Employer Discrimination to Skydiver? HELP?

[somethinelse 0]

JUST thinking...

Some replies to my NATIONAL PARK SERVICE...? posting got me to thinking.

I'm trying to get going in a different career path. My nephew who jumps does not mention during interviews or employer discussions EVER anything about skydiving interests. SMART!?!

Is it smarter to not ever bring it up at work and to AVOID THE SUBJECT? To try to keep work and jumping completely seperate parts of your life, or what?

I don't want to keep messing up with my BOSSES regarding my own time and what I do outside of work.

Looking back, when I first starting with tandems and was all psyched up and coming to work all excited and wanting to talk to everybody about it...I think I actually just alienated some and TICKED OFF quite a few others!

Please HELP me out here...LILA.

[weegegirl 2]

you know, someone once told me not to mention skydiving in an interview. they said it may scare them away from hiring you. if someone wants to hire me, they need to accept that skydiving is a major part of my life. why would i ever want to hide that? it's part of who i am. i wouldn't go out of my way to tell them, but if they ask what i do for fun or with my personal time, i would definately mention it.

[Dagny 0]

I've been applying for (a LOT) of jobs lately without much success. I have never and would never mention skydiving in an interview unless I knew I was talking to a skydiving enthusiast. Once I have the job then it's game on, but until then...

I'm having a hard enough time finding employment on my own. I don't need some whuffo to think I'll kill myself a week after getting hired and therefore not be worth the investment.

Then again, I haven't mentioned any of my other interests during an interview... Too bad because I could talk about biking forever!

Take me, I am the drug; take me, I am hallucinogenic.
-Salvador Dali

[selbbub78 0]

Most people at work think i'm insane for skydiving, but i've also got a bunch of people interested in wanting to do a tandem jump (probably this upcoming spring). If someone isn't going to hire me because i like jumping out of planes, and crawling underground (i think that's more dangerous than skydiving), then I wouldn't want to work for them. They wouldn't understand the need to call in "sick" on beautiful sunny days after it raining for 2 weeks straight... or something like that. It's not fair for someone not to be hired because the person is well-rounded with outside activities.

"Women fake orgasms - men fake whole relationships" – Sharon Stone
"The world is my dropzone" (wise crewdog quote)
"The light dims, until full darkness pierces into the world."-KDM

[freeflygoddess 0]

I am not sure, but I think it would be hard for me not to tell people at work that I jump, since I am working at a DZ. It would be too hard not to...lol

[Michele 1]

Would you mention it if you showed dogs, for example? I mean, that takes a long time, and for those involved, is intensely exciting (hey, that's what they told me...). Or mention that you're a private pilot, and like to make cross country trips on your time off? Or maybe that you are a birdwatcher?

What it boils down to, in my opinion, is that I wouldn't bring it up unless it becomes a question in the interview. Then, answer honestly...but it's not something I'd volunteer without it being an answer to a question. Good luck!

Ciels-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[AndyMan 7]

It depends on the job....

But, for those that I've been in, and those that I've conducted, a pasion for life has always been relevant.

Most employers really, really do not care what you do on your own time. Thos that do, and especially those that would judge you for it, well - you don't want to work for them anyways.

I've never hidden the fact that I jump out of airplanes. In some of the more complex interviews, I've found ways of relating lessons learned skydiving to life, and work. Talking about jumping is a great way to answer questions like "how do you handle high preasure situations?", for example.

_Am

__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

[Zilla 0]

The last time I had to interview for a job (ages ago)..I did mention it. Funny thing was the Director I was interviewing with shot back with "Wow. . your a skydiver! Do you know so and so, and so and so, etc.?" Apparently there were a good number of other folks in the company that jumped too. It actually served to break the "interview ice" and I was offered the job in the long run.

Zilla

[yoink 321]

it's probably safe enough to mention that you skydive during an interview - if the interviewer decides not to employ you and you feel that it is due to the mention of skydiving rather than any other legitimate reasons, then you would have a good case for a discrimination lawsuit. (In the UK anyway... probably in the US as well since everyone seems to sue everybody over anything ). If you went ahead with that, you could show that it is discrimination against a group of people and as such would come under racism legalities...
I've just completed an HR masters degree and we did interview techniques in it, and if anyone asks at interview what I do during my spare time, you can be sure that I'll give 'em a little grin and say "I jump out of perfectly good airplanes..."

[AggieDave 6]

Quote

In the UK anyway... probably in the US as well since everyone seems to sue everybody over anything

That's it! I'm going to sue you for that!

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[akarunway 1]

I was recently at a construction site when a safety man came along. he started fucking w/ my welder about being on a ladder w/ no fall protection. the conversation led to disscussion about how bad it hurts when you hit the ground which started a discussion about skydiving. I told him I was in a skydiving (low turn) accident and knew how it felt. Also told him I had done a BASE jump. He tried to have me run off the job because I was an unsafe individual. I have never been hurt in 25 yrs on the in heavy const. thanks to the union he could'nt do shit

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

[Darius11 12]

hey i know how that feels i can't stop talking about it.
But every one at my job is cool about it. I don't think any one looks at me any other way then when i didn't jump.
There is always people who think your nuts but they have no idea what there talking about.
I don't know if that helped but it depends on the people at your work.

Just one more thing how would that come up in an interview?

I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not." - Kurt Cobain

[Blahr 0]

I would never seek to hide the fact like its some kind of
dirty little secret.

I will not mention it in a job interview because it simply isnt relevant and could potentially be damaging.

Once hired somewhere, people always find out that I am into jumping. I dont keep it hidden.
I have never been fired or turned down for promotion due to that fact.

[Staso 0]

if i have a chance, i always mention on interview that i'm a skydiver. it's a great subject
to discuss, makes people interested and divert them from asking questions you may not
have answers too. plust when it's a decision time for them, you won't be some faceless,
namelsee candidate, you'd be "that dude that skydives". :)

well, it always worked for me.

stan.

--
it's not about defying gravity; it's how hard you can abuse it. speed skydiving it is ...
Speed Skydiving Forum

[andy2 0]

i told my probation officer about skydiving. He's kinda like my "employer".

---------------------------------------------
let my inspiration flow,
in token rhyme suggesting rhythm...

[JDBoston 0]

Second that. It's ALL about being a memorable candidate in a big stack of resumes. Skydiving makes you more memorable. Case closed. And anyone that would hold it against you is a boring douchebag.

Joe

[StearmanR985 0]

I have only done a couple of tandems (starting S/L next week). Most of the people at my work were surprised when I told them (I am kind of a quiet person) but they think it is cool. Some don't so I just don't talk to them about it, don't feel like hearing them give me crap about it. My boss thinks I am a nut but at the same time, he doesn't hold it against me either.

However, if I was going to a job interview I would not say anything until after I was hired.

[skytash 0]

Quote

I've never hidden the fact that I jump out of airplanes. In some of the more complex interviews, I've found ways of relating lessons learned skydiving to life, and work. Talking about jumping is a great way to answer questions like "how do you handle high preasure situations?", for example.

Ditto - also what JDBoston and Staso said. At the moment many employers are looking at up to 50 candidates even for very senior positions, so trying to stand out can be helpful.

Remember (which is hard when you keep getting rejections!) that if they don't like you, you will probably not like working with them either

tash

Don't ever save anything for a special occasion. Being alive is a special occasion. Avril Sloe

[Tonto 1]

It's yours. Keep it to yourself.

I thought that being a National Champion and representing your country at the world meet would indicate drive and commitment - but all it'll indicate to your employer is that you're a nutter who loves something else more than work.

Keep it to yourself.

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[lazyfrog 0]

Quote

it's probably safe enough to mention that you skydive during an interview - if the interviewer decides not to employ you and you feel that it is due to the mention of skydiving rather than any other legitimate reasons, then you would have a good case for a discrimination lawsuit. (In the UK anyway... probably in the US as well since everyone seems to sue everybody over anything ).

and if you sue him for discrimination, get him to pay you a bunch of jump tickets

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Fumer tue, péter pue
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ourson #10, Mosquito Uno, CBT 579

[quatorze 1]

Keep a lid on it, no law says that they have to hire you, and you don't want to have them think that you are crazy, which is what the public at large thinks about all of us skydivers already. After you are hired game on, but from experience I can tell you that some employers will raise sand about your hobby and try to get you to quit, even threaten to terminate you because your dangerous pastime is a threat to company productivity if you get banged up, just be sure to point ot that if you need to quit skydiving then there should be no more motorcycle riding , horse back riding (Christopher Reeves) and no golf, (86 deaths in '02 due to that silly little game) and that should quite the argument right down

I'm not afriad of dying, I'm afraid of never really living- Erin Engle