Hayley O’Neil, 23, – who also has 20 body piercings – says was also advised to ”stand behind a wall” when she asked a job centre official what post she could apply for.
She eventually left the Job Centre Plus centre in Blackburn Lancs in tears without any interviews lined up after the advisor concluded: ”Who would hire you looking like that?”
Miss O’Neil, who got her first tattoo from her mother as an 18th birthday present said: ”I just felt so humiliated. I couldn’t believe what this guy was saying.
”I said I could take the piercings out but they look a lot worse when they are out.”
“The guy said: ‘on first impressions do you think anyone would hire you?’ He said: ‘look at it this way if you were to stand behind a wall – or put a paper bag over your face do you think you would have a better chance?’
“He then backtracked and tried to say that he was sorry and hoped I wasn’t offended but I was.
“He talked to me as though I was just going through a phase in my life, but this is my lifestyle choice, and this is who I am.”
However a spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions denied any inappropriate remarks had been made during the interview, adding “Job Centre Plus offers standard job hunting tips which include dressing appropriately when going for an interview or visiting a potential employer.”
I have been getting tattooed for over 25 years now and I still have not done my face neck or hands and I still have plenty of spots (ok , painful ones left on my body)
These days you see kids of 18 with full throat tattoos and hand tattoos, who then start working on their arms, not too smart if you ask me
That said with this woman I think its more the facial piercings than the tattoos that would put potential employers off
I love Tattoos thats why I am a member on here I have a half sleeve and plan on more but I also run a $8,000,000 fashion store in which I just couldn’t go overboard particularly anything visible would be a big career killer.
I interview a few times a year minimum for any vacancies we have and the odd little tattoo on some ones wrist or foot is no big deal for me but big pieces on visible areas forearms hands and neck no matter how good they may be it is an automatic no in a face to face service environment.
Any piercings that you can see through are again an automatic no and having multiple face piercings are again a no.
I am all for its your body and you can do what you want to it but looking like that screams unemployable to me and if there is someone with the same skills as you but they are more presentable they will get the job thats life.
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