On Wed, 27 Oct 2010 11:36:33 +0100, Invisible wrote:

> OK, so there's 4 thick, chunky paragraphs explaining just what a bad-ass
> I am. Are prospective employers going to care? Not really, no.

I'd second what Francois said - positive spin on things like "no formal 
training" is good (ie, "self-taught", which says "self-motivated" to a 
prospective employer).

Also remember that spelling and grammar count.  I learned interview 
techniques from a lawyer, and she pointed out that the way people write 
gives an impression of how they work.  If they're sloppy in their 
writing, chances are good that they're sloppy in their work.

Do they ask for 3 *professional* references, or 3 references?  Some 
companies want more than just professional references because they can 
find out more about a person's character from their friends.  In most 
cases, personal references are not a problem at all.

Good luck!

Jim

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On 27-10-2010 17:53, Jim Henderson wrote:
> On Wed, 27 Oct 2010 11:36:33 +0100, Invisible wrote:
>
>> OK, so there's 4 thick, chunky paragraphs explaining just what a bad-ass
>> I am. Are prospective employers going to care? Not really, no.
>
> I'd second what Francois said - positive spin on things like "no formal
> training" is good (ie, "self-taught", which says "self-motivated" to a
> prospective employer).
>
> Also remember that spelling and grammar count.  I learned interview
> techniques from a lawyer, and she pointed out that the way people write
> gives an impression of how they work.  If they're sloppy in their
> writing, chances are good that they're sloppy in their work.
>
> Do they ask for 3 *professional* references, or 3 references?  Some
> companies want more than just professional references because they can
> find out more about a person's character from their friends.  In most
> cases, personal references are not a problem at all.
>
You mean, like his dance teacher?

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On 27/10/2010 4:53 PM, Jim Henderson wrote:
> I'd second what Francois said

I'll third what Jim said and if you want a personal reference, I've met 
you and known you here for years so would be happy to give you a 
personal reference.

-- 

Best Regards,
	Stephen

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On Wed, 27 Oct 2010 21:47:32 +0200, andrel wrote:

> You mean, like his dance teacher?

That would be a good idea, yes. :-)

Jim

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>> I'd second what Francois said
>
> I'll third what Jim said and if you want a personal reference, I've met
> you and known you here for years so would be happy to give you a
> personal reference.

Now there's an offer you don't get every day...

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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On 27/10/2010 10:11 PM, Orchid XP v8 wrote:
>>> I'd second what Francois said
>>
>> I'll third what Jim said and if you want a personal reference, I've met
>> you and known you here for years so would be happy to give you a
>> personal reference.
>
> Now there's an offer you don't get every day...
>

The offer stands and if you want one my email address is in the header.

-- 

Best Regards,
	Stephen

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>> You mean, like his dance teacher?
>
> That would be a good idea, yes. :-)

Really? Hmm, I *think* she remembers my name - if only because of Tiger 
Feet. ;-)

Seriously, what kind of thing do companies want to find out from a 
reference anyway? I doubt they're going to care that I've mastered the 
American Spin but I need to work on my Flick-Ball-Change.

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On 28/10/2010 9:01 AM, Invisible wrote:
>>> You mean, like his dance teacher?
>>
>> That would be a good idea, yes. :-)
>
> Really? Hmm, I *think* she remembers my name - if only because of Tiger
> Feet. ;-)
>
> Seriously, what kind of thing do companies want to find out from a
> reference anyway? I doubt they're going to care that I've mastered the
> American Spin but I need to work on my Flick-Ball-Change.

They want to know you are who you say that you are and if from a 
previous employer that you are reliable and worthy to be employed by them.

-- 

Best Regards,
	Stephen

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On Thu, 28 Oct 2010 09:01:45 +0100, Invisible wrote:

>>> You mean, like his dance teacher?
>>
>> That would be a good idea, yes. :-)
> 
> Really? Hmm, I *think* she remembers my name - if only because of Tiger
> Feet. ;-)
> 
> Seriously, what kind of thing do companies want to find out from a
> reference anyway? I doubt they're going to care that I've mastered the
> American Spin but I need to work on my Flick-Ball-Change.

In addition to what Stephen said, while your dance instructor knows what 
you've learned, she can certainly say something about your determination 
to accomplish a task.  It isn't always about the specific thing you 
learned, but that you stuck through it and learned it (and got high marks 
for doing so).

One of the primary reasons employers are interested in a university 
degree, for that matter, isn't so much *what* you studied but that you 
had the perseverance to get through the program and earn a degree (*any* 
degree).  Not that it being in the field isn't a help, but even if it 
isn't, it's a benefit to list it because it shows you took on a long 
project (earning the degree) and stuck with it until you finished it.

Jim

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Invisible wrote:
>>> You mean, like his dance teacher?
>>
>> That would be a good idea, yes. :-)
> 
> Really? Hmm, I *think* she remembers my name - if only because of Tiger 
> Feet. ;-)
> 
> Seriously, what kind of thing do companies want to find out from a 
> reference anyway? I doubt they're going to care that I've mastered the 
> American Spin but I need to work on my Flick-Ball-Change.

Another way to do this, by the way, is to get the references in writing in 
advance. Include contact information, but it might be enough to just include 
a letter saying "Yes, he's great, etc etc."

-- 
Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
   Serving Suggestion:
     "Don't serve this any more. It's awful."

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