DUBAI: A former convict has taken to social media to try and find work after finding his face tattoo is putting potential employers off.

Mark Cropp, 19, was in jail in Christchurch, New Zealand, for armed robbery when he agreed to having “DEVAST8” permanently etched into his face.

He was jailed for two years after holding a tourist at knifepoint. He was joined in his cell by his brother and it was during a conversation on how to avoid trouble with other inmates that they decided to press ahead with the tattoo.

Now out, Cropp has found employers are not taking him seriously, with some telling him they would never hire someone with such a conspicuous tattoo.

But the eager-to-work reformed convict has taken to Facebook in a bid to find employment, so he can feed his baby daughter.

“Hey im keen as to work but have one thing that is stoping me and thats my tattoo on my face [sic],” Cropp posted on an employment on Facebook.

But Cropp told the NZ Herald employers remained reluctant to give him a chance.

“One employment place said to me: ‘I wouldn’t employ you with that on you face, I wouldn’t even take a second look at you,’” he said.

And he said others just “shrugged and laughed” at him.

He said his decision to post his plea on Facebook was made when he decided he could move past people judging him for the tattoo: “That’s why I made the decision to put that photo on Facebook, to turn around and say ‘I am just a normal human being, you do not have to judge me because of the way I look.’”