Forum: workplace.stackexchange.com
Tags: <resume>
Title: Should I Write Brainf*ck in My Resume? If so, How Should I?
Question: Should I write Brainf*ck in my CVs?   I know this is a weird question, but maybe the interviewer thinks "Hmm, this kid writes esoteric language."  Or as an alternative, I would say  BF  or  BrainF  instead of Brainf**k. What do you think about it?  Note:    Brainf*ck is an esoteric programming language notable for its extreme minimalism.  Edit: I found a Brainf*ck library named  BrainF.Net . So I decided to pronounce like BrainF.

Answers:
sents: text: Should I write Brainf*ck in my CVs?
text: If you have absolutely nothing else going on for you, then sure, because you would be rejected anyway.
text: This way at least your CV will be passed along as a joke across the office first.
text: If you have something to offer though, write about that instead.
text: When hiring developers you are seeking dozens of CVS every day, and the random strings of characters (as I won't bother to decipher what that means before deciding whether to call you or not) will at best be ignored, at worst seen as not bothering to even proof-read the PDF you've sent me.
text: The magical world where including BF in your CV is the difference between being hired or not is naive at best.
text: Sorry.
text: Put that effort into getting a buffy GH portfolio instead.
text: I wouldn't even put it under the skill list, as it has zero practical use and, again, a beefy practical GH portfolio will get you much further.
text: Or extra line describing your previous actual experience.
answer_details: author: workplace.stackexchange.com/users/66740/Tymoteusz Paul
score: 13
sents: text: NB:
text: This answer tries to answer the more general question, rather than specifically "BrainF*ck"
text: I'm not sure if the question is about using a profanity or just if adding this language is beneficial.
text: The latter will depend on the type of job you are applying to but as a general rule of thumb (assuming you're a programmer of some sort): If it's a language that is a bit different and
text: you are proficient in
text: (i.e. makes you stand out) add it.
text: To address the other question: Is it ok to use a profanity in a CV if it's the name of a Language / Company / Website (etc.)?
text: I don't see any issue in this, although of course it will vary from country to country, company to company and person to person.
text: Provided it is clear what it is, it adds to your experience, (and that you're not using just to say "f*ck" on your CV)
text: then it's ok.
text: Personally, I'd use it as in the title of this post
text: (UK based, tend to apply to more casual small companies).
text: Follow your nose with this one though - judge based on the type of company.
text: BF is probably ambiguois.
text: For companies you want to avoid swearing go with BrainF. Final thought
text: As many of the comments mentioned, listing Code Golf as a hobby would generally look pretty good on a resume and this is a fairly well established term.
text: Unless you're a complete whizz, specifically at BrainF, just list that.
answer_details: author: workplace.stackexchange.com/users/105591/Bee
score: 9
sents: text: To those of us that are actually familiar with brainfuck .
text: Including it in your resume would send the wrong message.
text: Not because it's a profanity, but because it's a purposefully obtuse and unreadable language designed to show off more than anything else.
text: And for software development, I would want to hire the opposite kind of developer for my team.
text: I would want the kind of developer that values communication and readability over his own ego or clerverness.
text: So for that reason, I would only advertise code golf in your hobby section, not brainfuck.
text: Now, should they ask, what languages did you use when code golfing?
text: Then, I would tell them all the languages I used, including brainfuck.
text: I think that would be fine.
answer_details: author: workplace.stackexchange.com/users/14577/Stephan Branczyk
score: 8
sents: text: I would suggest not including it, unless it's relevant for a specific type of job.
text: There are probably more relevant things you can include and draw attention to.
text: Also, a lot of people haven't heard of it, including programmers.
text: You don't want to be screened out potentially by a non-technical person or recruiter just for the sake of listing this.
text: Profanity on a CV looks unprofessional and (most) employers don't want to read that, even if it's the name of a product or technology.
text: BrainF sounds okay, but I don't think it's worth listing on a CV.
answer_details: author: workplace.stackexchange.com/users/111160/flexi
score: 6
sents: text: I don't see how this can add value to your resume.
text: It's like saying you can solve a rubix cube within seconds.
text: I'm saying this because when I was younger I could solve the rubix cube within seconds and I add this in my firsts resumes, and a lot of interviewer said "I don't care!".
text: Specially nowadays, all this side-skills doesn't matter anymore... it would be much more valuable for your resume to say you gave lectures for a large audience (meaning that you are able to speak in public and comunicate) or something like that.
answer_details: author: workplace.stackexchange.com/users/112432/Croves
score: 3
sents: text: If I will read such a CV and nothing else will attract the attention, but it would more or less conform to a job description, I would invite the person even out of the interest to talk.
text: However, if the person possesses multiple years of experience and still writes that, the question would rather be if he/
text: she is (over)enthusiastic or (extremely) bored.
text: //you can't imagine things I read last year hiring Java developer...
text: oh dear...
answer_details: author: workplace.stackexchange.com/users/112864/Alex N.
score: 1
sents: text: It would be more than sufficient to list CodeGolf as a hobby and esoteric languages as a skill.
text: I would probably provide a brief description on what these concepts are, because even among programmers its a pretty unknown practice.
text: I think esoteric programming languages with some description what that actually means would be enough.
text: I think what it comes down to is this -- Nobody is hiring Brainfuck developers.
text: So specifically calling it out as a skill wouldn't do you any favors.
text: But what provides value to you is not the specific language you use, but rather the proficiencies that using such a language has developed in you.
text: That should be the key takeaway, not the specifics.
text: Hell, a good option might just be putting a similar language down that has a less offensive name.
text: Its a safe bet that no interviewer is going to say "oh you know , go ahead and show me how you would implement X with it for me", but it would get the same message across.
answer_details: author: workplace.stackexchange.com/users/112363/Josh
score: 1

Summary of the answers:
It's probably not worth listing this on a CV unless it's relevent for a specific job, but it will depend on the company and the country.
The answer to this question is subjective and may depend on your country or the company in question. However, many people would consider that it is not worth including this on your CV unless it's highly relevant to the vacancy that you're applying for. As for how to write it, the way it is written in the question is probably acceptable.