Maternity leave in the CV
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| Vom Thema belegte Seiten: < [1 2] | | Nutzer | Initiator des Themas: Iulia Cosma Maternity leave in the CV |
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Ivana Friis Wilson 
Vereinigtes Königreich
 Mitglied (Mar 2008)
Englisch > Dänisch
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You raise some good points of what to achieve with your CV, Angela, definitely worth considering when I revise my CV.
I choose to have a photo even on my CV. It adds something personal that isn't really personal, if you understand what I mean, I know it's a bit backwards  I am quite sure that it adds something to my CV - I imagine memory works better with images than just text.
Self-marketing presents us with a lot of choices. My husband, who also works for himself, talks about himself as a brand in his business - but then again, maybe only men have egos of that size - but he does have a point.
| | | | Ivana de Sousa Santos
Portugal
Mitglied (2006)
Französisch > Portugiesisch
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| | Maternity leave in the CV | Jul 11 |
I don't mention it, but I've worked in the first 2 years when my son wasn't at the kindergarten. When it was time to be with him, I was with him and took benefit from all moments where he slept to keep on working.
All my clients knew I had had a baby and all my clients understood pretty well my situation. I even have clients who ask me about my son and this with clients from different countries. So, I don't think why we should hide from our clients or from our CV.
| | | | Tatty
Spanien
Spanisch > Englisch
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When I worked in an agency there was a case of a translator with 3 children and one of her translations came back with bits missing, and it was concluded that it was because she had young children at home. Before that apparently her work had always been up to standard.
In my time there I read hundreds of CVs and no-one mentioned their children. I would tell an agent that kind of info over the phone or in an email but I wouldn't put it on my CV. I would fill that period in if I had done something, or simply leave a blank, but it would be the only blank I would leave on my CV. Personally, I don't like CVs without dates. To me, they come across as flaky or that you are trying to make out that you are the right candidate.
| | | | Angela Arnone
Italien
Mitglied (2004)
Italienisch > Englisch
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| | But it was presumed .... | Jul 11 |
... tsk tsk.
Surely it would have been professional to ask her?
I've had people send me back work with bits missing simply because they skipped a paragraph or not send work back at all ... and they didn't have the excuse of children as a distraction!
I do find that my experience with working mothers is that they are often more disciplined and reliable - they need the money more, they have fewer choices and they simply get on with it, otherwise the household falls apart.
One thing no one has mentioned here and which I am totally against, is putting your kids in your profile picture on this site. But perhaps some of us feel ProZ.com is not a professional par with writing a CV.
I'm afraid I'm of the old school who learned to prepare a résumé 30 years ago, when you did include marital and family status as a matter of course, and when I was taught to keep it succinct and interesting, so not to include every single translation I ever did ... which has evolved naturally, as getting older means having more to write. But the family background stays. Anyone who took umbrage at it would be someone I wouldn't be able to work with anyway.
Angela
PS - I don't need to tell customers over the phone ... my kids pick up and are now trained to take messages, proofread and translate small jobs, check emails if I'm away from my PC ... but we're getting off topic.
Tatty wrote:
When I worked in an agency there was a case of a translator with 3 children and one of her translations came back with bits missing, and it was concluded that it was because she had young children at home. Before that apparently her work had always been up to standard.
In my time there I read hundreds of CVs and no-one mentioned their children. I would tell an agent that kind of info over the phone or in an email but I wouldn't put it on my CV. I would fill that period in if I had done something, or simply leave a blank, but it would be the only blank I would leave on my CV. Personally, I don't like CVs without dates. To me, they come across as flaky or that you are trying to make out that you are the right candidate. |
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[Edited at 2008-07-12 10:38]
 
| | | | Kevin Lossner
Deutschland
Mitglied (2003)
Deutsch > Englisch
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Anne Koth wrote:
In Germany, it's considered unprofessional to leave gaps in your CV, even if it's just a few months, let alone a couple of years. You're also generally expected to put your marital status and number of children at the top of the CV! Whether or not you include this information will depend on the country you're sending the application to. Of course, you could fill in the gaps as Sandra suggested. |
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In Germany it is (or was) also common practice to ask women about their child-bearing plans and pigeonhole them accordingly. Cultural convention or not, the proper answer is a polite "none of your business!".
When I had to go job hunting in Germany 9 years ago to get a residence visa, I left out everything I considered irrelevant and flatly told prospective employers that age and marital status were not relevant. Nobody cared except a few American companies with local German subsidiaries. Family issues came up only briefly when I was asked why I wanted to relocate to Germany and whether I had intentions to stay for a longer period.
But a resume/CV/profile for a translator presumably has a different purpose than one for a typical job-seeker, so a different structure is appropriate. Given the diversity of translation assignments, it probably makes sense to include hobbies and major interests like stamp collecting, Alpine hiking, motorcycle racing (to name a few translation topics we've been asked about in the past week), but most of the personal info like maternity/paternity leave should be left off. I completely disagree that having small children in the house makes one unreliable as a freelance translator, but I have heard frequent comments to that effect from someone I deal with on a regular basis (a woman!). It's fine to let the strict professional facade slip a bit with individual PMs once you get to know them and mention the dog, the kid or the nice weekend at the beach - this is normal in the deepening of many professional relationships - but this information has no place on what is basically a data sheet for your qualifications intended to convince a stranger to give you contract work.
| | | | Iulia Cosma
Rumänien
Englisch > Rumänisch
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| | I'll keep thinking... | Jul 12 |
Thank you for taking time to write such messages. I am amazed and confused! I agreed with all the replies I read. I even thought of writing 2 CV-s: one mentioning, the other not, the maternity leave. But it seems to me so time consuming to research all the agencies and decide which CV they would bother to read.
I tend to agree with Angela though, because I am proud of these 2 years and believe it's nothing to hide. I also have the feeling that it somehow shows a greater degree of reliability, but I wouldn't want to offend the unmarried translators.
Therefore, I'll keep thinking and hope the best idea will strike me in the middle of the night 
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| Iulia Cosma
Rumänien
Englisch > Rumänisch
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| | professional-personal life | Jul 12 |
Ivana Friis Wilson wrote:
- [b]We are still worried that having children is perceived as an obstacle to our professional life, I guess.[b]
Exactly! But I refuse to feel this way !
[b]Again, it is interesting that it is still a subject for discussion and that some people see it as a gap. Personally I think I aquired tons of skills during maternity leave - I can now multitask, plan my time better (I have so little of it...), I am a better listener, I am much more tolerant of other people's mistakes but most of all I am much more focused and I know exactly what I want to achieve in my professional life and I have a better idea of how to get there. I think I more attractive to potential employers now than before I had children![b]
I agree!
[b]There are lots of books on the subject of using the skills you aquire as a parent in professional life - I read a few and it's very good for your professional selfesteem after maternity leave.[b]
Could you recommend some books? I'm really curious. Never thought such things exist...
[b]Turn it around - look at the positive effects of maternity leave and children.[b] |
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I wouldn't want to change the fact that we have a daughter and want more children, so I guess I see things in a quite positive manner 
Thank you.
| | | | Sheila Wilson
Frankreich
Mitglied (2007)
Französisch > Englisch
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| | Don't get hung up on rules - sell yourself | Jul 12 |
Your CV has absolutely nothing in it that is mandatory, except your contact details - no use sending a fabulous CV if they can't get in touch with you to give you the job!
Everything else is for you to decide. Every word you write must be examined for usefulness:-
Does this put me in good light?
Is this relevant to the reader and the job being applied for?
Do I want to tell the reader this?
Could this perhaps be construed in a negative way, even though there is a positive side too?
Is it any of the reader's business?
Does this help my case?
Am I saying too much, bearing in mind the reader is probably rushed?
I agree with other comments that dates are irrelevant, certainly on a professional CV - what you have done (ie your experience) is essential, when you did it is very borderline and may put the reader off if it was a few years back.
Whether you talk about leisure activities depends entirely on you and your view of their usefulness to your application. Family matters are generally at best a waste of space - they are placing a contract with you, not your family.
| | | | Fabiana Zardo
Brasilien
Englisch > Portugiesisch
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| | From someone who worked at HR | Jul 12 |
Hi,
First of all, I think you should consider who will receive this CV.
I have two, one in PT and the other in EN.
But they have nothing to do with the CV I use to search for a secretary job.
When you freelance, you're selling experience. That's all. I think this is a good reason to not mention dates. My translator CV does not mention dates because I'm offering my services.
In Brazil, it would be natural to leave this gap and say: "Hey, I was taking care of my son from XX to XX."
Some clients won't like it, but that's prejudice. I don't think that clients have to know that much of you. Normally, the contact is by e-mail, sometimes by phone. It's not like working at an office.
So, in my opinion, don't mention dates. If someone asks, go ahead and say it. I doubt they will ask.
Best of luck!
| | | | hazmatgerman
Deutschland
Englisch > Deutsch
| | CV not a calling card | Jul 14 |
A CV to go along a job application will be vetted and blanks spotted, at least in the FRG. Checking up on statements with the applicant will lead to immediate disqualification if applicant misstated time periods, and for any reason whatsoever. Besides, political correctness over here holds that educating kids is good for those dominant 'soft skills', so leaving them out is also counter-productive. Plus a company may be looking specifically for an experienced mother/parent, as they will be probably in it for the long run, and the money.
A calling card - or sales pitch if you like - tells my customer what I am good at doing for him. For a translator maternity leave need not be bad or good, but should be mostly irrelevant.
Regards.
| | | | Nicole Schnell
Vereinigte Staaten
 Mitglied
Englisch > Deutsch
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| | Why do you have to call it maternity leave? | Jul 14 |
This is usually associated with taking about a year off at tax payers' or the employers expense.
Why don't you turn those two years into a compliment to yourself and an achievement and simply say: I was busy raising my daughter bilingually?
Gaps are indeed suspicious. It makes a difference if you spent 2 years in prison, in a mental institution or - doing the most precious job ever: raising a child.
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