Nude photos have ruined some promising careers over the years. Just ask former Congressman Anthony Weiner, who was forced to resign after private photos emerged on Twitter.
According to the Chicago Tribune, it’s a concept that a man in Elmhurst, Illinois knows all too well. But while Weiner’s motives seemed all too clear, this man’s reasons – we’ll call him "All Thumbs" – appear to be either accidental, self-sabotage, or some combination of the two.
To begin: All Thumbs lands a job interview with a prestigious company in St. Charles. He’s charming, he’s professional, he’s dressed well. He nails the interview. They love him, and think that All Thumbs would make a great addition to their team.
Shortly thereafter, an HR manager sends All Thumbs a conditional offer of employment. It’s unclear what, precisely, those conditions were, but given All Thumb’s ultimate fate, we can speculate that some kind of dress code was included.
It’s also unclear what All Thumbs’ reaction to the offer was. Receiving the email on his smartphone, one would imagine a general mood of excitement, mixed, perhaps, with a mild tinge of anxiety. A slight, nagging uncertainty about a new job, new coworkers, and a new beginning.
It is at this point that All Thumbs texts the HR manager a nude photo of himself.
Whether this photo was already readily available on his phone, or if he posed fresh, is also unclear. According to a report later filed with the Elmhurst Police Department, All Thumbs "admitted to sending the photographs, explaining they were actually meant for another individual and were sent to the victim in error."
This happens. But two days later, All Thumbs did it again. Another nude selfie to the same HR manager.
All Thumbs’ only saving grace was the fact that, at the time, the HR manager had no idea who was sending her these photos. It was only after he called for a follow-up, using the same cellphone, that the company was able to identify the phone number.
"My understanding is they’ve rescinded the offer of employment," Elmhurst Police Chief Michael Ruth told the Chicago Tribune.
Meaning that All Thumbs – a highly qualified though scantily clad candidate – is back on the job market. Maybe he should adjust his LinkedIn profile picture now and save everyone some time.
