A cautionary tale from the US for anyone who has ever sent an explicit message.

A man lost his new job after he managed to send not one, but two, photographs of his genitals to the female HR manager at a Chicago firm that recently offered him a job.

The unidentified individual confused the number of the HR director with that of a woman he was apparently trying to seduce, according to the Chicago Tribune.

When his first text, showing a picture of his genitals, failed to get a response, he followed it up with another between 11 and 13 August. He then decided to call the woman, receiving what we can only assume was a nasty shock.

The HR director decided to call the police after the man revealed his identity.

"There was a conditional offer of employment made to this particular applicant," Chicago police chief Michael Ruth told the local newspaper. "He texted the HR director and sent a nude photo of himself."

Although the HR director eventually decided not to press charges, the man has been warned against contacting her.