I figured that if they couldn't handle the concept, I didn't want to work for them (and I think most employers would only read that far once they'd decided to interview you).
I did think that if I went through a prolonged period of unemployment, I'd reconsider. :)
Comments to Paul: get rid of your O-levels and possibly some short jobs. Get rid of the apostrophe before "phone" because some employers will think you're pretentious. I don't know if techie employers like summaries - employers in fields I've been in hate them. Still, at least it wasn't a 'personal statement'!
You could shorten the blurbs for each job by omitting 'I did' and making it into points. If you could get it onto 3 pages max I really really would. If you do a printer-friendly version, make sure it's 11 or 12pt, well-spaced and that each page has your name on it for when they drop all the CVs (good advice from someone who admitted they'd done this and chucked all the CVs they couldn't match up again!) And it doesn't need to say CV at the top cos it's bleedin' obvious, and gives you more space.
in the vein of the first point I'd also have some worries about possible employers browsing your site where they would read (for example): - I'm generally recognised to be a complete slut - I'm a sadomasochist - I'm a big fan of threesomes and group sex
My own experience has been that mentioning these things after you start a job usually works out fine, but employers look for ways to 'include you out' rather than 'in' and being as upfront about these areas might scare them off unduly even though once they've met you they'll understand and be reasonable. One of the reasons I'm mostly on LJ as vampwillow rather than posting the same subject areas under my real name.
It may not be a perfect separation but employers have a strong tendency to employ people like themselves / like the people already employed in that company. If you make a great noise about being a goth - sub - slut them that might scare them away at the point of first contact.
What Paul puts on his private site is his own business. It's not as if he is putting 'enjoy getting a damn good sadomasochistic seeing to' in the 'hobbies and other interests' section of his CV. Then, perhaps, a little toning down would be in order. I think his skills are good and valuable enough for his sexual preferences to be academic to his selection, even unofficially. This, however, is personal choice. But the main thing is that Paul is very good at getting on with people, and in my experience this means that colleagues are less likely to 'include [him] out', as you put it. Confidence goes a long way.
As far as mentioning bisexuality on his CV is concerned, it is in the context of organising a conference. This is relevant to jobsearch because it shows organisational competence, team-working ability and a willingness to take responsibility - aspects of Paul which are not necessarily evident from the rest of his extensive (excuse me for saying this) 'geek' CV.
I've decided to stay out about these things while job searching - it's so easy to find out with the slightest poking about on the Web that I might as well be brazen about it. Especially since it seemed to actively help me get the job I just left - not because the interviewer was a perv, but just because it made me memorable.
just to clarify, I see nothing wrong with being open, not to say blatant (!), but was looking at this with a former employer's / interviewer's eye/mind. You can't always rely on the company being staffed by pervs (nice though that would be <g>!)
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
Just out of interest...
Date: 2003-07-04 05:36 am (UTC)I know there is equal ops and stuff involved in such issues... But just wondering if you ever wonder... Sorta thing :-)
Other than that - the C.V. looks fine to me, except maybe cutting out some of the earlier jobs for length issues...
Laterz
Re: Just out of interest...
Date: 2003-07-04 05:45 am (UTC)I did think that if I went through a prolonged period of unemployment, I'd reconsider. :)
Comments to Paul: get rid of your O-levels and possibly some short jobs. Get rid of the apostrophe before "phone" because some employers will think you're pretentious. I don't know if techie employers like summaries - employers in fields I've been in hate them. Still, at least it wasn't a 'personal statement'!
You could shorten the blurbs for each job by omitting 'I did' and making it into points. If you could get it onto 3 pages max I really really would.
If you do a printer-friendly version, make sure it's 11 or 12pt, well-spaced and that each page has your name on it for when they drop all the CVs (good advice from someone who admitted they'd done this and chucked all the CVs they couldn't match up again!) And it doesn't need to say CV at the top cos it's bleedin' obvious, and gives you more space.
Re: Just out of interest...
Date: 2003-07-04 06:28 am (UTC)- I'm generally recognised to be a complete slut
- I'm a sadomasochist
- I'm a big fan of threesomes and group sex
My own experience has been that mentioning these things after you start a job usually works out fine, but employers look for ways to 'include you out' rather than 'in' and being as upfront about these areas might scare them off unduly even though once they've met you they'll understand and be reasonable. One of the reasons I'm mostly on LJ as
It may not be a perfect separation but employers have a strong tendency to employ people like themselves / like the people already employed in that company. If you make a great noise about being a goth - sub - slut them that might scare them away at the point of first contact.
Re: Just out of interest...
Date: 2003-07-04 07:36 am (UTC)What Paul puts on his private site is his own business. It's not as if he is putting 'enjoy getting a damn good sadomasochistic seeing to' in the 'hobbies and other interests' section of his CV. Then, perhaps, a little toning down would be in order. I think his skills are good and valuable enough for his sexual preferences to be academic to his selection, even unofficially. This, however, is personal choice. But the main thing is that Paul is very good at getting on with people, and in my experience this means that colleagues are less likely to 'include [him] out', as you put it. Confidence goes a long way.
As far as mentioning bisexuality on his CV is concerned, it is in the context of organising a conference. This is relevant to jobsearch because it shows organisational competence, team-working ability and a willingness to take responsibility - aspects of Paul which are not necessarily evident from the rest of his extensive (excuse me for saying this) 'geek' CV.
Re: Just out of interest...
Date: 2003-07-04 07:59 am (UTC)Re: Just out of interest...
Date: 2003-07-04 08:10 am (UTC)