What's the oddest thing you've seen listed on a CV?

[FelicityShagsWell]

What's the weirdest thing you've seen on a CV? I received one in application for a job and they had put a hobbies section in which they'd listed "smoking".

Didn’t get an interview

A bit of a diversion, but the green ink references reminded me.
Decades ago now, I worked in a small public sector department. Over many months we received various ranty explicit letters in green ink. Same address and same handwriting. Signed either by The Reverend Smith or Miss Whiplash.
Unsurprisingly, Miss Whiplash declared that she specialised in bondage. The Reverend Smith complained bitterly about such behaviour.

Had a chinese applicant for a UK role at a Chinese company I worked for who had won the "Fuhrer is Golden" award

I was once working with a fellow Libra and we both quietly despised another member of the team. We never discussed it except once when we were talking about star signs and birthdays and the other person asked me when that person’s birthday was and I responded, “she’s a Gemini if that’s what you’re asking.” And she answered, “Makes total sense.”

'Prombles' is my new favourite word.😁

quietly bins the green ink

Ffs. There is a BIG difference between proper travelling and going on a Jet2 fly n flop holiday.

My travels as a YA taught me a LOT about resilience, resourcefulness, and dealing with humans! Going places where modern comforts are not available definitely tests your character!

But if all you’ve done is package breaks, that’s all you will know I suppose.

👏👏👏

That's so nice and lovely to read.

Some people's strengths are in their ability to be practical and not academic. My nephew is the same, he has dyslexia but he excels at practical jobs.

Well done to your husband for giving this lad a chance.

Absolutely. I've used solo hiking trips in remote areas of the Highlands, staying in bothies, as an example in interviews of preparedness, initiative and being safety-conscious. It goes down well.

This thread is amazing.

Not an application, but I’ll never forget the applicant who said: “I was surprised to get an interview as I spent so much less time on this than the application for the job I actually want”

I used to have 'computer literate' on my cv in the first half of the 1980's when it was still relatively uncommon for people to know how to use one. Typewriters were still very much in evidence.

You have to admire the honesty. After all, we should be able to say we work for money, and want to buy stuff.

All this bowing down and paying court to the corporation is very grating.

Hobbies: Not being at work!

(yes, yes, my entire CV is dead straight down the line etc - but one can wish)

One included in his hobbies

”woodwind section of seasonal musical group”

turns out he played the flute in Orange parades

I should think so! That's a lovely piece of writing.

Nothing arrogant about it

When I was still working in a secondary school, we were urged to mark in green: it was supposed to be less threatening/negative than red ink.

I'd never use green ink for a note to someone. ISTR that it's associated with poison pen letters?

It’s associated with people who are a bit batshit or overly complaining. ‘Green ink brigade’ was a well known phrase when I worked in media many years ago

I miss the "laugh" reaction.

Not quite the same, but I once had to advise a secondary school pupil not to write about fundraising for the UVF in their (Scottish) Standard Grade folios.

Those who wrote about being in the "[Name of Town] Young Defenders Flute Band" had personal essays which weren't much better. No, it wasn't Larkhall.

Sadly he wasn't applying for that type of employment! I can see that saying that might work if you were applying for financial trading jobs, real estate etc, but not the type of steady salaried work he wanted.

Wasn’t lying though!

I just tried to tell my DH about "run very fast like a horse" but was laughing to hard to get the words out 😂 thanks op, this thread has properly tickled me!

A colleague was talking about her son and another lad and said ‘oh Virgo’s hate each other’ . I thought she was joking until two virgos appeared in the same room at work. They did. It was so weird: It’s only a small sample but she was right both times.

My DH was my former boss and I used him as a reference… mind you, this was before we got together but still a bit weird to think back.

We hadn't any jobs advertised but a man repeatedly emailed me asking for a chance to work for us. Then sent me a monopoly "do not pass go" card in the post. He'd crossed out "go" and written "by the opportunity of working with me". He then turned up at the office and sat in reception to wait for me.

1. There were no jobs available
2. I wasn't in a hiring position
3. He didn't know what I looked like so I just walked out.