Interests on Resume Forum

[Renzo]

Please tell me how well one would have to know Microsoft Word & in what context it would be appropriate to include it in a resume.

"I know Microsoft Word like the back of my hand. I'm good... reeeeeall good."

Uh, if you were, say, applying for a job in the word processing department of an organization, for one.

Most people that use word don't understand (or need to understand) more than about 20% of what the software is capable of. I used to be a goddamn power user in one of my former publishing-related jobs, and there were still things I had to send to a secretary to fix when I couldn't figure them out.

[20121109]

I have a "Personal" section on my resume and it reads: Raised in (insert foreign country). Spent four years as a nationally-competitive cheerleader (was invited to compete in the World Championships). Not quite interests but you get the point.

I was really hesitant to include that but I actually got some attention from V3 firms this past year. So I know it definitely didn't hurt me.

Whatever you put down, be honest and make sure that you will be able to talk about it when your interviewer asks you during EIP. Some people put stuff on their resume just to impress but can't even talk about it in a formal setting...not a good look.

I actually know someone (a rising 3L at HLS) who discussed Jersey Shore as an interest during her interviews. She ended up with 12 offers last summer. You'd be surprised at the things interviewers may want to talk about.

[Dany]

I think a distinction should be made between a law school admissions resume and a legal employment resume. I don't think interests are a good idea for the former, because you show your personality through your personal statement, and should be showing involvement/WE/etc. on the resume. I think interest sections are typically for "talking points," but you're not going to be talking to the dean of admissions, so you'd have no chance to explain why you're interested in, say, cooking.

As far as legal employment, I'll probably add an interests section for that very reason - to have (hopefully interesting) interview talking points. But I'll stop there because I'm a 0L and haven't had anything to do with OCI yet.

[Paraflam]

My interests are essentially celebrity gossip, news discussion boards, 90s music trivia, and breaking news of all kinds

LOL.

I have no idea if this would hurt or help you, but I can tell you that when my dad interviews people with this type of shit on their resume, it gets forwarded to the whole firm to laugh at. One of the funnier ones was "Interests: Finding love, assorted puzzles"

[ahduth]

Spent four years as a nationally-competitive cheerleader (was invited to compete in the World Championships). Not quite interests but you get the point.

I was really hesitant to include that but I actually got some attention from V3 firms this past year. So I know it definitely didn't hurt me.

I almost spat out my coffee. This is not a terribly good example of an unusual interest. It's more akin to writing on your resume that you're hot. I'm shocked your resume got dragged in front of pretty much everyone.

[20121109]

Spent four years as a nationally-competitive cheerleader (was invited to compete in the World Championships). Not quite interests but you get the point.

I was really hesitant to include that but I actually got some attention from V3 firms this past year. So I know it definitely didn't hurt me.

I almost spat out my coffee. This is not a terribly good example of an unusual interest. It's more akin to writing on your resume that you're hot. I'm shocked your resume got dragged in front of pretty much everyone.

Cheerleader doesn't necessarily mean hot, bro. And I also said

Not quite interests but you get the point.

So you're right....It's not an example of an unusual interest, because its barely even an interest. But even I acknowledged that, didn't I? I said it was under my Personal section of my resume. Pretty sure my growing up in a foreign country doesn't constitute an interest either.

But if you want to make poor assumptions and fail to read my entire post, then the only reason you almost spat out your coffee is you.

[ahduth]

Spent four years as a nationally-competitive cheerleader (was invited to compete in the World Championships). Not quite interests but you get the point.

I was really hesitant to include that but I actually got some attention from V3 firms this past year. So I know it definitely didn't hurt me.

I almost spat out my coffee. This is not a terribly good example of an unusual interest. It's more akin to writing on your resume that you're hot. I'm shocked your resume got dragged in front of pretty much everyone.

Cheerleader doesn't necessarily mean hot, bro. And I also said

Not quite interests but you get the point.

So you're right....It's not an example of an unusual interest, because its barely even an interest. But even I acknowledged that, didn't I? I said it was under my Personal section of my resume. Pretty sure my growing up in a foreign country doesn't constitute an interest either.

But if you want to make poor assumptions and fail to read my entire post, then the only reason you almost spat out your coffee is you.

Touchy. Cheerleader DOES mean hot per the stereotype. When I was working as a recruiter, resumes of people who had done sports and stuff like that were gold - those people haven't been rejected very often, so they make great interviewees. Cheerleading soars to the top of that list, because not only will they tend to be confident, they'll tend to be hot. Interviewers hate nothing more than being locked in a room with someone who's squirmy and nervous through the entire interview. And hot people are better received no matter what. Why else would people buy nice suits for interviews?

I've been watching too much 30 Rock - the episode where Liz tries to show Drew that he lives in a bubble, because he's hot, comes to mind.

More generally, I'd have to think you'd be insane not to put something like that on your resume. My experience with interviewing people is in accounting so.... not sure how directly pertinent it is here (probably depends on whether you're talking OCI or not). But generally speaking, it's very simple. Who do you want to interview: the blank slate with a 3.7 GPA, or the cheerleader with a 3.7 GPA? Call them interests or "personal" or whatever - if they add depth and character to your resume, you should include them. They should definitely be authentic, because you'll get called on them. That being said, cheerleading > member of interpretive dance theatre troupe. I'm not saying it's fair, just the way the world works.