Sunday 22 November 2020

Are you a Secret Wargamer?

Do you hide your hobby from your non-gamer friends? Would you be embarrassed if your work colleagues knew about your little metal men? Would you acknowledge your pastime on your CV? Many gamers wouldn't, some feel they can't and others (like myself) let the cat out of the bag years ago with the advent of social media. This week's Quarantined Wargamer takes a lighthearted look at a serious subject. 


I'd love to hear from you, what choices have you made and why? Please join the discussion in the comments below or on my YouTube Channel and of course if you enjoyed the video please hit the 'Like' button.  Until next week I hope your all staying safe and of course rolling high! 

21 comments:

  1. Interesting topic, Lee! Wargaming is not a topic that I broadcast to casual acquaintances but most of my close friends and relatives are aware of my strange, little hobby. Having a public blog, though, now I suppose the cat is out of the bag. Good point about potentially impacting one's career when coming out of the closet.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh certainly, as soon as we hit Social Media the cover is blown! :)

      Delete
  2. I've always been very open about my miniature wargaming. I've even appeared in my university's magazine "Weird Professors and their Strange Hobbies". Well, that was not exactly the title, but you get my gist ;-)

    It might depend on your workplace though. As I said, I'm a professor at a university, and eccentric or out-of-the mainstream hobbies are tolerated more, if not because many academics seem to have strange pursuits. I can imagine other workplaces are less tolerant.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Way back when I started my first proper job after university (back in the 90's) I was a member of the 'Science club'. It was a respectable company supported club for science nerds, but behind the scenes every member was actually a trekkie and a considerable number were gamers. Sadly everyone was afraid of being 'outed' as a gamer in case it hurt their careers. Nowadays I like to think we live in more enlightened times and my colleagues are more tolerant of my 'strange' hobby... or maybe its just that I don't care what people think any more.

      Delete
  3. I've never hidden the fact from colleagues. It is still on my C.V. People have stranger interests and hobbies

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I consider hobbies like watching football or fishing 'strange'...but if it makes you happy who am I to judge. My hobby is listed on my CV and if a prospective employer let their prejudices and preconceptions get in the way of seeing my experience and skills, then I probably wouldn't want to work for them anyway.

      Delete
  4. I kept wargaming a secret from my wife for as long as possible. When a game came up, I had to admit my figure fetish, she laughed and said, " You all go in the shed and push little men around on a table?"
    "Errrr.......yep?"

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I met my wife at school, so she knew I was a weirdo years before I even went out with her. She knew what she was getting when I asked her to marry me, so she only has herself to blame if she's embarrassed by it! :)

      Delete
  5. I've never hidden it from friends and colleagues. It's on my CV.

    My company actually has a miniature wargaming channel in the internal chat system. Also it appears to be doing dice with the company logo on ...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. To be fair the wargaming is the only the *second* most difficult interest of mine I have to explain to people ;)

      Delete
  6. We don't hide it, whether in private or at work, it's on Our CV and, like Professor Dutrè, we even appeared in Our Bank's Magazine ... a full page of the back cover!
    Everyone knows it and some colleagues call us "General" ... they may not even know that We are The Emperor!
    :D :D :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As I said in my video, a lot is down to how you manage other peoples perception of your hobby, and that means being confident enough to talk openly about it. I put it on my CV because I have always considered an interview or job application process to be a two way street...I'm interviewing them as much as they are interviewing me! I never go to an interview too desperate to walk away If I'm not convinced I'll fit in. Mind you, I understand that not everyone is lucky enough to be able to be so choosy.

      Delete
  7. We had quite a few wargamers at school (we wone the Model Engineering Exhibition wargames trophy quite a ew times in the seventies and when I started university I played Dungeons and Dragons with my then girlfriend. The next girl friend deemed it 'tragic' however so that put me off telling anybody until about fifteen years again when I was old enough not to care. Easier to explain than my expertise in the history of men's magazines, though but then I have never been invited to speak at Cambridge University about wargaming and I was about men's magazines!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thankfully I've never had to worry about putting girls off. I met my wife at school and she knew what she was getting into long before any marriage proposal... and she still said yes!

      Delete
  8. I haven't kept it a secret, but I haven't advertised it, it'snoton my CV. On one job I came across a chap who also gamed, we are both freelance and it's nice that we meet up at Salute every year. My wife tolerates my little men,she's always known about it, she just objects to the time it takes up every now and then!
    Best Iain

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. In any company of a reasonable size you can expect there to be a few gamers, and often the most unlikely people.

      Delete
  9. That is an interesting topic. I don't hide my wargaming. I have been into wargaming since 1993. My family & my close friends know about it. My kids have been gaming with me for about 8-9 years. My wife will even join in some games. A few co workers know, but not many. Being a truck driver-I don't see my co-workers except for a few minutes in the morning & at the end of the day. When I used to work in an office, I used to paint mini's in the lunch room. Got a couple of co-workers into gaming that way.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. In my previous company I was able to do some painting in lunch breaks. Many interesting conversations were started but not once did anyone hold it against me. I even discovered a few 40K players amongst my colleagues!

      Delete
  10. Late to the discussion on this. Came here via your post on explaining wargaming. Great post - wise words Lee. Thought provoking.
    It's not something I've put on my CV for a long time. I used to but stopped once I got more work things to add. I feel that it's none of a potential employer's business, much like I wouldn't say anything about politics on a CV. I take your point, however, of not wanting to work for someone who didn't want you because of it. It's not a secret, but it's like you say, it's about framing what you do. A conversation face-to-face in an interview is a better place to do that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I understand what you mean. I like to think I take control of the conversation by framing it carefully on my CV. I also like to think (and this is just my perception) that my work experience and skill set speak for themselves so by the time they get to the 'personal interests' bit of the CV I've already sold myself. However, I accept that maybe that only works because I'm older and have a lot of experience to present on a CV.

      Delete

Thank you for leaving a comment. I always try to reply as soon as I can, so why not pop back later and continue the conversation. In the meantime, keep rolling high!