Should you put your Religion on your CV? Also non-drinker/smoker etc

haulagebasher

I was going over my CV today as I probably will be looking for employment in Britain next year. Looking through some guides I notices that some mentioned that it was or wasn't a good idea to put down your religion. Iw as just wondering what people think about this.

First of all, I am not religious at all myself although I come from an Irish Catholic background. (I am practically athiest but I dislike the militant stereotypes that label brings).
Anyway it crossed my mind that potential employers might be put off for one reason or other by irish applicants as they would assume that they would be more than likely be Irish Catholic. I was thinking that I could put down that I was Protestant as it might allay fears of potential unreliability or alcohol related difficulty. I don't drink at all anyway.

Then again one could argue that a person would be better off not working for an employer that holds such stereotypes. I just don't know.

I was thinking of putting this in the other information heading. I was also going to put down other bits that might look good such as "non smoker" and "non drinker" the latter being particularly relevant. The reason is that it would give somewhat of an assurance of less sick leave/ dodgy work due to hangovers.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/11/30/religion_cv/
http://www.jobfox.co.uk/cv-writing/what-to-include-in-a-cv/

ABajaninCork

I'm English. NOBODY I know puts their religion on their CV's! Neither do they indicate whether they drink or smoke. Most employers don't care anyway, unless of course the fact you might drink or smoke is likely to have a serious impact on your ability to perform the role.

It's a bit like putting marital status, sexual orientation, or age/DoB on a CV. IMO, it's not relevant, nobody's business but your own and simply not done.

EDIT. I've just looked at the links you've provided. BOTH of them say putting religion on CV's isn't done. So I'm not quite sure why you'd want to go ahead and do so anyway....

mikemac1

This isn't the 1930's.

Leave the religion off


I know the Pioneers have weekends away and all sort of activities so if you do that it's a good thing on your CV.

But otherwise, no need to mention your abstinence

Actually, many will read non drinker and might think you had problems in the past and swore off it!

keith16

ABajaninCork wrote: »

I'm English. NOBODY I know puts their religion on their CV's! Neither do they indicate whether they drink or smoke. Most employers don't care anyway, unless of course the fact you might drink or smoke is likely to have a serious impact on your ability to perform the role.

It's a bit like putting marital status, sexual orientation, or age/DoB on a CV. IMO, it's not relevant, nobody's business but your own and simply not done.

Agree with most of this, although I would have always put DOB on my CV???

Anyway, definitely wouldn't bother with religion or the smoking / drinking thing. If I was an employer and saw these things listed on a CV, I would think it was weird.

CarrickMcJoe

If you're a Jedi, then say nothing....

Jimdagym

haulagebasher wrote:

I was thinking that I could put down that I was Protestant as it might allay fears of potential unreliability or alcohol related difficulty.

Are Irish Catholics more prone to alcohol issues than Irish Protestants or something?

blatantrereg

You're more likely to come across like a twat than to achieve anything beneficial.

Just stick it up on your facebook profile and they'll probably see it anyway. 'Likes' teetotalism or whatever it would be. Or if you were involved in church-related activities and suchlike maybe you could reference them on the cv.

Personally I wouldn't bother. (In fact personally I dont bother, since I dont reference my protestant private schooling.) It's just not relevant.

haulagebasher

^^^Ok well I suppose it's well and good not to put it down when in the same country. but in the particular case of an irish person looking for employment with a British employer (most likely Protestant) I feel there might be certain level of cautiousness/reluctance to hire irish as they are most likely to be catholics.

I know I know, it's illegal to discriminate, but thats open explicit discrimination. It's not illegal to think it and still allow it to sway your decision.

Same goes for drinking imo, it'd be fine for a British person not to put it down but there are certain stereotypes of irish and I just thought it might be of some minor benefit to point out being different from the rest.

blatantrereg

haulagebasher wrote: »

^^^Ok well I suppose it's well and good not to put it down when in the same country. but in the particular case of an irish person looking for employment with a British employer (most likely Protestant) I feel there might be certain level of cautiousness/reluctance to hire irish as they are most likely to be catholics.

I know I know, it's illegal to discriminate, but thats open explicit discrimination. It's not illegal to think it and still allow it to sway your decision.

Same goes for drinking imo, it'd be fine for a British person not to put it down but there are certain stereotypes of irish and I just thought it might be of some minor benefit to point out being different from the rest.

I dont think you'll encounter discrimination: And you're right that if you do encounter it somewhere, you are best off not working there anyway. But just stick it on your facebook (publicly) if you're worried. Most of them will check you out there.

im invisible

you're an atheist who was brought up Catholic, and you want to put Protestant down as your religion?
makes sense i suppose

Pawwed Rig

haulagebasher wrote: »

I was thinking that I could put down that I was Protestant as it might allay fears of potential unreliability or alcohol related difficulty. I don't drink at all anyway.

Wow! Just.................Speechless

nervous_twitch

Sorry if this sounds a bit naive, but are employers really looking at potential employees FB profiles?

ABajaninCork

nervous_twitch wrote: »

Sorry if this sounds a bit naive, but are employers really looking at potential employees FB profiles?

Yes. They also look to see if you're on LinkedIn...So set up privacy and be very careful what you put on it!

@OP. I'm not quite sure where you got the idea that most employers are Protestant. Have you BEEN to the UK lately? You're just as likely to be interviewed by a lady wearing hijab, as you are to be interviewed by a WASP. Lose the preconceptions, and you'll be fine!

mikemac1

Most definitely they check facebook accounts

nervous_twitch

Time to review the aul Facebook I think. Cheers.

haulagebasher

I'm not on Facebook or Twitter. I don't buy into that sh!te. On linkedin though.

Procrastastudy

Applications to many large companies and institutions (and some smaller ones) will ask for this info about religion etc as part of their monitoring of equal opportunities. It will likely be in the form of a detachable sheet on the application form. I wouldn't put it on the CV it collected anonymously and voluntarily.

As for smoking etc this may be in the form of a health questionnaire - depending on the job I would prefer an non-smoker if it was me hiring. There is no reason why I would not be allowed to make that discrimination legally.

Condatis

"Protestant" is not a religion per se. There are many religions which are Protestant or Reformed Churches – Church of Ireland, Methodist, Babtist et al – they are religions.

To describe your religion as "Protestant" would be a nebulous usage and an informed reader could see it as an attempt to mislead or deceive.

Furthermore if you specify a religion and reach interview stage you would need to be sure that you would not be exposed in casual conversation about your stated religion. For example – who is your Rector?; or Pastor?.

Really it is a silly proposition.

tony81

Op i doubt you'll find a job if you're .. ahem... clever enough to put religion, drinking and smoker status on your cv.

tempura

haulagebasher wrote: »

^^^Ok well I suppose it's well and good not to put it down when in the same country. but in the particular case of an irish person looking for employment with a British employer (most likely Protestant) I feel there might be certain level of cautiousness/reluctance to hire irish as they are most likely to be catholics.

I know I know, it's illegal to discriminate, but thats open explicit discrimination. It's not illegal to think it and still allow it to sway your decision.

Same goes for drinking imo, it'd be fine for a British person not to put it down but there are certain stereotypes of irish and I just thought it might be of some minor benefit to point out being different from the rest.

You really are over thinking this one op. Having worked in the UK myself for many years I can honestly tell you that my religion and social habits were never a factor in any of the jobs I had. Its just not something that comes up. As another poster stated, its not the 1930's, these things are really not important. What is important is your ability to do the job, thats it really.

What you do in your private life is no business to a potential employer and if it is, it really wouldn't be a good idea to work for someone like that.

haulagebasher

tempura

Yeah, I fully agree with you - Religion should not come into it as long as you can do the job. But that's in a perfect world. The fact is that stereotypes and discrimination does exist in real life situations.

Now although I come from a catholic background but am athiest, I just thought that stating that I was CoI or whatever just might help to divert a potential employer from the whole mindset where Irish Catholics were traditionally viewed as quick tempered brawlers and alcoholics. This would have been a particularly commonly held view in the construction and civil engineering industry in past decades and I think it's reasonable to suggest that such views might still exist in certain quarters, albeit they would be kept in the closet as these days it's not socially acceptable to be openly bigotted. ie they wouldn't say it, but they'd still think it.

As someone pointed out above, some companies often do ask for anonymous voluntary submission of your religion on a separate form. I know they do this in Northern Ireland now due to the whole Protestant/catholic divide. Companies there are required to ask you and although it is voluntary, even if you refuse to state it they will put down the religion/community you are associated with based on other things such as:
1) your address - traditionally a catholic or Protestant neighbourhood
2) your surname - is it a typically catholic or Protestant surname

If what I read on it is correct people are exclusively classed as either cath/prod unless you are an immigrant or something. ie, lets say Pat Murphy who lives in West Belfast stated on his form that he was a convert to Muslim/Budism/whatever or was an athiest. The employer would in this case not put down that religion but would put him down as being from the Catholic community based on his surname and neighbourhood which indicated that he would most likely be of a catholic background.

I think the idea with that system is not so much to identify whether you are actually catholic/Protestant in religion per se but moreso to determine whether you are from a catholic or Protestant community and background. So yeah, it's about ensuring equality between two opposing communities who have traditionally been/still are eachothers arch enemies.

The one difficulty i have is this: Northern Ireland has a Protestant majority - lets say it's 60%P and 40%C so accordingly are jobs allocated:
-a) on a 50/50% basis or
-b) on a 60/40% basis

if it's a) i would have a huge problem with that as gives catholics an advantage as they are awarded a higher number of jobs (50%) even though they are only a minority of the population. That's not equality at all.
b) would be a better, more equal way imo.

I know it's off topic slightly but does anyone know anything about how this is done

Jimdagym

Where are you going with this haulagebasher?
Equality, true equality, is that everyone has a fair crack of getting the job regardless of religious beliefs, not in proportion to.

haulagebasher

My Point is that in NI jobs are being allocated according to quotas. If it's 50/50 i don't think it makes sense. 60/40 makes a little more sense but is still not ideal.

You could put your aguement to the whole thing about getting more women in politics - should we maintain the current system where everyone has a fair crack of being elected and equal opportuity and the best person gets elected or should we be going down the road of quotas based on gender, which I feel is rediculous. Political parties and parliment is completely open to women but women choose not to go for it. I remember a while back FG said they made a huge drive to get more women involved but the uptake was very slack - they just didn't get the interest.

But thats a whole other rabble. My point still stands.

blatantrereg

haulagebasher wrote: »

my piont is that in NI jobs are being allocated according to quotas. If it's 50/50 i don't think it makes sense.

It's Britain's cunning secret plan to rid themselves of it once and for all. more Protestants will emigrate to find work and more Catholics (largely from the Republic) will come in. There are more Republican protestants than Unionist Catholics up there, so soon enough the majority will want to leave the UK.

Pauvre Con

I'm English. I don't think it should be overestimated how little Britain knows of or cares about Ireland. There may have been negative perceptions a long time ago but this is now been replaced with benign indifference. I've never heard of anything as ridiculous as an English employer giving a toss about Catholicism. CV = Qualifications and Work History. That's it.

haulagebasher

blatantrereg wrote: »

It's Britain's cunning secret plan to rid themselves of it once and for all. more Protestants will emigrate to find work and more Catholics (largely from the Republic) will come in. There are more Republican protestants than Unionist Catholics up there, so soon enough the majority will want to leave the UK.

A rediculous statement. Why would any right thinking person, catholic or Protestant ever choose for NI to be taken over by the economic and social basket case that is the republic.
They wouldn't. If it were put to poll, both NI and Scotland would choose to remain part of the Union. THe union would be stronger than it had been in decades.

From listening to Niall Boylan on the radio, I gather that there is even a not insignificant body of opinion that questions if the republic should reconsider it's current position and possibly rejoin our closest economic and social partner than continue to be an insignificant vassal of a socially removed and alien Europe. Ireland would have more representation within the UK than we could ever hope to have in the European Parliament.

ABajaninCork

Pauvre Con wrote: »

I'm English. I don't think it should be overestimated how little Britain knows of or cares about Ireland. There may have been negative perceptions a long time ago but this is now been replaced with benign indifference. I've never heard of anything as ridiculous as an English employer giving a toss about Catholicism. CV = Qualifications and Work History. That's it.

Couldn't agree more with the bolded part. I don't think the OP knows too much about the UK, otherwise he/she could never have posted what they did. FGS, they even posted up two links which advised not putting on religion and still going on about it to the extent as putting themselves down as Protestant even though they are professed atheists.

Jeeze - I'm Black British and might have even more cause to question possible discrimination. But I can honestly say I've never come across it.

I give up. The message isn't getting across....

Pauvre Con

The first time I heard of the potato famine was when Alan Partridge brought it up...

ABajaninCork

TBH most people assume I am African until I open my mouth. Once they hear the London accent, then people seem to be much more friendly, often asking me if I know a Mr Murphy in Kilburn/Shepherds Bush/Harlesden!!

I want people to know though. I DO NOT think the Irish are racist. I am married to an Irishman!!

tempura

To be honest op, your thread seems to be going off on a bit of a political tangent. Your original question was if you think religion should be stated on your CV.

As everyone has said, it is not necessary to put it there. You also seem a little paranoid as to what the good people of the UK think of us Irish.

Your description of the drunken Irish catholic brawler sounds like something out of a movie , Im thinking Tom Cruise in Far and Away !

You really couldn't be further off the mark in your idea of what an employer in the UK or here , or anywhere for that matter is looking for, you are really focusing far too much on the Religion thing.

Look, I am in my 40's, I worked in London for most of the 80's, a time when republican activities were far more prevalent then they are now and maybe ( just maybe ) some peoples views of Irish were a little clouded at the time, but I never ever experienced any discrimination because of it. FGS, I was working one block away from John Lewis when it was bombed in the late 80's, I wasn't hauled out of the office and taken to trial !

You need to concentrate on your CV in relation to your job skills etc and put this one to bed, either that or take it over to the politics forum.

Best of luck in your job hunting !

krd

haulagebasher wrote: »

I know they do this in Northern Ireland now due to the whole Protestant/catholic divide. Companies there are required to ask you and although it is voluntary, even if you refuse to state it they will put down the religion/community you are associated with based on other things such as:

They don't need to do any major detective work. It's easy to tell by the name of a your secondary school whether you're Catholic or Prodestant. Or ethnically taig or prod.

Multi-denominational schools in the North were more or less non-existent.