anyone else unemployed?

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My mom finally found a job from the government for 800 a month. After 1 year they will forgive her student loan debt. She actually went down to the welfare center to volunteer but ended up getting a tiny opportunity because of her credentials. She's a phd and they asked her to evaluate a training program so I hope that something good comes of it! She will be able to network.
 
ssolitare said:
My mom finally found a job from the government for 800 a month. After 1 year they will forgive her student loan debt. She actually went down to the welfare center to volunteer but ended up getting a tiny opportunity because of her credentials. She's a phd and they asked her to evaluate a training program so I hope that something good comes of it! She will be able to network.
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1 year for the federal government to forgive your student loans? Especially a Ph.d program? Where the hell do I sign up?
 
ssolitare said:
My mom finally found a job from the government for 800 a month. After 1 year they will forgive her student loan debt. She actually went down to the welfare center to volunteer but ended up getting a tiny opportunity because of her credentials. She's a phd and they asked her to evaluate a training program so I hope that something good comes of it! She will be able to network.
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Not very good pay, but having your student debt wiped is worth it by itself. (And since she is a phd it's probably quite a bit).
 
ThoughtsOfSpeaking said:
Just got a job, haven't even started and I think I'm gonna hate it.

I'm just kinda bummed because I'm 28 doing the same shitty job that I had at 18. At least I can now train in the daytime and get my experience up all the while covering my bills while I look for a proper job.
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I was right and I haven't done a damn thing to better myself since I've been there except buy a online course which I don't study, weights I don't have time to lift and books that I'm too tired to read. Have saved maybe £500 total after working 5 months.

Every night I want to just walk out The job, but I know I cant. It's so fucked but at least I have one. Stay strong guys, you will get a job eventually even if it's one that is the working equivalent of pulling your own teeth.
 
Trancetronic said:
Although I'm not, it's really not worth your dignity working in retail/customer service industry. Sure it's a paycheck, and it gets the bills paid(and if you live with someone that you can work with, some cash to play around with), but I advice anyone who has common sense to never, ever work in retail. It will seriously make you a bitter person in the end.

If you can tolerate it, then that's cool. But sometimes when I go to work(I work in a retail pharmacy chain, guess which one) and by the time I leave, I wish I were unemployed.
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Honestly that's kind of true, it sucks. Both of my past two jobs were both retail/customer service. Previous job I worked at a call center for a company not known for it's customer service so people would get on my phone and yell at me from the start. The constant insults and badgering made me dread coming into work. Hoping I don't have to go back into retail or CS, but that's all my experience is in...
 
I have a lead doing something pretty close to (and slightly above entry level into) my dream career. Probably includes a 15-20% paycut over my previous helljob, but hey. Wish me luck!
 
keeblerdrow said:
Guys. GUYS. As you can see from my tag, I've been unemployed since August 2008. August. Two thousand and eight.

In that time, I've spent time rebuilding who I was after a terrible soul shattering job. I went back to school. I spent two years there and came out with a Bachelors and a good idea of what I'd want out of a grad program. I fell ill right after graduation and with the work of doctors and the help of my family was well enough to start looking for work again this past fall. In the time since I was let go I've had 3 different girlfriends, 2 changes of address, 3 birthdays, 2 cars, a multitude of low points, and more high points than those. I've made friends and saw them off to work elsewhere in the US and I've welcomed friends home from work abroad. I've been a boomerang kid for schooling and a fiercely independent person despite my circumstances. I've played video games, read books, started bicycling twice, learned a programming language and forgotten it, volunteered, attended a prom, converted a vegetarian with the power of ball park hot dogs, dated a kink and a vanilla in that order, created a chili recipe that I am proud of, reused the same box for fifteen different presents with no one noticing...

This whole phase of my life has passed. Today I got a job. And in the state of Michigan, too. It feels like I played the odds for the longest time straight and they finally fell in my favor. This is such a relief and I wanted to share it with you. This unemployment isn't forever. And if you're just coming into it, it's not as scary as you think.


Now mods, if you're reading this, let's get me a tag change.
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Congratulations man, this post made my day. There's definitely an upswing coming eventually folks, don't give up. Network like fucking crazy.

I landed another short-term gig starting at the end of this week, and it came to me by way of a fellow peer (someone else way low on the ladder at a previous show we worked at) who liked me because I made her laugh at lunch one day, and recommended me to someone when she was offered the gig and couldn't make it. Bam. You never know where work is going to come from, and in this case, it came from being nice to someone months and months ago for all of 20 minutes.

NETWORK LIKE CRAZY. Go out. Buy someone a drink who might hook you up down the road. Make new friends. Save every number and e-mail address. Shit happens when and where you least expect it.

PantherLotus said:
I have a lead doing something pretty close to (and slightly above entry level into) my dream career. Probably includes a 15-20% paycut over my previous helljob, but hey. Wish me luck!
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Awesome. Good luck man!
 
So interviewed with another ambulance company today. They gave me a conditional offer and will have an offer sheet for me on Wednesday. Thing is I accepted a position with another service last week. But this one that I just interviewed with is one of the larger companies in the county. Decisions.
 
God damn.

I had a discussion with my Dad last night over this accountancy program. I've got an interview lined up on Thursday, which I haven't prepped for at all. I just have zero motivation to actually do it, and I've been working (working until nine last night). I also have one tomorrow (I had a voicemail from the rep who organised it, but presumed it was the same one). Great. I've got a feeling they're ready to kick me off the course because they can almost smell I'm not as keen as I was.

In the meantime I've been freelance writing and am now on an income which can pay bills, allow me to buy things I want to buy and start to save money. There will also be no travel expenses, and it's more money than the accountancy. Actually, the accountancy apprenticeships are £100 a week which is dire for someone who is going to be 21 this year. Absolutely dire.

The result is that I don't really want to do accountant anymore. I was actually planning on giving my freelancing a go and seeing where that takes me. I feel like now is the time I have to make a big decision: do I want to train to be an accountant, and not do writing because I wouldn't have the time after work, or do writing and not do accountancy. It's one or the other.

I know if I mentioned this to my Mum, and my brother, who's coming home on Thursday, there will be a massive argument. I just don't want to do accountancy anymore.
 
I've been doing freelance stuff for the past couple of years, looking for something more steady. My last "real" job was doing home care for the mentally retarded. I really loved that job. I was asked to resign after committing a medication error while working with my favorite client, the biggest sweetheart ever. So that sucked and really hurt me, the part where his stomach had to get pumped more so than losing the job. When applications ask why I stopped working there, what do I say? I wasn't terminated, I resigned. Should I just lie and say it was over hours or something? Would my old supervisor tell them why I left if they call them?
 
ChanHuk said:
1 year for the federal government to forgive your student loans? Especially a Ph.d program? Where the hell do I sign up?
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There's a new program that will forgive your student loan debt after 10 years of civil service employment (assuming you've been making regular payments):

http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/PSF.jsp

Never heard of a 1 year program, however. In fact I didn't realize people actually could go into debt from Ph.D. programs, since I was under the assumption the majority of those programs were funded. Perhaps it's debt from an undergraduate or graduate position.
 
Thoroughly recommend that if you live in a city with a major university, to look into some sort of temp program they have for filling their internal needs. I'm definitely working at a lower paying position than when I was in Chicago while in the private sector, but after awhile I did get a permanent position (and my girlfriend got one after her first assignment... if you get placed temporarily in something they're looking to fill permanently, it gives you an undeniable leg up) and it's a foot in the door with both the school and the state and in my case, there are no insurance premiums for standard health which is essentially another $150 a month over my last job.

If you're on Unemployment, you may or may not make as much but at least you'll continue to work with a reputable employer and won't have a huge gap in your work history.
 
PantherLotus said:
I have a lead doing something pretty close to (and slightly above entry level into) my dream career. Probably includes a 15-20% paycut over my previous helljob, but hey. Wish me luck!
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Good luck! The pay cut will sting (until you adjust), but it'll still be better than unemployment pay, and you'll be doing something you love.



whitehawk said:
Do what you love. You won't be happy if you go into something you don't like for the money/stability.
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This is definitely true. While it can be (very) difficult to find a job doing something you love, once you do fine one, it's pretty great. I got lucky enough to land such a job, and while work is still work, it's very nice not hating the work I do. Good pay is also nice. :)


Again, like I've said here before, it took me a year to find this job, but it was worth it. I passed on 2 other job offers because they weren't the step up I was looking for.

Never give up, GAF. And never stop looking.
 
For those of you that are unemployed, the company I work at has two open positions at the moment (work from home). These are:

1. Someone to do pure HTML/CSS/Jquery work and some webmastering work on our main website. Part of this will involve turning a lot of PSD's into designs/user interfaces.

2. Someone to focus 100% on managing and creating WordPress Themes (Probably Genesis Framework).

If you're proficient in either area (and have the skills/portfolio to back it up) shoot me a PM and I'll give you the appropriate email for my boss.
 
^^ I wish I could take you up on that, 1stStrike.^^ I have literally given up hope. I wish I could stay positive but it's hard when you constantly meet a dead end.
 
ChanHuk said:
1 year for the federal government to forgive your student loans? Especially a Ph.d program? Where the hell do I sign up?
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She tried to volunteer at the Welfare Reform Office and landed a small something due to her credentials.

It's terrible pay for them wanting her to dedicate 35-40 hrs per week, still soul crushingly terrible. They told her to still apply for her unemployment, welfare or whatever government assistance programs. Regardless, she will be able to make contacts and hopefully network her way into something nice long before a year is up.

Shes def nearing $100k in debt and it'll be forgiven after a year as they informed her. Her debt is from Masters and PhD, not undergrad.

Seriously, try to volunteer at a welfare reform office (if you have one).
 
ssolitare said:
She tried to volunteer at the Welfare Reform Office and landed a small something due to her credentials.

It's terrible pay for them wanting her to dedicate 35-40 hrs per week, still soul crushingly terrible. They told her to still apply for her unemployment, welfare or whatever government assistance programs. Regardless, she will be able to make contacts and hopefully network her way into something great.

Shes def over $100k in debt and it'll be forgiven after a year as it stands.

Seriously, try to volunteer at a welfare reform office (if you have one).
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If she's going to have $100k in debt forgiven after a year I'd say that's a good deal (even for 800/month, hopefully your dad's working as well). Not trying to offend, but I've never heard of anything like that. This is in the US?
 
SolKane said:
If she's going to have $100k in debt forgiven after a year I'd say that's a bargain if anything. Not trying to offend, but I've never heard of anything like that. This is in the US?
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Yes, this is in the US. Also I made a mistake, it's not over 100k, but near there. And nah, my mother is staying with me until she can get off of her feet with something permanent.

I've heard of 3-5 year programs. For example, the government paid for my buddy to do his Masters in Comp Sci on the condition that he would work for them after he's done. They said that after 3 or 5 years (can't remember) his loan debt from undergrad will be cleared.
 
I hope each and every single one of you find something out there. It's extremely hard and I've seen my friends fight out there. Our generation is getting its ass handed to it.

My wife and I both work as RNs and prior to that CNAs. We both got our BSN's about two years ago and have been employed since. We're lucky.

There are plenty of jobs in nursing (CNA, LPN, RN). It requires a very particular someone, its extremely hard, and you work in twelve hour shifts, but I personally love it.
 
All the loans must be federal and this federal job must have some special ability to write that stuff off.

Insane perk for a job IMO. Without signing a contract for X years or anything??
 
BigDug13 said:
All the loans must be federal and this federal job must have some special ability to write that stuff off.

Insane perk for a job IMO. Without signing a contract for X years or anything??
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Yeah, that's what I was thinking too and I don't know all of the details of course. Unless they became so since obama took office and things changed as we all know, they were not ALL fed loans before. I'll update on the details when everything becomes official next week.

She was supposed to start last week, but the main hiring squeeze has been sick with bronchitis. We'll see, at least things are moving now.
 
Out of work for 6 months. Former boss may have poisoned the well for me, I can't tell. Never seem to get callbacks after the agreeing to a background check. So I call the employer yesterday and ask them what they tell people doing employment confirmation. They use 'theworknumber.com' service. Not sure if they give different info to different parties depending. But all it seems to show is my payrate and dates of employment...

So I bit the bullet and accepted a job making 13 bucks an hour. Hurts man...it hurts. But I need income so..fuck it. It's easy work, but I so regret getting into the private sector like you wouldn't believe. If I could have warned myself four years ago, I'd shake myself by the shoulders. Private companies are so damned inconsistent and the politics...goddamn.

Anyway, don't kill yourself dude. A month is nothing, and you never know when you'll get a job. I know where you're at, you have got to drag yourself past that shame and loss of confidence. What was broken can always be mended.
 
Quit the programme, and told parents. Feel quite sick in my stomach at the moment, perhaps due to nerves. Parents aren't 100% happy, asking what I plan to do in the long term and "in the future" as they keep saying. Got a feeling it's going to be hell around here for the next few days.
 
Wow, so after signing my offer sheet with Pacific Ambulance. Doctors Ambulance left me a message asking me to come in for testing. They run BLS backup for southern part of the county's fire departments and originally who I wanted to work for. Do I give it a shot even though I already signed an offer sheet?
 
ChanHuk said:
Wow, so after signing my offer sheet with Pacific Ambulance. Doctors Ambulance left me a message asking me to come in for testing. They run BLS backup for southern part of the county's fire departments and originally who I wanted to work for. Do I give it a shot even though I already signed an offer sheet?
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Unless you signed a contract prohibiting you from leaving without penalty, you're free to walk from the other job.
 
Zoe said:
Unless you signed a contract prohibiting you from leaving without penalty, you're free to walk from the other job.
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There's no penalty, there is a non-compete clause though preventing me from working with a competing service because of conflict of interest.
 
ChanHuk said:
There's no penalty, there is a non-compete clause though preventing me from working with a competing service because of conflict of interest.
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that wording on things like are usually with regards to concurrent employment. shouldn't be a problem to leave one place for another.


Also, this is probably the wrong thread to ask this question in, but can anyone from Germany, Munich, specifically talk a little to the cost of living there? I am an American who is going to be speaking with a company over there about an opportunity (currently hold a great job in the US but I am not entirely happy in) and I am curious about cost of living and what my US and German tax situation could be like. They've asked about salary up front and I said between 47k-53k EU which is something like $60k-66k US.
 
1stStrike said:
For those of you that are unemployed, the company I work at has two open positions at the moment (work from home). These are:

1. Someone to do pure HTML/CSS/Jquery work and some webmastering work on our main website. Part of this will involve turning a lot of PSD's into designs/user interfaces.

2. Someone to focus 100% on managing and creating WordPress Themes (Probably Genesis Framework).

If you're proficient in either area (and have the skills/portfolio to back it up) shoot me a PM and I'll give you the appropriate email for my boss.
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Do you have any info regarding 1? As much as I'd like to apply to these jobs, I am really modest about my skillset and assume that I'm usually not up to snuff. So I guess my question is - do YOU have any examples of stuff your company has done? If this breaches any privacy issues, that's ok. PM me if you'd like.
 
keeblerdrow said:
Guys. GUYS. As you can see from my tag, I've been unemployed since August 2008. August. Two thousand and eight.

In that time, I've spent time rebuilding who I was after a terrible soul shattering job. I went back to school. I spent two years there and came out with a Bachelors and a good idea of what I'd want out of a grad program. I fell ill right after graduation and with the work of doctors and the help of my family was well enough to start looking for work again this past fall. In the time since I was let go I've had 3 different girlfriends, 2 changes of address, 3 birthdays, 2 cars, a multitude of low points, and more high points than those. I've made friends and saw them off to work elsewhere in the US and I've welcomed friends home from work abroad. I've been a boomerang kid for schooling and a fiercely independent person despite my circumstances. I've played video games, read books, started bicycling twice, learned a programming language and forgotten it, volunteered, attended a prom, converted a vegetarian with the power of ball park hot dogs, dated a kink and a vanilla in that order, created a chili recipe that I am proud of, reused the same box for fifteen different presents with no one noticing...

This whole phase of my life has passed. Today I got a job. And in the state of Michigan, too. It feels like I played the odds for the longest time straight and they finally fell in my favor. This is such a relief and I wanted to share it with you. This unemployment isn't forever. And if you're just coming into it, it's not as scary as you think.


Now mods, if you're reading this, let's get me a tag change.
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Very encouraging and uplifting post, and congrats for getting a job in my state :)
 
bubnbob said:
Do you have any info regarding 1? As much as I'd like to apply to these jobs, I am really modest about my skillset and assume that I'm usually not up to snuff. So I guess my question is - do YOU have any examples of stuff your company has done? If this breaches any privacy issues, that's ok. PM me if you'd like.
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We're a pretty large company. You can basically see what you can expect at our main site:

Site5

And our engineering site which shows off our current systems:

Eng5

We also have other brands, internal web-based tools and the like, which would probably be part of this task. Right now we have an entirely new billing system in the works, so part of this job may constitute prettying that up for its release later this year.
 
So I'm applying for a part-time bank teller positions at numerous banks

what should I put for my objective statement? At the moment, I have "To obtain a growth-oriented opportunity within a financial industry as well as gain & practice valuable experience."

But I dunno, sounds too generic and almost copied
 
Gila said:
So I'm applying for a part-time bank teller positions at numerous banks

what should I put for my objective statement? At the moment, I have "To obtain a growth-oriented opportunity within a financial industry as well as gain & practice valuable experience."

But I dunno, sounds too generic and almost copied
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Try credit unions. They are made up of people with hearts. They won't mind if it sounds generic.
 
Gila said:
So I'm applying for a part-time bank teller positions at numerous banks

what should I put for my objective statement? At the moment, I have "To obtain a growth-oriented opportunity within a financial industry as well as gain & practice valuable experience."

But I dunno, sounds too generic and almost copied
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Do you have to put an objective? A cover letter will accomplish the same thing in a more effective way anyway.
 
So what percentage of everyone's job search is blindly sending applications and what percentage is "ground work" like contacting former employers, e-mailing coworkers, e-mailing people you can find a tangential connection with and asking about opportunities? I feel like I don't send out a ton of applications, but there are a SHITTON of people I have semi-regular contact with that know I'm looking.
 
How in need of a job are you? Get into contact with those you are closer with to see if they can get you anything. If not just blind drop your resume and show face at businesses. I swear, it seems like those online applications are pointless.
 
Activities and Interest section in a resume, Y/N?

I've been told multiple things by multiple people before:

* Leave it out completely
* Have one, and put in things that are relevant to the type of work I do (which is what I have now)
* Have one, but show things that are different and unrelated to the type of work (hobbies, etc)

The argument against putting relevant work like items is that I would seem like a very one-sided, and the argument for putting unrelated is that no one cares.

Thoughts?
 
Well, had two interviews last week, after being unemployed since graduating college nearly a year ago.

This fucking blows. I don't even know what to do anymore. I'm so beyond depressed, and that's very unlike me. Honestly, I can't remember being seriously "depressed" since maybe middle school...? But I just feel like I'm never, ever going to catch a break.

I had one phone interview with a previous employer. I worked for this company, seasonally, for about a year and a half. I absolutely rocked the position. Had perfect attendance, went above and beyond, broke sales goals every week by a huge percentage even though the store as a whole was going down week after week. I won employee of the month, I was recognized by everyone, the store owner liked me, the manager liked me, the janitors liked me. I was a superstar. So, now that I have my degree, and saw they were hiring for an Advertising Manager position, I decided to get in touch with the store manager and see if he'd give me an interview. A couple days later, I got a 20 minute phone interview with the HR lady (who also loved me back in the day), and I absolutely destroyed every question. I did a fantastic job. She said I should hear back in a week or so.

A couple days later, I had a phone interview, and then a face-to-face interview for a different position for a different company. Both went exceptionally well, and they set me up for a third interview, this time with the CEO of the company. I went in, dressed well, and was kicking ass. The guy really liked me, and we had a great conversation. But he said that he really liked me - and he always trusts his secretary's (the lady who interviewed me before) judgement, and she said he HAD to see me - but that he was just picturing someone older with more experience. He said if they had a lower position, he'd hire me right there. But at the very least, he'd get back to me in a couple weeks.

It's now been nearly two weeks. I gave an email thank you to all of them (first job, and secretary and CEO of second job), and sent a hand-written thank you to both at the second job.

I haven't heard anything back. :-( And so I'm now $120 poorer (gas, tie), a further three weeks without a job, and still at square one.

I've seriously just been carpet bombing applications. 99% never get back to me. And the 1% that do, always - ALWAYS - love me, but end up going with someone else b/c of my experience/age; even though I know I'd kick ass and exhibit my skills well during the interview.

Ugh. I hate this. I'm so broke. My student loans can't be differed anymore. I have no income. My family is pressuring me. I feel like a loser. I just... I just want a good job in my field. That's it. I don't know why that's so difficult.


Sorry for the rant. I just need to vent.
 
Well, been unemployed since October 2011. Everyone at my company got let go due to the parent company. All assets liquidated or shipped back to New York. On unemployment benefits and currently waiting for my tax refund. Took care of a few debts I had while I worked at least. Not sure what to do since I have so much free time again. My parents would occasionally nag me to find a job. Applied at a few places with no responses as usual. Not really freaking out. I have so much times on my hands, I don't know what to do with it.
 
So the offer I got wasn't an offer at all. It's a part-time gig making half of what I need with some amorphous hope of turning it into a full-time thing after a couple months. I'm so disappointed because I love the company, or at least what it's attempting to do.

I'm going to do the PT thing for a month or so, but the truth is it's a terrible investment of time and I know it. Still applying for PR positions locally, looking for online/WFH editing jobs nationally.
 
Gila said:
Yeah that's true, hmm maybe I will leave it out then.

Leaves more room for info then :D
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I am Employment Counsellor-GAF. For more than 5 years now with an additional 3 years as a Recruiter on top of that.

Always have an objective. With so many resumes pouring in, employers need to be able to see quickly what it is you are applying for ... Especially since recruiters may be looking for people for multiple positions. Half the time a cover letter for an entry level position doesn't even get read if the recruiter doesn't make it past the resume. In addition Search Engines in resume databases scan for keywords when recruiters conduct a search. Having the job title in your objective is critical.

Your objective should be simple stating clearly and concisely what you are applying for. In your case - OBJECTIVE: The position of bank teller

Dont make the mistake of going down the "a rewarding career in a challenging environment" route. That type of objective tells the recruiter and/or a search engine scanning for keywords, nothing.
 
AlphaTwo00 said:
Activities and Interest section in a resume, Y/N?

I've been told multiple things by multiple people before:

* Leave it out completely
* Have one, and put in things that are relevant to the type of work I do (which is what I have now)
* Have one, but show things that are different and unrelated to the type of work (hobbies, etc)

The argument against putting relevant work like items is that I would seem like a very one-sided, and the argument for putting unrelated is that no one cares.

Thoughts?
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Leave it out completely. Skills that are relevant to what you are a applying for would likely serve you better being added to your professional profile section or summary of skills section.

if you absolutely must put it in put in things relevant to the type of work you do. You are correct that unrelated things -- they don't care.
 
AlphaTwo00 said:
Activities and Interest section in a resume, Y/N?

I've been told multiple things by multiple people before:

* Leave it out completely
* Have one, and put in things that are relevant to the type of work I do (which is what I have now)
* Have one, but show things that are different and unrelated to the type of work (hobbies, etc)

The argument against putting relevant work like items is that I would seem like a very one-sided, and the argument for putting unrelated is that no one cares.

Thoughts?
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For what it's worth, I am actively hiring people and I either don't look at it, or if I do i don't take it seriously as a metric to determine employment. You either don't know how to do the job or you do, what you do outside of work is fluff.
 
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