British backpackers complain they can't find work

Sebastian Pickersgill and Maree Fowler are struggling to find work. Photo / Facebook

A pair of professional body piercers who are covered in tattoos and have split tongues have complained they can't find work in Australia.

The British backpacking couple took to social media to ask for help finding jobs, but many on Facebook weren't so sympathetic.

Sebastian Wolfe Pickersgill wrote on the Australian Backpackers 2019 page that the pair had been travelling Australia for about a month, news.com.au reports.

"We are both struggling to find employment at this moment in time," he said.

"But while I'm brainstorming and problem solving, who here knows of anywhere around the West Australia/Perth area that is currently wanting work or taking resumes or anywhere else that is actively seeking working staff."

Maree Fowler has more than 10 years' experience as a professional body piercer. Photo / news.com.au

But many on social media were quick to respond the couple were going to keep struggling to find work.

"Jesus, with such a degree of self mutilation that you both have, you are going to find it hard to find employment," wrote one man.

"I'm sorry but that's the truth. Your best bet is looking for work in a factory/packing job or something."

Another wrote, "wonder why" and suggested they try the circus.

"If you do this sh*t to your face then you deal with what comes with it," he said.

Pickersgill said he had nine years experience as a professional body piercer and his partner Maree Fowler had more than 10, working with 7 year olds through to 80 year olds.

The pair also do body suspension together – an extreme form of body modification where a person is strung up with large hooks through their flesh.

Someone suggested the couple would be better off in hipster Melbourne than in Perth.

One woman said they should try to be models, influencers or YouTube personalities with the way they looked.

"For a more conventional job, I am struggling to give you any advice rather than retail, farm work and community work," she said.

"I know it sucks, I have a few (modifications) as well, but face tattoos are still taboo in the workforce."

One business owner said at the end of the day the person without face tattoos always wins.

"I run a business in Melbourne and employ people, and you take every person as they are," he said.

"In saying that, if I have two candidates side-by-side with similar experiences and attitudes and one has no visual tattoos on their faces and the other does, I will employ the person with none.

"The reason being is some of my customers may not look at it as arty or the norm to look like this, so will be put off. I'm no fuddy duddy either and have tattoos also and have also hired people with tattoos and piercings, but not all over their faces."