Cosplay...on your CV?

Hey guys, long time no see!

I apologise for the lack of activity as life has been pretty hectic lately. It was a jumble of volunteering, costume making, attending Em-con and stuff. Hopefully pretty soon things will settle when I get a job and I can post more again.

Warning: This is written way past midnight so forgive me if any of this sounds like gibberish.

While I have been on-topic a common question that cosplayers ever ask themselves is: is it ever okay to put 'cosplay' on my CV?

What is the purpose of a CV (the UK equivalent to an American resume) is to give an employer an insight to who you are as a worker. This will include you personal details, work history and education and is often a first step for employers to determine your suitability for the role.

We are talking serious business here but at the same time you want to show that you do more in your life than watch Jeremy Kyle and drinking cheap ciders on street corners. As a cosplayer that may be the unlikely case but for someone to just know you on paper they may be unaware that your life is far more exciting that that.

On the flip side, many outsiders are very unaware of the nerdy side to this. Not aware of the many hours you have spent behind the sewing machine getting the seams right or the hours of emboldening they might only see cosplay as a childish and unprofessional hobby. The media shows mixed and sometimes even distorted views on the hobby so watch out!

There is no definite right or wrong answer to this, and the decision varies from person to person. However if you do decide to proceed with it you may want to consider the following:

Be smart! What exactly are you applying for?
Consider how it fits into the job description. If you are going for a seamstress job, theatrical costume designer or a haberdashery/fabric shop then YES!!! However, if you are going for something more serious and reputable like Law or Science then that might be another case.

How would you word it?
One common idea concerning this is that you should avoid using the word 'cosplay' and use something more universally understood such as 'sewing', 'dressmaking' and 'theatrical costume design'. 'Cosplay', to someone who is unaware of the hobby, might sound ludicrous or even a fetish scene so it could be off putting to some potential employers considering that the term is not widely used and understood.

Would you feel comfortable explaining it?
You might be asked to elaborate on that hobby at an interview at some point. While I like to tell my none anime-fan friends that it is simply 'the recreation of attire sourced from fiction', the way I would word it elsewhere may vary depending on how comfortable I am with that person. I often say that 'I do a lot of sewing so I am familiar with different types of fabrics and textures' at an interview for shops that sell soft furnishings or clothing.

Cosplay involves the following:

• Careful planning and initiative; ability to plan ahead, budgeting, research and working interdependently. 
• The drive to meet deadlines, priorotisation, concentration and working under pressure.
• Problem solving and creativity.
• Ability to use various tools and materials.
• Ambition, challenges and confidence.
• Willingness and confidence to be around people, especially strangers.
• Mathematics.

Actually many jobs will require most, if not all, of the above skills!

With caution cosplay can show that one can be a promising and determined employee. Cosplayers come from all walks of life, many are students and many work too. I'd strongly advise that playing around the terminology and thinking about how you can make sewing sound as if it is in a professional light.