A 19 year old New Zealand man has complained that he struggled to obtain employment because of a tattoo covering half his face.

If only it was felt tip

Mark Cropp had previously been serving a two year jail sentence for aggravated robbery.  His cell mate, also his brother, gave him the tattoo after the siblings got inebriated on an alcoholic drink that they had created. Cropp opted for his nickname "Devast8" to be inked on his face, but soon regretted it. The writing was originally supposed to be tiny and just along the jawline but the font size increased massively after the pair had had a skinful.

Cropp looked for a job after being released from prison, but employers said that they wouldn't hire him and laughed at him, right in his unfortunate face. He became devast8ed frustrated at employers being unable to see past the colouring of his skin and posted a photo of himself on a Facebook jobs board saying that he wanted to work. The post received plenty of attention (including "proud of you son" from his Mum in the comments section). Cropp was subsequently inundated with job offers and is due to start work at a scaffolding company next week.

He'll also have the tattoo erased by laser surgery after a local business offered to do it for free. Other options were available:

He could have tattooed in the gaps

He could have cultivated a beard in it

He could have played mind games