tattoos

A candidate shows up at our house for a coaching session with our son Rob. Rob introduces Jim to me. He looks like he would fit the part of a firefighter. Tall, muscular, dressed in a suit, shoes shinned, and a strong firm handshake with good eye contact. A great first impression if he had just entered an oral boardroom. Then, as he turned his head slightly, out of the corner of my eye, I see something on his neck behind his ear. I asked, “What is that?” As he turned his head more he said, “That’s a tattoo of a scorpion.” But, I have a good story to go along with it.” I said, “There isn’t a story you could tell me in an oral board, without opening a can or worms, that would convince me it was a good idea you planted a scorpion that spread out behind your ear down your neck.”

Now if I saw it that soon so would a panel member.

What ever your opinion is on tattoos, understand who’s doing the hiring. It’s not you or any one of your friends who also like tattoos, color, so called art work or tatts.

As one officer wrote:

"Tattoos don’t change people"

No but they do tell everyone who sees them something about you. And that something is nothing you can control, change or alter in most cases. Ask your self why you did or would get inked. You want to tell the world something about yourself, make a statement or be different. Yep you did. Just like the way you choose to cut your hair, the number of piercings, clothes or the people you associate with.

Then, I heard a comedian on XM Radio say about a guy with a neck tattoo, “Oh, you forget not to do it. You were considering getting the neck tattoo but you decided it would be stupid. Then you forgot how stupid it was.”

You’re not auditioning to be a pirate in a movie, but a firefighter. Anything about being patriotic, a lot of firefighters have tattoos (probably not before they got hired), doesn’t carry any weight.

So, maybe your tattoo is not visible with a suit on. Remember there will an agility, a medical in your future where every inch of your body will be seen, a background and psych questionnaire will more than likely ask you if your have any tattoos or have you ever branded your self. This will not work in your favor.

The candidate with the scorpion tattoo said as he was leaving he, “I have already looked into having it removed and was going to go a head and do it. Cost? $2,000. Before then, he would take the suggestion of using mortician’s wax to cover it up for any upcoming oral boards.

"Nothing counts 'til you have the badge . . . Nothing!"

Fire "Captain Bob" Author, Becoming A Firefighter
http://eatstress.com/goldpackage.htm

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