DEAR ABBY: I am disturbed by the way some people categorize others. I will use myself as an example.
I have eight piercings in one ear -- none in the other -- and a tongue ring. (I also have a couple of tattoos, but they are not visible.) Right away, people put me in the "freak" category. What they do not know is that I am the mother of a beautiful 5-month-old girl. I am totally responsible for her and work very hard to give her a "normal" life without a father.
I need a job, and when I am on interviews, everything goes great until they notice my tongue ring. Then the interviewer's attitude changes completely.
People have different ways of showing their individualism, Abby. For some, it's through art, clothes, hairstyles, etc. I won't say I never "judge a book by its cover," but I try not to. I wish employers would take the time to get to know people before they judge them. -- OUT-OF-WORK MOM
DEAR OUT-OF-WORK: First impressions do count. Most employers are conservative and expect a certain amount of conformity from prospective employees. Before your next interview, remove the tongue ring. In time -- once you've proven yourself to be a valuable employee -- perhaps you can start revealing more of your individualism in stages. Good luck.