Racy Work History - Please Help!

Subject: I HAVE SOMETHING I DON'T WANT TO PUT ON MY RESUME BUT DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET AROUND IT

I have wanted to be a truck driver for as long as I can remember (more than 20 years) but never went to truck school because I haven't met ANYONE who has been supportive of me going into this industry, and I do mean NO ONE! I come from a family that believes a bachelor + master degree is the only way to go in life and they all have pretty high incomes. Therefore, there has always been a lot of pressure on me to make a lot of money in whichever career I chose.

Well, to make the long story short, I never found my calling in life (aside from a driving job) so I chose a profession that is very well paid but much less respected than trucking... a dancer at a gentleman's club.

While I have never worked below the belt (if you get what I mean ), and I don't have any desire to ever do so, I have been dancing without my top on for almost 2 years while getting paid very well for doing so. However, after having a great time at this job for 2 years, I am now ready to move on and don't want to be in this line of work anymore, as is the case with most racy jobs.

I only took a job like this because there has been so much pressure on me to make a lot of money in my family ( who don't know what I do, btw). I know that it was morally wrong of me for taking up a job like this and I hope that no one here is judging me since none of us are perfect. Aside from right or wrong though, I would like to enter the field that I have always dreamed of but, obviously, working as a stripper is not going to look good on a resume.

So, without being too terribly judgmental, is there anyone who can give me some advice as to how I might get hired after having worked at a place like this? The way I see it is that I have three options:

1) Put it on my resume as "Independent Contractor" and the name of the club. 2) Put self-employed and include a reference. 3) Lie by putting "****tail Waitress" and the name of the club (assuming my manager will back me up. I'd have to ask).

All of my work history prior to that was pretty consistent in retail stores such as Nordstrom, Macy's, etc. My other qualifications are pretty good as well. I have a clean driving record, can pass a drug test, and have no criminal history. So, aside from my recent job title, I am a pretty good candidate. I also know that some jobs don't even call your recent employers but I'm guessing that trucking companies are more particular about employment histories.

Anyway, any feedback about this would be great! I am very eager to start a trucking career so I hope I will be employable. Can anyone who is familiar with the hiring process fill me in?

This is a great question! As hiring manager, I wouldn't blink an eye at your previous employment, but would imagine that some hiring managers might even though there is nothing wrong with earning a living in that way. I personally like it when people are fully honest on their application (whether it be criminal offenses or jobs such as yours), but can see where you'd want to buffer it just in case someone felt that what you do for a living defines you as a person. Any of your ideas are good! Or, how about "Entertainment Industry/Customer relations"? The important part is getting to the interview stage... that's when you can shine and explain that you were a dancer and explain how that career choice has taught you to effectively interact with a multitude of personalities, how to provide excellent customer service by making each customer feel that they are your number one customer, how you dealt with difficult people, etc.

By the way... don't beat yourself up over your previous career choice... embrace the experience (regardless if you feel it is "morally wrong") and be grateful that you learned from it.

Good luck in your job search!

There is no shame in your line of work... or at least I dont think there should be. Everyone has a right to make money how they see fit and I dont see what relevance it has in the eyes of an employer.

I am currently training with Swift and they dont require any previous work experience. They pay for your bus trip to one of their training terminals and give you a loan for a hotel room. It costs about $3900 but you only pay half that in installments over the course of a year... after which they match half if you stay with them so it only costs $1950.

There might be better companies out there... but there is a major shortage of drivers out there and they could care less what your work history is. The major thing is not having any DUIs or too many moving violations... if that is clear then you should have no problem finding training from any major carrier.

Hey, Liz!

Don't you sweat your resume. Companies are looking at felonies and driving records first, and consistency of employment second. They will run a credit check on you, as well as look at your federal employment records. All that will show is when you worked, and whether you were salary, contracting, or hourly. Put whatever you want on the job description. "Entertainer," "Wait Staff," "Customer relations consultant," as long as your tax records don't conflict with the dates of employment you had down, no one's gonna care. I know a guy that was a straight-up thug who'd run drugs on the streets of his ghetto since he'd been 14. At 30, he'd straightened his life up and now was trying for a legit way to bring in money for his family. He was TERRIFIED of his work record, and a few other records as well. He made it, and is one of the most honest, positive, and enthusiastic people out there on the road. If they hired my buddy with an old felony, no one's gonna care about the creative way you figured out how to pay your rent. You hold your head up and look em dead in the eye. All that job means is that you have awesome stories to tell, and you get to chose who you tell em to.