely to dawdle when we’re not feeling appropriately challenged, writes productivity expert Chris Bailey. Complicated tasks require much more energy and focus from us, which helps us separate tasks that are essential from those that aren’t.

You Asked: "What is the optimal time in one’s career to pursue an MBA?" — Brian James Flores

• “There’s no one perfect time to pursue an MBA. It depends on where you are in your career — where you are today, where you want to be and how you intend to get there. In general, you most likely will benefit from an MBA when (1) you have a track record of leadership (you enjoy it, you are good at it, you want to continue doing it), (2) you can articulate a career vision that can be achieved with the help of an MBA education and (3) you like being in school. One also could argue that if your career is stalled, an MBA can re-energise you by learning new skills. Whether you are in Year 2 or Year 20 of your career, there exists a range of educational opportunities to enhance your career success.” — Marie Mookini, principal at The Admission Advisory Group
• “The optimal time in your career to get an MBA is when you have a clear goal for pursuing the degree. For many, this means working in the real-world for at least five years after finishing college. This allow candidates to gain experience that will increase their competitiveness as an applicant, clarify their goals, and helps them choose the type of MBA (full-time, online, executive) that works best for their individual needs. For others, the best time to pursue an MBA may be mid-career when pursuing a major switch. The long-term value of an MBA can far outweigh the time and money invested if it’s timed strategically in one’s professional journey.” — Dawn Graham, director of career management, Wharton MBA Program for Executives

Looking for career advice from the pros? Submit your questions in the comments with #YouAsked and we’ll take care of the rest.

Asking for a raise? Here’s your game plan. Given the disappointing statistics surrounding wage growth, you’re going to have to ask for one. In that case, timing is everything. You’re more likely to hear positive news when you ask on the heels of a big win at work, advises negotiation consultant Devon Smiley. Even better is if you time your request around your job’s budgeting season, says Smiley. Organisations usually have some salary wiggle room in the months leading up to finalizing their spending for the year. ? Here’s what people are saying.

One last idea:  Managing people who have more experience or specific knowledge than you do can be a harrowing experience. But, as Jebbit CEO Tom Coburn notes, honesty is always the best policy.

“It’s easy, especially as a first-time founder, to try to overcompensate for areas of insecurity or doubt, but I’ve found a strategy that works better than trying to be someone who I’m not—admitting where I don’t have expertise, and also, where I do.”

What's your take? Join the conversations on today's stories in the comments.

— Scott Olster