Are there side jobs that diminish your credibility? 5

[casseopeia]

The reason I ask is that I recently testified as an expert in court. I had been talking with the attorney outside of the courtroom just prior to my testimony about what I had been doing since being laid off and going into private consulting. I mentioned that I did a photo shoot as one of the model/actors for a drug for people with Type 2 diabetes being launched in January or February next year. I personally am not diabetic. I just happened to have the look they wanted (middle aged, mildly overweight and ethnically indeterminate). I told him about getting used to walking on set and having everyone yell, “talent walking” and then jokingly suggested he do the same as I approach the witness stand.

After I was on the stand, one of the first requests the attorney made was to have me describe what I had been doing since being laid off. I said some consulting work and some interior painting and not much else. I felt that if I had said modeling or acting, I would have diminished my credibility, rightly or wrongly. But I had no hesitation to admit to performing labor. After all, part of my testimony involved criticizing a painting estimate.

I was just wondering how anyone else would react to hearing a construction defect/estimator mentioning doing modeling and acting. As i look at my own reaction, I can’t help but think I’m being unfairly judgmental. The hourly rate for the modeling is very close to the standard consulting rate I get. As a painter, best I've done is $20/hour cash.

I don't think I would have admitted to doing any bartending or product promos either, but at least I hadn't done any of those gigs.

"If you are going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance!"

 

[TheTick]

Just tell the cross-examining attorney that if he can be both dumb and ugly, there's no reason why you can't be both smart and pretty.

 

[mauricestoker]

I don't see how modeling would diminish your credibility, or any other form of honest, legal work. Doing nothing would, in my opinion, diminish credibility.

Only mistake I see is that if a lawyer asks you what you were doing since a certain date, only answer the readily demonstrable: I have been breathing, eating and defecating. Most lawyers would understand the defecating part, but may be confused that a different orifice was involved. If they want to pull teeth to get to every detail let them pull teeth.

Volunteering information is not mandatory, and generally not recommended. If you soold plasma for $15, would it be wrong not to mention that-I don't think so. For those who appreciate squirrels, just start everything with "to the best of my recollection."