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I'm filling out an application for Duke, and on Duke's website, it's instructions say to list "relevant" work experience. However, on the LSAC application is says to list all work experience and internships.

The reason I'm asking is that I started to do a well-known program (think Peace Corps, Americorps, TFA) and resigned a few months in. I hope to leave this off my resume when possible, especially since I immediately found meaningful work experience and there isn't a any gap on my resume that might raise red flags.

Should I go with the school's instructions or would I be putting myself in a dicey situation by leaving things off when LSAC's app says to list "all" (it's the same question for every school). I have an addendum (explaining why I quit and that it was basically my mistake to understake a commitment I wasn't preapred for) ready for schools (Chicago) that explicitly require all employment, but I'd rather leave it off all together. Thoughts?

Nothing?

LSAC's interest is in making a blanket app, I would certainly defer to the school in this case and leave it off if you want.

On the very slim chance that it comes up in a C&F situation down the road you have a perfectly legitimate explanation "Duke/School X asked for relevant work experience and in my judgment a 2 month stint with the Peace Corps/TFA did not seem particularly relevant".

2014 wrote:LSAC's interest is in making a blanket app, I would certainly defer to the school in this case and leave it off if you want.

On the very slim chance that it comes up in a C&F situation down the road you have a perfectly legitimate explanation "Duke/School X asked for relevant work experience and in my judgment a 2 month stint with the Peace Corps/TFA did not seem particularly relevant".

This is exactly what I was thinking. Thanks!

If anyone has an alternate viewpoint though, I'd love to hear it.

Why would you leave work experience off your resume? Did you leave on bad terms?

CyanIdes Of March wrote:Why would you leave work experience off your resume? Did you leave on bad terms?

Did you read the OP? I'm pretty sure leaving 2 months into a year or 2 year commitment cannot really be construed as leaving on good terms.

2014 wrote:

CyanIdes Of March wrote:Why would you leave work experience off your resume? Did you leave on bad terms?

Did you read the OP? I'm pretty sure leaving 2 months into a year or 2 year commitment cannot really be construed as leaving on good terms.

Exactly. I didn't leave on bad terms in that my leaving was done in an voluntarily and amicable way, but I did sign a commitment and then fail to complete it.

2014 wrote:

CyanIdes Of March wrote:Why would you leave work experience off your resume? Did you leave on bad terms?

Did you read the OP? I'm pretty sure leaving 2 months into a year or 2 year commitment cannot really be construed as leaving on good terms.

I don't know anything about PeaceCorps or Teach for America, didn't know there was an implied 1-2 year long commitment.

Both are about two-year commitments.

I'm just curious -- where do you see that Duke only asks for "relevant" experience?

Their instructions say "include your significant work experience" on your resume, and for the employment section which says "list all employment including internships," the instructions say "Complete this section in full."

I was going off of what was in the resume portion. The question on the LSAC application is a stock LSAC question and not written by Duke. So I was giving more weight to what Duke’s site actually said in terms of what they wanted to know about your work experience. For example, Chicago’s site is explicit about wanting to know all of your work experience, so in that case I included it all on both the application and my resume. resume portion.

I want to bump this to ask one more question: If a school does not have any guidelines for employment history in its official instructions, is it still dicey to omit things that are not relevant even though the lsac question (the one that is on every app even if the school wants some different wording) still says list "all" employment history? I have no plans on listing anything before college because it's irrelevant so for the same reason would it be ok to omit my peacecorps/americorps/tfa gig?

RSterling wrote:I want to bump this to ask one more question: If a school does not have any guidelines for employment history in its official instructions, is it still dicey to omit things that are not relevant even though the lsac question (the one that is on every app even if the school wants some different wording) still says list "all" employment history? I have no plans on listing anything before college because it's irrelevant so for the same reason would it be ok to omit my peacecorps/americorps/tfa gig?

I am running into a similar but much more complex issue. I am a non-traditional student and over my life have had a bunch of part-time jobs (especially when in college). Now I am many years removed and have substantive work experience under my belt. Do they really want to know that I worked for Subway for a summer over a decade ago? I don't even know if I could remember every job I have had since high school at this point.

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nickb285 wrote:This came up a little while ago. Consensus IIRC was that putting only the jobs on your resume is probably acceptable unless the school asks for certain specific things (for instance, I spent a month working in a warehouse while I was between jobs, and a month after that working as a mall rent-a-cop, both of which I left off my resume and also most applications; however, my in-state law school wanted a listing of all activities over the last three years for the purpose of establishing continued residency, so I listed them on that portion of the app). That said, the C&F portion of the bar will eventually want to look at your employment history, so if you've been fired for disciplinary reasons or criminal activity or something you'll probably want to put that down in order to remain in compliance.

Thanks a ton. Last thing I need is to get kicked out of school or disbarred because I didn't list my 2-week stint at subway a decade ago.

I'm interested to hear how your cycle goes- I kept my brief experience in a program of the ones you mentioned on my resume and even discussed it in my PS.

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nickb285 wrote:

Pip42 wrote:Thanks a ton. Last thing I need is to get kicked out of school or disbarred because I didn't list my 2-week stint at subway a decade ago.

I was worried about it too, but I can't imagine they'd be that harsh. Everybody has a shit job they worked for two weeks in college.

Ok. So my plan is to put something on my resume like "In addition to the listed positions I also maintained various part time employment in high school and college. A complete list can be provided on request." Think that works? That way they can ask if they really want to know.

What are your thoughts on leaving the employment question "Please list every job you have had including internships." blank if it is not indicated as a required question?

Thanks for all your advice!

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You don't think there is an issue with the question asking to list "all jobs" and then just listing the ones on the resume? Or am I just paranoid?

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That's what I thought. Thanks a ton! Also I may PM you if you don't mind. I saw you live in Utah and I had some questions.

Go for it.