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Tom Murrell wrote:
>One of the reasons I have argued against putting extraneous information on
a
>resume (or a CV, Jane, cultural differences notwithstanding) is that you
give
>people information unrelated to job qualifications on which they can make a
>decision. <snip>
>I structure my resume this way to keep it focused on the specific things I
want
>a prospective employer/client to know that qualify me for the job. I don't
want
>to give them anything (including dates that might indicate my age) that
would
>give them a reason to include me out.
> I freely admit that my Vietnam service
>gives someone a possible handle on my age, within about 10 years. I suppose
it
>reflects a certain stubbornness on my part. (I can't imagine that I'd want
to
>work for someone who would have a problem with that; so I'd just as soon
let
>them eliminate themselves.)
Tom, cultural differences notwithstanding <g> I agree with what you're
saying. There's no point mentioning irrelevant activities but a lot of my
"outside interests" can be tweaked to sound relevant to the job and
interesting. The company's a multinational? Mention that I like to travel
and which countries I've visited in the past two or three years. The job
spec mentions organisational ability and initiative? Mention my various
activities helping to run a convention or an apa. And some things, like your
Vietnam experience, may put off employers - but only the ones I don't want
to work for. (Anyone who wouldn't hire me if they knew about my year working
for Oxfam Campaigns or my three years on Gay Scotland, for example...) If
something you're proud of is something that your employer is bigoted
against, it's going to be an uncomfortable working situation, and one
probably not worth getting into.
On the other hand - as you say: the primary purpose of a CV, whatever you
call it, is to land you an interview. If the "outside interests" section is
becoming dated, as someone else said, (hey, the nineties were over nearly
two years ago) then I'd drop it. I liked your description of a T-letter,
too - may try that next time I'm job-hunting.
Jane Carnall
"Do, or go to. There is no try," said Yoda, refusing Luke's best java.
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