Personal Statements and Religion

[Quintessence]

Imagine you are applying for a new job, professional school, or graduate program. The specifics of the position or program of study are up to you and feel free to include these details in the scenario if you feel they are relevant. You are writing a personal statement to go along with this application. Personal statements are intended to give an admissions board or employer a better idea of who you are beyond your resume/CV or work experience; it is more about you and your life experiences and how it shaped you to be where you are.

Do you mention how your religious practices impacted your life? Why or why not?

 

[Rival]

Yes.

I wear a head covering and people want to know.

 

[Quintessence]

Yes.

I wear a head covering and people want to know.

Do you ever worry that you might be discriminated against in employment or admissions for mentioning anything about religion?

I got to thinking about this because on occasion I help review students application materials. There's this general notion that to keep things "professional" you never mention religion so when I run into this, I have this weird mixture of reactions to it. On the one hand, I appreciate the authenticity of how they are presenting themselves. On the other, I am aware of the danger in bringing it up at all.

 

[Rival]

Do you ever worry that you might be discriminated against in employment or admissions for mentioning anything about religion?

I got to thinking about this because on occasion I help review students application materials. There's this general notion that to keep things "professional" you never mention religion so when I run into this, I have this weird mixture of reactions to it. On the one hand, I appreciate the authenticity of how they are presenting themselves. On the other, I am aware of the danger in bringing it up at all.

Yesterday I was wearing my beanie hat at work (I'm a cleaner in a hospital), about which no-one ever complained. I used to wear a hijab style covering but putting my then long hair up in it was painful and too much effort, so I switched to hats and had my hair cut short. I was told yesterday I can't wear a beanie and the guy even insinuated I used to wear a veil and I said yes, this is also a kind of headcovering like that. He told me to remove it anyway.

He's the only one though and once I tell his manager, if I bother, that would put him in his place. He's just power-tripping though since he's just returned. I am going to switch back to the veil anyway and UK discrimination laws prevent my being told I can't wear it.

 

[Revoltingest]

Imagine you are applying for a new job, professional school, or graduate program. The specifics of the position or program of study are up to you and feel free to include these details in the scenario if you feel they are relevant. You are writing a personal statement to go along with this application. Personal statements are intended to give an admissions board or employer a better idea of who you are beyond your resume/CV or work experience; it is more about you and your life experiences and how it shaped you to be where you are.

Do you mention how your religious practices impacted your life? Why or why not?

Nothing to say about religion.
None of their ******* business.
I accept that this would harm my odds.

 

[Kathryn]

I wouldn't personally mention religion in the personal statement. Maybe, MAYBE, in the interview.

 

[It Aint Necessarily So]

Imagine you are applying for a new job, professional school, or graduate program. The specifics of the position or program of study are up to you and feel free to include these details in the scenario if you feel they are relevant. You are writing a personal statement to go along with this application. Personal statements are intended to give an admissions board or employer a better idea of who you are beyond your resume/CV or work experience; it is more about you and your life experiences and how it shaped you to be where you are.

Do you mention how your religious practices impacted your life? Why or why not?

Atheist answering. I would not mention my atheism in the application or interview.

I don't know if it would be legal to ask such a question in a job or school interview, but if asked, I would answer Christian and decline to explain further rather than answer that that's personal or tell the truth. I've lied about my atheism here in Mexico when asked by census takers, Jehovah's Witness at the door, or when answering question upon hospital admission. We answer Catholic here in Mexico. It's not a good idea to tell that to strangers who know where you live.

 

[Quintessence]

Atheist answering. I would not mention my atheism in the application or interview.

I don't know if it would be legal to ask such a question in a job or school interview, but if asked, I would answer Christian and decline to explain further rather than answer that that's personal or tell the truth. I've lied about my atheism here in Mexico when asked by census takers, Jehovah's Witness at the door, or when answering question upon hospital admission. We answer Catholic here in Mexico. It's not a good idea to tell that to strangers who know where you live.

I am pretty sure it is not allowed to ask in a job or school interview, though this context is specifically writing a personal statement. The prospective employer or professional program isn't asking you for it, specifically, you are writing a story of your life and how it got you to this point and to illuminate something about you that goes beyond just your resume/CV experience. Sounds like you'd have good reasons to avoid volunteering that information even if it is not asked for. Does that bother you sometimes, or is it just... well... it is what it is sort of thing?

 

[It Aint Necessarily So]

Sounds like you'd have good reasons to avoid volunteering that information even if it is not asked for. Does that bother you sometimes, or is it just... well... it is what it is sort of thing?

I don't mind having to conceal my atheism in those contexts. What I object to is how unbelievers are depicted by the Chrisian Bible, especially the Old Testament. That's why it's just not wise to share that one is an atheist unless it's with unbelieving friends or anonymously. No good comes from telling that to a church-going Christian. It's already cost two relationships since moving to Mexico, so now I don't discuss it with believers even if they're friendly, which can change, so why discuss it with them?

 

[The Hammer]

Do you mention how your religious practices impacted your life? Why or why not?

Maybe, maybe not. It depends on how I think it will be looked at, and whether or not it would increase my chances of whatever I was applying too.

My religion has become an absolute integral part of who I am, and I wouldn't be where I am today without it, but does the business/school/organization need to know that?

 

[RabbiO]

Given my educational background and my employment history I think my not saying anything would raise more than one eyebrow

 

[Spice]

I would never mention my religious leanings, and if asked would become skeptical of the program/company.

In my personal experience, those that verbally tout their religion outside of their place of worship, are the least trustworthy. They have a hidden agenda.
One of my most proficient and difficult to catch shoplifters always entered the store with "Blessings, all" and hummed hymns constantly. I will give him credit for being ashamed once caught, but not of his actions, but of being caught when the store was busy with so many witnesses. The biggest con in the purchase exchange racket I ever had was a minister and he'd voice that fact every time something was "defective."

For years in the corporate setting. one of my interview questions was "If you could only have one book on your desk, what would it be?" If the answer was the Bible, the interview questions went a certain way towards integrity, and I never had one who cleared. Once however I had an applicant who had missionary time on her resume. She never mentioned her religion at all, so I asked a very relevant question fir the position: "Would you have issue with frustrated, sometimes angry, profanity?" She reply that she often volunteered in prisons, so no. No problem. She got the job and was a great asset.

One's "religion" should come through clearly, for anyone with sincere interest, without a direct word being said, IMO.

 

[Quintessence]

Maybe, maybe not. It depends on how I think it will be looked at, and whether or not it would increase my chances of whatever I was applying too.

My religion has become an absolute integral part of who I am, and I wouldn't be where I am today without it, but does the business/school/organization need to know that?

That's a good way to think about it. I struggled with this a lot back when I was still trying to get into conservation work. If you think about it, Druidry is practically a job qualification for that in of itself... but would the organization understand that? Probably not. So how do you represent your religious work - especially when it directly applies to the job - in a culture where discussing that at all is often taboo? It's a tricky river to chart the course in.

 

[Debater Slayer]

Do you mention how your religious practices impacted your life? Why or why not?

No, as it would not be safe to do so.

 

[Quintessence]

Given my educational background and my employment history I think my not saying anything would raise more than one eyebrow

Hah, true that! It's a different landscape entirely when you're serving a religious tradition in a professional capacity. It seems to be the one place where you are supposed to talk about it. Maybe there are a few others where it would directly come into play. Mortuary services, for example, as working with the dead is often infused with navigating client's cultural/religious practices. I bring this up to my students studying for medicine too, since medical practice often intersects with patient's cultural/religious traditions.

 

[Quintessence]

In my personal experience, those that verbally tout their religion outside of their place of worship, are the least trustworthy. They have a hidden agenda.
One of my most proficient and difficult to catch shoplifters always entered the store with "Blessings, all" and hummed hymns constantly. I will give him credit for being ashamed once caught, but not of his actions, but of being caught when the store was busy with so many witnesses. The biggest con in the purchase exchange racket I ever had was a minister and he'd voice that fact every time something was "defective."

Ugh, that sounds tough. On the other hand, if they're touting their practice openly isn't that kinda the opposite of being hidden? Maybe you can clarify that a bit for us. The really secret hidden ones don't out themselves, right?

For years in the corporate setting. one of my interview questions was "If you could only have one book on your desk, what would it be?" If the answer was the Bible, the interview questions went a certain way towards integrity, and I never had one who cleared. Once however I had an applicant who had missionary time on her resume. She never mentioned her religion at all, so I asked a very relevant question fir the position: "Would you have issue with frustrated, sometimes angry, profanity?" She reply that she often volunteered in prisons, so no. No problem. She got the job and was a great asset.

One's "religion" should come through clearly, for anyone with sincere interest, without a direct word being said, IMO.

If I'm following you correctly, before you possibly meant that those who really shove their religious tradition in other's faces are often insincere? If so, I wonder why this happens and how often. Isn't it a bit weird that we hide and conceal these parts of ourselves? Why do we do that, as a culture? Manners? Something else?

 

[Jimmy]

Imagine you are applying for a new job, professional school, or graduate program. The specifics of the position or program of study are up to you and feel free to include these details in the scenario if you feel they are relevant. You are writing a personal statement to go along with this application. Personal statements are intended to give an admissions board or employer a better idea of who you are beyond your resume/CV or work experience; it is more about you and your life experiences and how it shaped you to be where you are.

Do you mention how your religious practices impacted your life? Why or why not?

No. Nobody wants to hear it.

 

[Quintessence]

No. Nobody wants to hear it.

I do.

Being serious - when students in their assignments actually mention their religion and how it was an inspiration to them, I love it. Which probably explains why I would be using a forum like this, and I suspect others around here might feel similarly. We actually do want to hear it... haha.

 

[JustGeorge]

I do.

Being serious - when students in their assignments actually mention their religion and how it was an inspiration to them, I love it. Which probably explains why I would be using a forum like this, and I suspect others around here might feel similarly. We actually do want to hear it... haha.

There are indeed some that do want to hear it.

My kids all saw the same speech therapist. She still works with one. I've known her a long time... 15 years? We've enjoyed talking religion through the years. Nothing but respect between us.

I talked religion with my old doctor until they started shutting off the lights and we had to go home...

 

[Kathryn]

There may well be many who want to hear about it, but I'd leave it far and away alone during an interview and probably a lot in the workplace.