# What does "Left my Goat at Home" mean? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 2, 2010, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-left-my-goat-at-home-mean/541631 "2010-06-02T12:39:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aaelghat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c5a1d2/32.png) [@aaelghat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aaelghat)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-left-my-goat-at-home-mean/541631/1 "2010-06-02T12:39:23Z")
“Left My Goat at Home” was one of the talents/strengths listed on a resume that I just saw. Googling that phrase came up with a few references to it on the internet, but I couldn’t tell what the phrase meant. Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-left-my-goat-at-home-mean/541631/2 "2010-06-02T12:42:52Z")
The phrase means the candidate should be a “no hire” for using obscure metaphores in their resume. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-left-my-goat-at-home-mean/541631/3 "2010-06-02T12:46:59Z")
Evidently it means that you are not his Contact in the Organization, since you don’t know the countersign. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-left-my-goat-at-home-mean/541631/4 "2010-06-02T13:02:08Z")
Is this person applying for a position as a goatherd? If so, don’t hire them – a good goatherd always keeps the goats close at hand. ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-left-my-goat-at-home-mean/541631/5 "2010-06-02T13:15:45Z")
It might mean that he understands that there are appropriate times for business and pleasure and the two should never mix, but that’s only if he’s a Texan or from New Zealand. ---
**Author:** ![aaelghat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c5a1d2/32.png) [@aaelghat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aaelghat)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-left-my-goat-at-home-mean/541631/6 "2010-06-02T13:43:21Z")
Actually, the whole resume is making me wonder if he is an eccentric person that other people would find charming, or if its one big warning sign. Some other tidbits from it… > [@](#): > > Direct customer contact with responsibility for customer delight via attentive respectful listening. > > A good day’s work enjoyed from Cheerful Mondays to Focused Fridays dealing graciously with a variety of people and issues. Customers pick up on that & decide to work with me. Even when collecting taxes with no wiggle room, some gents have reached to shake my hand, some ladies have patted my hand on the counter in thanks for my pleasant, helpful way. A profound compliment & taken as such every time. Seeking a venue to contribute such daily. Under Talents/Strengths > [@](#): > > • Alpha/Numeric KPH 7815, Numeric 8120 I’ve googled those terms, but they don’t come up as model numbers for any computer systems. > [@](#): > > Versatile enough to get my hands dirty & walk 50 pounds on my shoulder if needed! > Relevant Training > • Buena Vista U., Storm Lake IA: Undergraduate course work. Did not graduate. > • Classes & study materials from Nightingale Conant, Career Track, Xerox, Pacific Institute. > • David Sandler’s President’s Club. Learned to get to the truth with people. Under Work Examples: > [@](#): > > Daily contact with Bindley Western & Walgreen (etc.) to Mom & Pops. Trained many for their best return credit. Reconciled pay differences, A/P & A/R, collected large pay difference deductions & past dues to Director gratitude. Monthly Reports to Manager. Imagined, sold, authored & implemented innovative return policy. I honestly don’t know what half of this stuff means. The job is for a pretty low key, very part time customer service rep position. The main requirement is that the person is helpful and responsive. I’m not sure what to make of the resume - Even if the guy is looney, I feel like meeting him to see who would write this stuff. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-left-my-goat-at-home-mean/541631/7 "2010-06-02T13:53:51Z")
[QUOTE=aaelghat;12525512I’m not sure what to make of the resume - Even if the guy is looney, I feel like meeting him to see who would write this stuff.[/QUOTE] This is a job hunting technique of mine- write some really off-the-wall cover letter so they call you in for kicks, then wow them at the interview. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-left-my-goat-at-home-mean/541631/8 "2010-06-02T13:58:31Z")
Maybe the person is slow to anger? If his goat is at home, it’s harder for a co-worker to get it. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-left-my-goat-at-home-mean/541631/9 "2010-06-02T13:58:39Z")
If the sentences were complete I’d say it’s somebody being deliberately “interesting” hoping for the curiosity interview. \*A la \ ***even sven**. Since they’re mostly a fragmented ramble, I vote for stark raving loonie, or at least too wierd for you to want to have around. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-left-my-goat-at-home-mean/541631/10 "2010-06-02T14:00:02Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > This is a job hunting technique of mine- write some really off-the-wall cover letter so they call you in for kicks, then wow them at the interview. That’s what I was thinking it was. I’ve never had the luxury of job-hunting while I was still employed so I’ve never been brave enough to be “interesting” on a resume. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-left-my-goat-at-home-mean/541631/11 "2010-06-02T14:06:11Z")
Does the resume also mention a squid? Maybe it’s a Doper. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-left-my-goat-at-home-mean/541631/12 "2010-06-02T14:36:58Z")
For some reason I heard all of this in an East Indian accent. It seems like there’s a language/cultural divide here. How long at the last position? That should tell you a lot. This person obviously takes a lot of pride in being a positive boost to morale. There may also be a touch of Krishnamurti to it. . . which is great as long as he’s not aggressively evangelical. (True of almost any religion.) The whole “patted my hand” part would worry me that he might have boundary issues and creep some people out. As to the specifics of “Left my goat at home” I don’t know, but I’m betting it’s a colloquialism that just doesn’t translate well. I’d take the interview. Should be fun, and might be profitable. ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_Doubt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7cd45c/32.png) [@Angel\_of\_Doubt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_Doubt)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-left-my-goat-at-home-mean/541631/13 "2010-06-02T14:40:13Z")
Can’t shed much light on this either, except “Alpha/Numeric KPH 7815, Numeric 8120” must refer to keystrokes per hour on a/n and numeric keypads. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-left-my-goat-at-home-mean/541631/14 "2010-06-02T14:45:20Z")
> [@Angel\_of\_Doubt](#): > > Can’t shed much light on this either, except “Alpha/Numeric KPH 7815, Numeric 8120” must refer to keystrokes per hour on a/n and numeric keypads. Concur. ---
**Author:** ![aaelghat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c5a1d2/32.png) [@aaelghat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aaelghat)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-left-my-goat-at-home-mean/541631/15 "2010-06-02T14:49:00Z")
> [@](#): > > For some reason I heard all of this in an East Indian accent. Well, it may not tell us where he’s lived during most of his life, but when I look up the last name in one of those family crest websites it says it’s of Dutch, German, Scottish origin. The first name sounds pretty anglo-saxon. ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-left-my-goat-at-home-mean/541631/16 "2010-06-02T14:55:13Z")
Do an interview, just so we can laugh at the loonie. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![dogbutler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogbutler/32/428_2.png) [@dogbutler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogbutler)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-left-my-goat-at-home-mean/541631/17 "2010-06-02T15:05:22Z")
> [@aaelghat](#): > > “Left My Goat at Home” was one of the talents/strengths listed on a resume that I just saw. Googling that phrase came up with a few references to it on the internet, but I couldn’t tell what the phrase meant. > > Any ideas? Nope, but it’s better than “I burning your dog” ---
**Author:** ![skearton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@skearton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skearton)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-left-my-goat-at-home-mean/541631/18 "2010-06-02T15:09:10Z")
Maybe he shaved his goatee? If it’s in the Restaurant industry, maybe he is saying he wont graze on the food? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-left-my-goat-at-home-mean/541631/19 "2010-06-02T15:59:00Z")
> [@aaelghat](#): > > Well, it may not tell us where he’s lived during most of his life, but when I look up the last name in one of those family crest websites it says it’s of Dutch, German, Scottish origin. The first name sounds pretty anglo-saxon. Tom Haverford? ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2010, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-left-my-goat-at-home-mean/541631/20 "2010-06-02T16:01:22Z")
He’s just hoping you don’t notice this part: [QUOTE=Man without a goat] Did not graduate. [/QUOTE] [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-left-my-goat-at-home-mean/541631.md?page=2)