So I had a conversation today that went something like this:

Them: “You have gaps in your resume, the bill rate people won’t like it”

Me: “Well, I screwed electronic components together during this first gap because I just got out of the army and was adjusting to the civilian world after 8 years of wearing a tree suit, then I worked at a chemical plant during this time because it was the dying end of the dotcom era and I needed to eat, and then this last gap I was activated and sent to Afghanistan.”

So while I’m not exactly ashamed of the time I spent pumping chlorine into a large smelter to make other chemicals, I’ve never though much about how that fits into what I do now, so I left it off.  I have enough achievements that do count so that I feel comfortable skipping some of the also-ran jobs I’ve had.

But then again, it’s not that bad to include them.  While my life in the army doesn’t directly relate to my job, except when we need a temporary project manager to fix something that has gone greatly awry.  That’s when the more direct leadership skills come into play.

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