Incorporating shooting into my resume

[Catmouflage]

So I am fine tuning my resume as I continue my search for a meaningful career based job. I have recently become an active participant in the shooting community. I have participated in Appleseed, IDPA, Second Amendment March in D.C., became a member of the Second Amendment Sisters for examples. I have already added my status of Instructor in Training with Appleseed as volunteer work on my resume but I am looking for the best way to describe shooting as a hobby. I am far from ashamed, embarrassed, or trying to "politically correct" describing anything, if I was I wouldn't consider using shooting as a hobby at all on my resume. I am just looking for suggestions on the best way to describe shooting as a hobby to employers that may not be Second Amendment advocates themselves. Any suggestions??

 

[RichM]

Emphasize your role as a "trainer" at those events, especially if conducting training will be any part of your job duties.

 

[JoeyD]

Your resume will end up in the trash at many places of employment I think if you put that on there. There are places where it's OK to talk about shooting and there are places you shouldn't, this is one area where you shouldn't put it down.
If your looking at the S&W plant or some gun shop then put it down.

 

[Admin]

Your resume will end up in the trash at many places of employment I think if you put that on there. There are places where it's OK to talk about shooting and there are places you shouldn't, this is one area where you shouldn't put it down.
If your looking at the S&W plant or some gun shop then put it down.

She'd be at the top of my callback list if she sent it to me.

 

[buketduder]

For my interview for my current job (IT at small financial company), they that asked what I enjoyed doing in free time..I mentioned "target shooting" among other things..I got the job..I don't think its frowned upon to mention..but thats just my opinion.....not sure I would put it on my resume though....but maybe would talk about in an interview if you feel comfortable with it..or maybe in response to an question they give you..

 

[JoeyD]

She'd be at the top of my callback list if she sent it to me.

Mine to. There is never enough shooters out there and better there with me when SHTF

 

[FreeWillie]

Spin it. Talk about a fascination with the behavior of matter propelled by controlled burning of combustible material. Talk about drag coefficients and the effect of gravity and atmospheric conditions of projectiles traversing a gradual arc at sub sonic and super sonic speeds. Don't be specific other than you are conducting research at your own expense to further your knowledge. Good Luck with the resume.

 

[bpm990d]

If there is a hook with the reader, then maybe. Otherwise you are playing odds. Poor odds in MA IMO.

B

 

[Rob Boudrie]

She'd be at the top of my callback list if she sent it to me.

I've never considered it professional to list hobbies or interests on a resume. My resume is about one thing - my qualifications.

I've been at my current employer for 15 years, people know how I recreate, and nobody seems bothered by it. Several years after joining I was told that there was a large pile of resumes for the job I applied for and an engineer who was in the screening manager's office saw my resume and asked it be put on the "invite for interview" pile because he knew me from our mutual recreational pursuits (I did't know him well enough to know he worked at the place to which I was applying).

 

[Catmouflage]

I've never considered it professional to list hobbies or interests on a resume. My resume is about one thing - my qualifications.

Many resume building classes and articles would tell you otherwise. One thing I hear to much is employers are looking for more well rounded candidates then they were 15 years ago because the market is so competitive now. I suppose that is still a preference.

Like I mentioned in the OP I'm not embarrassed or ashamed. I embrace the fact that what I like may be different and I am choosing to use that on my resume to maybe get that stand out appeal. Its true I may turn off some potential employers with that information but writing that I'm a competitive dirt bike rider (which I'm not) may do the same. I'm just looking for suggestions on how to be subtle but also make a positive statement on how I spend my extra time.
And it may be best to inform what type of employment I'm looking for...I am a Marketing Communications major so I would be applying in the field of business. Above statements about my resume being thrown in the trash might be very true if I was apply to be a elementary school teacher or something similar.

 

[Roadblock]

I would specifically list those activities that would reflect on your positively for the job; which may only be some of them. Example- "In training to be certified firearms instructor" is very impressive; while "participated in 2nd ammendment march" is less so.

 

[TheWookie]

Is this a LEO related position? If not, and even if so -- what does recreational shooting have to do with a job?

I mean, I golfed today -- should I put that on my resume,, that I golf? Played men's pick-up hoop league on Friday, what about that? Sorry, I do not get it. I agree that employers want individuals who are well rounded, but I think any recreational info is best saved for the interview.

 

[FreeWillie]

With employers using Facebook, running credit checks and the like to further qualify applicants, I don't see how mentioning how you spend your free time is in the least bit detrimental to your application. It just saves them time and money when prying into your life.

 

[Catmouflage]

Maybe this question is better asked in a different kind of forum since my OP doesn't seem to be understood the way I had anticipated. Thank you for the advice regardless.

But those that did not understand the reason for personal interests to be included in a resume, here is a brief paragraph taken from a resume building article.
* "Show what sets you apart," says Nancy Keene, a director of Stanton Chase global executive search firm. "I like to see some indication of personal interests. It's a good conversation trigger and provides some additional insight into who the person is."

Riley agrees. "It's an opportunity to make yourself memorable as an applicant," she says. While an actual Personal Interest section is not usually advised, you can find ways to integrate your interests into your resume. For example, you could list your volunteer activities to give hiring managers some sense of your passions.
http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/career-articles-insider_secrets_to_get_your_resume_read-1118

 

[TheWookie]

I hope it works out for you. But I could find links or quotes to plenty of articles that say personal interest stuff should not be put on a resume, but it's all how you spin it. Clearly, almost half of the responders to this thread don't think it's the best idea. Imagine if those were your prospective employers, half of them would chuck your resume into the round file. I applaud you for your dedication, skills, and qualifications; however, I suggest you save the personal stuff for the interview or it just might stop you from getting one.

 

[JackDaniels]

So I am fine tuning my resume as I continue my search for a meaningful career based job. I have recently become an active participant in the shooting community. I have participated in Appleseed, IDPA, Second Amendment March in D.C., became a member of the Second Amendment Sisters for examples. I have already added my status of Instructor in Training with Appleseed as volunteer work on my resume but I am looking for the best way to describe shooting as a hobby. I am far from ashamed, embarrassed, or trying to "politically correct" describing anything, if I was I wouldn't consider using shooting as a hobby at all on my resume. I am just looking for suggestions on the best way to describe shooting as a hobby to employers that may not be Second Amendment advocates themselves. Any suggestions??

Build Your resume based on the job you are seeking, not on your hobbies that you are trying to show that you are not ashamed of. Glad your into shooting, but focus on putting things in your resume that will help you land a job. Not things that are indifferent to your career success.

 

[FalArAk]

Unless it is a job in LE,I don't see why you would drastically lower your chances of getting a job by being a proud gun owner and wanting to make a statement,but that's just me.You can quote 500 professional resume consultants,but in the end,common sense rules.

Good luck.

 

[JackDaniels]

Maybe this question is better asked in a different kind of forum since my OP doesn't seem to be understood the way I had anticipated. Thank you for the advice regardless.

Haha. What is that? The "I'll keep trying different forums until on of them agrees with me" approach? Look, a lot of people think it is a bad idea. And it is. Instead of coming to the conclusion that you were misunderstood, why don't you consider the very valuable opinions of others here? Do yourself a favor, and play the game a little. Sure, leaving it off your resume may make you feel like your putting your tail between your legs, but putting it on your resume makes you a martyr. Great. You're proud of yourself for staying true to your beliefs. But your still going to be looking for a way to pay the bills until you realize that you're the one who is holding your head under the water, and wasting whatever valuable professional skills you may have.

Now, emphasize your skills in relevance to the job that you are seeking, and go out there with some confidence and get it.

Best of luck.

 

[blindfire]

Your resume will end up in the trash at many places of employment I think if you put that on there. There are places where it's OK to talk about shooting and there are places you shouldn't, this is one area where you shouldn't put it down.
If your looking at the S&W plant or some gun shop then put it down.

Good point, I work for a network equipment manufacturer and we hired a guy recently. We knew him from his work at the out-source company we used. On his resume, he listed "lock picking" as a hobby. If we didn't already know the guy, that would have pushed us off to another resume. His argument was that it was a conversation starter.

if you really wanted to put it on a resume, definitely play up the aspect of competitive match or target target shooting. HR types like to see sports listed as hobbies as compared to defensive pistol stuff. It sucks that its like that, but if you want to mention it, I'd treat it like a sport.

As for listing hobbies on resumes in general, I'd avoid it. Trust me, I've reviewed a ton of resumes over the years and honestly, I could give a crap about what you do in the off hours. As long as you can do the job and don't come off as a complete mouth breather in the interview, you'll be fine.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Many resume building classes and articles would tell you otherwise. One thing I hear to much is employers are looking for more well rounded candidates then they were 15 years ago because the market is so competitive now. I suppose that is still a preference.

For all I know that may be true. A friend's son has taken up shooting and often accompanies his father and myself to matches. He faced a similar decision in his college application - he could mention competitive shooting, and even rack up some points for a regional honor for his scholarship to shooting camp (some schools "score" applications with so many points for an activity; so many for a state honor; so many for a multi-state honor; etc.) or he could play the PC game. He still wonders if Stanford turned him down because he is a shooter, however, Caltech, MIT, Cornell and all the other placed he applied to gave him offers. He starts MIT this fall and will hopefully start a new student activity at the school.

On his resume, he listed "lock picking" as a hobby.

I would wonder about such an applicant - not because of his hobby, but because he thought mentioning such an activity on a resume would be a good idea. And woe to him if he couldn't explain maximum adjacent cut spacing; sidebars; mushroom and spool pins; and the role a sheet of graph paper has in safe manipulation

 

[TomH]

Keep the gun stuff off your resume unless you are applying for a job in the firearms industry. There are alot of people who don't like guns and will hold it against you and you won't get hired. You may luck out and have a gun enthusiast read your application but I wouldn't count on that.

This. If your potential boss then goes and looks up appleseed, and decides it sounds like an extremist group, you're done. Also, I don't see how hobbies are applicable. I will agree that becoming an appleseed instructor takes a lot of responsibility. However, what people will see is appleseed's message, which is basically that the 2nd ammendment is supposed to keep the government in fear of the populace. If you only want to be hired by people who agree with that, then you're all set. If you want to get a job realistically, you will leave it out and put experience related to education having to do with the application, and previous work experience.

 

[Jose]

I've never considered it professional to list hobbies or interests on a resume. My resume is about one thing - my qualifications.

This

 

[JackDaniels]

This. If your potential boss then goes and looks up appleseed, and decides it sounds like an extremist group, you're done.

You're right. But, to be honest, it won't even get to that. Put it this way, when I was hired for my job 5 years ago, there were 50 other applicants. I was recently promoted and they backfilled that position with a candidate who was chosen out of almost 800 applicants. Out of 800 applicants, there is no need to research extremist groups. If you have 800 applications, if there is one word that is questionable on your resume, that resume gets filled in the trash can, and its on to the next application. No need to think any further about it. There are just so many people applying for the same jobs out there that are as qualified, or more qualified than you, that employers aren't even going to waste their time to give it enough thought about whether they think your hobby is a risk or a law-obiding activity.

 

[P-14]

You need a resume to get an interview and an interview to get a job.

Resumes represent us poorly. You need to have best resume possible to get an interview. Resumes must "Play to the audience" and therefore, I recommend that like others, you leave the firearms extracurriculars off the resume (unless applying to a firearms mfg.).

I have been reviewing resumes and providing comments to NESers and my professional colleagues for some time. If you are interested in having me review your resume, PM me and along with the comments I'll send mine back for comparison.

 

[wacky_doug]

Sorry Kaisha77, but I'm with most other folks here. Leave your hobbies off the resume. The only purpose of the resume it to demonstrate that you have qualifications and get you in the door. After that, the face to face interviews are the single factor in whether you'll get called back for a second round.

But I have another question: are you early on in your career and/or is your resume a little light on experience? If this is the case and you're trying to beef up your resume, tailor your hobbies to the potential employer. (You should tailor your resume for each potential employer anyway.)

Sorry, I know you're looking for wordsmithing advice, but it's unlikely this is going to help you out in MA.

 

[caillean]

Hobbies only belong on resumes when they are some thing that would positively influence your ability to do the job you're applying for. Case in point, I work in high-tech, so, my hobby of tinkering with linux boxes goes on my resume, while my interest and activity in shooting sports and horseback riding stay off.

I found the best resume format for myself and friends when we graduated college (and when changing careers) was a skills based one with bullet points emphasizing various skills we have and then a quick list of employment history. This is especially useful when you've got skills that are self-taught or acquired in ways that are not easily made obvious on a resume.

 

[Knuckle Dragger]

In my years as a hiring manager I never thought it was appropriate for people to list their interests and hobbies. I thought it was irrelevant and unprofessional.

 

[M1911]

I've never considered it professional to list hobbies or interests on a resume. My resume is about one thing - my qualifications.

I agree completely. Shooting will never be on my resume. In fact, I don't put ANY hobbies on my resume. If I'm asked about my hobbies during an interview, I'll talk about cooking and photography.

Only after I've been at an employer for some time would I tell people that my hobby is shooting.

 

[M1911]

With employers using Facebook, running credit checks and the like to further qualify applicants, I don't see how mentioning how you spend your free time is in the least bit detrimental to your application. It just saves them time and money when prying into your life.

My facebook profile is private.

 

[wacky_doug]

My facebook profile is private.

I thought mine was too, and when I started my most recent job, a couple of my folks asked me about shooting. They had found a facebook photo of an action pistol competition. It turns out my privacy settings weren't right. My profile page on FB had some image permissions.

Such is life in the digital age. But let them find that rather than volunteering it.