Avoiding the “Job-Stopper” Tattoo: An Exploratory Study on the Placement of Tattoos Among College Undergraduates

Designed as an exploratory case study, this analysis focuses on the determining factors for the placement of tattoos on the body among undergraduates. Previous tattoo literature has predominantly focused on reasons for getting tattoos or the deviance associated with tattooing and tattooed populations. Little research exists on the process and placement of tattoos on the body, especially among the undergraduate population seeking to one day enter white-collar careers where tattoos are still not entirely accepted. Through in-depth interviews with students with “visible” and “non-visible” tattoos, the study finds that placement of tattoos is not simply an individual choice based on aesthetics but rather is based on a combination of several social factors, including controlling tattoo visibility, social relationships, and future employment, among other social elements.