How to explain grandson's checkered career history?

M0nica

Most job applications are done online these days and the forms that need to be filled in and the information required is entirely different to the way it was done when most of us were at work.

DD recently changed her job and explained to me how different it is and the kind of information she was needing to supply. Equality rules often mean things like sex and age are left off forms.

One good thing, she changed her career entirely in her late 40s and now in her early 50s is racing up the career ladder, age and sex are no hinderance. All each employer has wanted to know about her is; Can she do the job?

It’s not just is he/she qualified, they have to have the right personality to do the job, Appoint the wrong personality can be a disaster, we had that with the insurance office I deal with.

The previous senior partners retired, head office appointed a woman who was so bad ALL the other staff resigned, it was chaos, many customers took their business elsewhere, but it didn’t improve. HO daren’t sack her or they would have had a discrimination claim, after 18 months she had lost so much business her commission was so poor she resigned.

Can they do the job is much more than a CV, for a key employee, I want to know a lot more about them, lower grade workers you give them 6 months probation.

Allira

David49

“Why would someone with a PhD want to apply for a more mundane job?”

Because there are no jobs that suit them and they need to pay the rent.

This person had a job but kept applying every time a certain type of job was advertised. It was very odd!

There is no shortage of “odd” people.

Most job applications are done online these days and the forms that need to be filled in and the information required is entirely different to the way it was done when most of us were at work.

DD recently changed her job and explained to me how different it is and the kind of information she was needing to supply. Equality rules often mean things like sex and age are left off forms.

One good thing, she changed her career entirely in her late 40s and now in her early 50s is racing up the career ladder, age and sex are no hinderance. All each employer has wanted to know about her is; Can she do the job?

biglouis

A CV is often a complete work of fiction. It doesnt always pay to tell the truth.

I had an aquaintance who was rebuilding her career after a short spell in prison. When she was honest about it the agency interviewer told her they could not employ her and hinted that she should not have mentioned it. if she wanted to get on.

Next day she applied to another agency and she decribed the missing months as "providing end of life care for relative" (more or less impossible to check up on). Interviewer said "Sorry for your loss, That must have been tough" and quickly steered away.

The agency employed her and she ended up with a permanent post with a firm of soliciters before she retired.

How could you begin a career with a lie?
To fabricate a CV is dreadful.

Our daughter once interviewed someone whose CV and experience looked great but his degree was a 3rd.
When she asked him about this he said he partied hard for 3 years, was very immature and barely did any work, it was his biggest regret.

He got the job.

David49

“Why would someone with a PhD want to apply for a more mundane job?”

Because there are no jobs that suit them and they need to pay the rent.

This person had a job but kept applying every time a certain type of job was advertised. It was very odd!

If this is a CV it really sounds more like a letter
A CV needs to be brief and straight to the point not written as a chatty letter
I don’t understand whether these are just little pieces the gran has picked out
I take it the first sentence or rather part sentence is the grannys words cos you wouldn’t put ‘engineering thingy’

You need dates, names, reason as bullet points
‘July ‘23 to September 23’ employed as a …… by …….
Employment terminate as the business went into liquidation
Jananuary ‘24 to May ‘24 unable to work due to severe illness

Do look online there will be lots of templates or maybe ask at job centre I don’t know if they still help but they used to

“Why would someone with a PhD want to apply for a more mundane job?”

Because there are no jobs that suit them and they need to pay the rent.

I'd dread that.
Any new job is a challenge, let alone one where you've no idea what on earth anyone's even speaking about!

It's no good elaborating it too much as most employers will check qualifications (but not always).

It works both ways - if you are over-qualified for a position, then the application may well be rejected. Why would someone with a PhD want to apply for a more mundane job?

Equally, if you embellish your CV and are appointed, you could find yourself totally out of your depth, unfair on your employer and stressful for you.

A CV is one thing but don’t embroider it, most get caught out at interview. Most get taken on for a probationary period often 2 or 3 for every real job, the lucky ones get paid, the rest are interns. One graduate in particular was asked to pay £5000 to be taken on as an intern, ( a well known estate agency) his father refused.

A CV is often a complete work of fiction. It doesnt always pay to tell the truth.

I had an aquaintance who was rebuilding her career after a short spell in prison. When she was honest about it the agency interviewer told her they could not employ her and hinted that she should not have mentioned it. if she wanted to get on.

Next day she applied to another agency and she decribed the missing months as "providing end of life care for relative" (more or less impossible to check up on). Interviewer said "Sorry for your loss, That must have been tough" and quickly steered away.

The agency employed her and she ended up with a permanent post with a firm of soliciters before she retired.

JaneJudge

We've helped ours with their CVs if they've asked my husband made my cv sound as if I was a robot though

My boy did such a good job, it didn't even sound like him.

I have RTFT and it still doesn't make sense. (someone has explained to me what RTFT means).
OP - please, please say what it is you need to know.

We've helped ours with their CVs if they've asked my husband made my cv sound as if I was a robot though

I'm raising mine, but I don't expect to have to go along and explain his checkered schooling to anyone.

That's his role, not mine.

Some children are raised by their grandparents

As a grandparent I am very interested and concerned at the prospects of my grandchildren, which also extends to future partners. I could have commented on their choice of career or course but I didn’t I let them follow their dream, so far it has been a dream

They are drilled at school that Uni is the ultimate aim, regardless if their real ability, several have graduated, none have progressed to a graduate career, they tried there are very few openings. So far they are doing ordinary jobs, catering, retail, reception work, none in the subject they studied.

Only the very best that have completed a relevant degree really have a chance, those that do get a start and try to climb the promotion tree many fall by the wayside. The OP is in this situation, illness interrupted the career path, getting back on it with, an abundant supply of new recruits wanting your job is really hard.

Another rude OP!

The mind boggles...

Why would a grandparent ever be called upon to "explain" a grandson's "career history"?

NotSpaghetti

I looked on Mumsnet but only saw one post with no replies Allira

Come back OP and let us know what you are looking for please

One had about 30 replies, some helpful, some less so, one had none and a third had a different title but included the exact words of the OP further down, NotSpaghetti.

I looked on Mumsnet but only saw one post with no replies Allira

Come back OP and let us know what you are looking for please

But I’m reading the OP on Gransnet, not Mumsnet, and although I’ve read every word of the entire thread, it makes no sense to me. Sorry Siope. The first sentence starts half-way through, and the next one finishes half-way through. And so on…

OP, please explain your situation more clearly.

I've just looked on Mumsnet and the grandson has started three threads, one without any response, another one where some posters are helpful and others seem rather confused.
The last thread is asking a different question but includes the same questions as in the OP on here.

He does need some help in how to write a concise but informative CV.
There is a lot of help and some formats available online.

Siope

So just ignore it, as it must be quite embarrassing for the OP to keep having it pointed out.

Totally agree. Purplepixie, I found your response rude.