My most recent boss and I were talking about the topic that seems to be as touchy as asking someone’s weight — what’s on your curriculum vitae. She encouraged me to include some non-career information; as a college teacher and vocalist, she was hired with a CV that included that she designed and built an outhouse in Montana.
I felt shy talking about my “real” life. As a classically trained musician, I’ve been well-versed that I’m supposed to be making music 12-16 hours a day, reading my Grout music history book, and dreaming in recitals.
But! I have a life. I do. Not much of one, but a small one, and I decided to add it on to my fancy-pants resume (which is what I like to call my cv). Here’s what’s under my “life” section:
Ran Boulder Backroads Marathon, training for New York City Marathon 2012. Boxer, bike rider, beer brewer, bread baker. Collector of used vinyl; reluctant collector of new, expensive vinyl. Food server in Yellowstone National Park in 1999, subsequent hitchhiker when car broke down in West Yellowstone, and, finally, fly-fisherwoman when an RV offered both a ride and fly-fishing lessons.
Does anyone else include their “extracurricular” activities? What are yours?
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I had this discussion with a friend recent, and while not as formal as a resume or CV, he’s always impressed with anyone who answers the question “what do you do?” with anything other than their occupation. The thinking goes, if you define yourself by more than your job title you must be an interesting person.
The whole discussion led me into a little bit of an existential crisis: how the hell do I answer that question with anything other than “I’m in software”?
That’s a great discussion. I wouldn’t know what to say if I had to lead with a non-career statement. “I check my email a lot and run semi-regularly on a treadmill.” (I would SO not have drinks with me.)
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