When Trying to Find a New Job...

[IndianInlaw]

My friend used several psychotherapists as references.

It was suggested she not do this.

[kingsrings]

My friend used several psychotherapists as references.

It was suggested she not do this.

LOL. Oh my goodness. That sounds very Woody-Allenesque to me. I kind of run into the same problem though because I've been involved in both religion and politics, two very controversial bone of contentions with some people. If I ever had to give references, it would have to be from people who were involved in those fields, because that is what I am involved in. I don't want to shoot myself in the foot because putting down that I volunteered for the ******* political party is going to offend a boss. That one I haven't done for a while now though, so it wouldn't be an issue anymore. But with the church thing, since it is volunteer work, I would have to put it down for a reference and then the boss would know that I am a Christian. But I guess I wouldn't want to work with someone who had a problem with that anyway.

[Slartibartfast]

When my younger sister got a very prestigious summer internship with a famous national museum (14 accepted out of thousands of applicants), she was a bit nervous about her first day.  She walks in, her boss greets her by name (without having been introduced yet), and asks "So can you really gargle the Phantom of the Opera and balance fifteen things on your head at once?"

This was pre-Youtube and MySpace, but the boss had done a google search on my sister's name and found the page for her selective house (like a fraternity, but co-ed and less drinking) at college.  Where she had a picture of herself balancing a pizza box, a bottle of laundry detergent, a textbook, a soda can, a telephone, a bag of chips, a television remote, and half a dozen other things on her head at the same time.  It was from her "balanced budget" campaign for quad treasurer, and it was a great picture :-)

Luckily the selective house didn't have any pictures up from any activities that would have ruined job chances, but that experience made its way around the dorm and a number of other students decided to edit their own online profiles!

[goblue2539]

The email thing used to seem like common sense, and I got giggles out of it.  Then people started talking about it.  Colleges, job sites (a la Monster), resume classes, professors.... and STILL people wouldn't realize that they needed to open a new account.  That's when it started to bother me. 

For school, I use (drum roll, please) my school-assigned email address.  Go figure.  For work, I use my work address.  For anyone else, they better know me well enough to know that I'm a Michigan fan.

And I'd never use my current address to apply for a job at Ohio St either.

[ettacat]

I am taking a Microcomputer Applications class this semester. Part of the grade is setting up an account on facebook.com. Kind of like myspace. She told me that you would just die to see some of the other student's myspace and facebook accounts.

[Linley]

You know, kingsrings, I wonder about the political thing too. I used to work for a think tank that was of a particular political persuasion (not my political persuasion incidentally, but most of the time it really did not matter due to what I was working on.) Now I am finishing grad school and thinking of going back to think tanking (or to some other such job, Int'l org, NGO, something like that) and in that world they may know the politics of the place I used to work. I wonder if it will make any difference. I don't want to jeopardize my chances at some place that is of the opposite persuasion as where I used to work and I don't want to give people the impression that I am a rabid previousjob'spoliticalpersuasion (even if that would get me a job, the environment might be too difficult to handle.) I guess I just have to think up a good, polite explanation in case I am asked.

[twinkletoes]

You know, I would *hope* the interviewer would think it's prestigious enough to work on a political campaign, regardless of the political persuasion.  Do you really want a potential boss to say "wow, you worked on a political campaign to help elect So-and-So to political office!  Oh, it's too bad I voted for The Other Candidate, so it looks like you won't get the job, after all."

[Ohjustlovely]

Hah. This is just downright funny. But I'm sure if I were HR, I would be really annoyed to have to wade through such nonsense in order to get to the good applicants. My mother worked in a similar position once, and the worst she got was a filled-out job application with a blood stain. Written by the blood stain was, "Sorry, I cut myself". And because it is against policy to throw away any applications while the job was still open, she had to acknowledge it. She returned it in a plastic ziplock bag with a new application and a note to the applicant saying that perhaps they would like to fill out another application.

  Why not just photocopy it, dispose of the original and keep the copy?  Sounds a lot more easier.

[kingsrings]

You can't dispose of an original job application or a resume in most companies for a certain period of time. I once had the task of shredding a bunch of resumes/applications at a former job at a private college, and that was their policy. I think it was three years? I remember one of the resumes I shredded had a composite of photos of the applicant attached to it. Like something an actress would give to an agent or casting director. And for a job at a private college too, apparently. In some of the pictures she was bikini-clad. Maybe she really meant to send it to the Hooter's restaurant corporate office??

[twinkletoes]

"I once had the task of shredding a bunch of resumes/applications at a former job at a private college, and that was their policy. I think it was three years? I remember one of the resumes I shredded had a composite of photos of the applicant attached to it. Like something an actress would give to an agent or casting director. And for a job at a private college too, apparently. In some of the pictures she was bikini-clad."

Wow. I'm really, really hoping she was....Or maybe she thought....

You know what? I can't justify this one, it's just so out there!

[Lunadiana75]

Another one, over dress for the interview, seriously.  I interviewed at a nonprofit years ago.  It was a very relaxed and casual office but I still wore a 3 piece suit to the first interview.  The two women who interviewed me both wore jeans and sweaters.  As I was leaving one of them told me "This is a casual office, so you won't have to dress up everyday".  I smiled and said "That's a relief, because I really only have the one suit".  They both laughed at that one.  I worked there for two and half years, right upuntil I left for the Peace Corps and still keep in touch with my boss.  

[Lisbeth]

Do you at all look at the @something.com part? i am always worried i will be judged for what account i use. I do not really want to use my name as a normal e-mail address, but for jobs i will - so i tend to set up a new account - i.e. free - So i worry that I will somehow look bad


last time i looked i started with Yahoo and switched to Gmail

Well, originally my personal E-mail was on MindSpring, so the @ part of my E-mail address was "mindspring.com" the name part was just my first initial and last name.  Unfortunately for me, around the time of Hurricane Rita someone hacked that E-mail account and had my E-mails forwarded to "screwb-tch@yahoo.com".  I never found out who was responsible.  I'm still very, very, very angry at that jack-ss.

So, since I was already using "firstname.lastname@keenreader.com" for business purposes, it became my personal E-mail address as well.  I figure it's much less easy to hack than an address at a generic domain name.

I've used it to send resumes, but my resumes list my business on there (the name of which is the same as my screen name).  I suppose I could still use my old mindspring.com address since it's still there and still functional, but I'm scared of getting hacked again.  It made me feel really vulnerable, since at about the same time someone stole a credit card number from me (maybe the same person-I don't know).

[Slartibartfast]

I remember someone asking in a career seminar about listing former volunteer/jobs on a resume that would give a hint of race/orientation/age/religion/political leaning, and whether it's okay or not.

The career counsellor's response was basically, if it's something that would demonstrate skills useful to the job, list it.  If it's something you just happened to do and want to show you're a considerate person, leave it out.

His example was being the president of the LGBT alliance in college.  If you're applying to a job where leadership skills, organizational skills, or sensitivity to LGBT issues would be important, definitely list your office and what you did (at least the aspects that would pertain to your potential job).  On the other hand, if you're applying to a job somewhere you know isn't LBGT friendly AND there isn't much about your experience that would apply to your new job (pig farmer's assistant, perhaps?), it's okay to leave it off unless it makes up a big chunk of your employment history.

[NOVA Lady]

You know, kingsrings, I wonder about the political thing too. I used to work for a think tank that was of a particular political persuasion (not my political persuasion incidentally, but most of the time it really did not matter due to what I was working on.) Now I am finishing grad school and thinking of going back to think tanking (or to some other such job, Int'l org, NGO, something like that) and in that world they may know the politics of the place I used to work. I wonder if it will make any difference. I don't want to jeopardize my chances at some place that is of the opposite persuasion as where I used to work and I don't want to give people the impression that I am a rabid previousjob'spoliticalpersuasion (even if that would get me a job, the environment might be too difficult to handle.) I guess I just have to think up a good, polite explanation in case I am asked.

To be honest with you at my place it doesn't really matter. We're in downtown DC and very political because of what we do and when we're looking most people who we interview have worked on campaigns and for various organizations.  As long as the person is able to get along with both sides and isn't close minded its fine. Its all about what the applicant got out of their experience.

[caranfin]

I don't want to jeopardize my chances at some place that is of the opposite persuasion as where I used to work and I don't want to give people the impression that I am a rabid previousjob'spoliticalpersuasion (even if that would get me a job, the environment might be too difficult to handle.) I guess I just have to think up a good, polite explanation in case I am asked.

I think it's a good screening device. If someone would refuse to hire you just because they think you're a particular party, you probably wouldn't want to work for them anyway.