Marriage Status on Resume?

[shikarnov 7]

I have a friend in the Ukraine that says putting her marital status (lying, no less, and saying she is married) helps with getting a job. Has anybody else ever heard of this? Seems strange to me.

Thanks,

ZS

[1HappyGuy 45]

It would not be the first time someone lied on a resume'. I don't think that is much of a lie in comparison to what others do, such as saying you graduated from a university when you didn't or having prior experience in a job with actually none. Listing yourself as being married is probably considered as a more stable person. But, if an employer finds out the truth, then you can be fired.

Honesty is still the best policy.

[slim 1,525]

I haven't heard of it, but like most things in the FSU, it makes sense in that FSU kind of way.

I'm also wondering where "marital status" falls on a resume. Is it under work history or education?

[eekee 182]

It is a requirement of resumes in the FSU, yes.

[slim 1,525]

It is a requirement of resumes in the FSU, yes.

Where does it go? Personal information?

[eekee 182]

Where does it go? Personal information?

There's a different format. You start out with name/address/date of birth/martial status, then education, then work experience. It's a two-column resume format.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

There's a different format. You start out with name/address/date of birth/martial status, then education, then work experience. It's a two-column resume format.

huh, that's interesting. It's illegal for a work place to ask age, marital status, race or religion on a resume in Australia... you can volunteer the information, but they're not permitted to ask.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I have a friend in the Ukraine that says putting her marital status (lying, no less, and saying she is married) helps with getting a job. Has anybody else ever heard of this? Seems strange to me.

Thanks,

ZS

Discrimination of all sorts is legal (and/or accepted if not perfectly legal) in Ukraine, particulary toward women, they even have different wage scales for the same job. I have not heard that saying one is married would be a benefit though, possibly in some positions. In most I would think a single girl may be more attractive as there is better possibliltiy of "fringe benefits" for the boss. But yes, things that make no difference here CAN make a difference there.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

huh, that's interesting. It's illegal for a work place to ask age, marital status, race or religion on a resume in Australia... you can volunteer the information, but they're not permitted to ask.

In the FSU they keep records of everything. Each person has an "internal passport" and is supposed to report marital status, address, place of employment, religion, basically everything to the government and keep them updated. Russia requires registration of where you are staying even for a temporary visit. Obviously, a lot of people DON'T do this and you will frequently see questions from FSU members asking about a concern that their actual address is not their "registered" addressa and what will happen if they put it on there? Will the US government report it to the Russian/Ukrainian government? etc. It was not unusual for me to be stopped and questioned on the street by police of various agencies to check "my papers" It is more common even in Russia than in Ukraine, but when someone is an obvious foreigner and not with a tour group, they get suspicious, though less so now than in 2004-2005 when we had to have visas to be there. The police are usually looking to shake you down for a bribe, hoping the stupid westerner has left his papers in his flat. They grabbed me in 2008 on the street in Kiev and started this nonsense and Alla started yelling at them in Russian telling them to stop that sh*t, "We are not tourists and we are not paying you any money!" They just walked away. Other people, treat visitors with great respect as it is traditional in that region.

[Martyshk 137]

huh, that's interesting. It's illegal for a work place to ask age, marital status, race or religion on a resume in Australia... you can volunteer the information, but they're not permitted to ask.

You should read some ads in FSU countries hehe.

It usually goes something like this:

" A firm is looking for a secretary. 18-22 years old, blond, slim figure, etc"

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

You should read some ads in FSU countries hehe.

It usually goes something like this:

" A firm is looking for a secretary. 18-22 years old, blond, slim figure, etc"

Yes it is true. They will also dictate to them to wear low cut tops, heels, short skirts, etc. They had dressed like that for the interview...so why not? Alla was a self employed "representative" (for lack of better term) of foreign companies (western European) doing business in Ukraine and Russia. Her duties were mostly as a translator/interpreter for sales people. The EU factory people all spoke English. She would ask the factory reps "are we meeting with a man or a woman?" If they said a man, she would assure them the sale!

Her experience was so much the opposite of the OPs friend, that she never mentioned to her clients she was getting married or moving until she had her visa in hand. They WILL fire you for such things in Ukraine and she was sure she would lose all "interest" to her clients if she was getting married. Oddly enough she STILL does translations of documents for them by email but they got another "wonderful woman" to be their representative.