Joe parson
21 years old have been rejected around 30 interviews. He said they keep
rejecting him because of the tattoo on his neck.
He says he
got the tattoo in the memory of his grandfather while working in the factory.
He says he
is tired of covering it with high necked shirts though the tip of the Tattoo is
still visible above the collar line.
Joe said: ‘Before I got the tattoo people thought I was a happy, confident person. Now it feels like people think I’m full of myself and that I don’t give a damn.
‘That’s just not who I am. I’m just a normal person and all I want is a decent job. There’s definitely a stigma attached which there shouldn’t be. I do think it’s a form of discrimination.
‘It’s not down to the skills I have and in every interview they haven’t given me a good reason. Now I feel like I’ve got ‘don’t hire me’ written all over my neck.
‘I don’t want to get it removed. It
means so much to me. I still don’t regret it at all though. I’m proud of it
because it means so much. What I regret is how other people perceive it.’
Joe left his
former job at Mcvites to care for his sick mother who was suffering from PTSD.
He started
looking for a job since January and have attended 30 times interview at Topshop,
Next, TK MAXX where he worked previously but he was turned down.
He said nobody has explicitly mentioned his tattoo but he added: ‘As soon as I sit down they look me in the eyes and then I see their gaze drop down to my neck where they stay for a few seconds.
‘Then they look up again and go on with the interview. I can telling they are pre-judging me even before the interview has started.’
Joe has three other non-visible tattoos including roman numerals on his neck and a diamond on his forearm.
Joe has been supporting him mum financially said the situation has become desperate in the run up to Christmas.
‘I have been going to more interviews in the past three months as it’s coming up to Christmas and my savings are running out,’ he explained.
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