Culture and traditions

Man: Have you got a minute? I'm seeing Mr Kovač again this afternoon. Eleven applications and not a single interview, and he's a fully qualified quantity surveyor. Woman: Have you had a proper look at his CV? Man: That's the thing. By the standards of the country where he trained, it's a very good CV. It lists every qualification he's got, in detail. But there's a photo at the top, his date of birth, whether he's married, how many children he has. I suspect employers here are putting it straight in the bin, partly because some of them worry that even having that kind of information could cause them problems if they then turn him down. Woman: So tell him to take it out. Man: I did hint at it last time, and he looked rather hurt. He said that where he comes from, a CV without a photo looks as if you've got something to hide. Woman: Then I wouldn't present it as a rule he's broken, because he hasn't broken one. Find a couple of CVs from people in his field who've found work here, with their permission, obviously, and let him compare them with his own. Man: To be honest, I was going to rewrite it for him this afternoon. Woman: I'd rather you didn't. If he doesn't see the reason for himself, the photo will be back on the next one he sends. Man: Fair enough. I'll dig out some examples.