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I held a leadership position (vice pres) in a social fraternity during undergrad. Is this something that should stay on my OCI resume? What if I don't have any UG honors listed? Would that make it look like I was a slacker fratboy?

DO NOT add this. I wouldn't add anything about my fraternity to my resume. However, I think there are ways to work this into the interview conversation.

If I were interviewing you, I would not be impressed. It would probably make me think that you were in charge of hiring strippers for pledge events.

Anonymous User wrote:If I were interviewing you, I would not be impressed. It would probably make me think that you were in charge of hiring strippers for pledge events.

A laudable responsibility, no doubt; but definitely not appropriate for a resume.

lol at these posters.

add it unless you have something else to take up the space.

I'd add it for firms like Latham, Skadden, Weil...

leadership is leadership. add it. these responses are fuckin lol though.

jesus, tls couldn't get anymore useless.

PMan99 wrote:lol at these posters.

add it unless you have something else to take up the space.

+1

Depends on firm culture my little breh

Add it, everyone telling you not to add it are jealous geeds. Make sure you are able to discuss actual leadership within the fraternity tho. Ie) Helped organize a fraternity workshop to discuss the dangers of Hazing.


And for the love of god do not call your fraternity a "frat" during the interview. It makes you look classless.

HuskyHopeful wrote:Add it, everyone telling you not to add it are jealous geeds. Make sure you are able to discuss actual leadership within the fraternity tho. Ie) Helped organize a fraternity workshop to discuss the dangers of Hazing.


And for the love of god do not call your fraternity a "frat" during the interview. It makes you look classless.

This.

(Former) Interviewer.

Tread carefully. Unless your fraternity had some serious public interest focus that you were involved in, putting this on your resume as a highlight would seriously emphasize the light years you were behind other people I interview in terms of skills and life experience.

TooOld4This wrote:(Former) Interviewer.

Tread carefully. Unless your fraternity had some serious public interest focus that you were involved in, putting this on your resume as a highlight would seriously emphasize the light years you were behind other people I interview in terms of skills and life experience.

Seriously? Thats ridiculous.

I have it on my resume, and at least twice its worked to my benefit, including at least one helping lead to a cb because the interviewer was in my fraternity.

Anonymous User wrote:

TooOld4This wrote:(Former) Interviewer.

Tread carefully. Unless your fraternity had some serious public interest focus that you were involved in, putting this on your resume as a highlight would seriously emphasize the light years you were behind other people I interview in terms of skills and life experience.

Seriously? Thats ridiculous.

I have it on my resume, and at least twice its worked to my benefit, including at least one helping lead to a cb because the interviewer was in my fraternity.

Agreed. Have it on my resume too, no one has looked at it negatively. Put it on there if it was a leadership position, especially if it was what you spent most of your time on in college.

Itt: haters who didnt bro out and enjoy some of the best years of their lives.

OP: put it and it isn't close.

TooOld4This wrote:(Former) Interviewer.

Tread carefully. Unless your fraternity had some serious public interest focus that you were involved in, putting this on your resume as a highlight would seriously emphasize the light years you were behind other people I interview in terms of skills and life experience.

Current interviewer. +1.

Who are you going to find more of in biglaw? Ex-frat boys or people who weren't in frats/didn't go to schools with fraternities?

Don't forget to highlight other awards you have acquired as a result of the member in your fraternity, such as the super preftigious keg stand king and elephant line leader.

Anonymous User wrote:Who are you going to find more of in biglaw? Ex-frat boys or people who weren't in frats/didn't go to schools with fraternities?

This is dumb.

You're going to find more non-athletes than athletes in biglaw but no one would say leave your DI Varsity Captainship off your resume.

I did not have mine listed and CSO advised me to add it. Who knows.

PMan99 wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:Who are you going to find more of in biglaw? Ex-frat boys or people who weren't in frats/didn't go to schools with fraternities?

This is dumb.

You're going to find more non-athletes than athletes in biglaw but no one would say leave your DI Varsity Captainship off your resume.

There's a big difference between D1 varsity athlete and fraternities. No one is going to begrudge a D1 varsity athlete, especially if he or she does well in law school, there are going to be interviewers where being perceived as a fratboy is a negative. Just as there will be interviewers where being perceived as a fratboy will be a positive. Depends on how risk averse you are. Oftentimes you can see who will be conducting the screener interview and can use your judgment accordingly. It's probably not that big of a deal either way.

In your "Education" section, if you include an "Activities" line, just put "[Name of Fraternity]- Vice President, [any other leadership positions]"

The fact is there are so many social, academic, and professional greek organizations, and a lot school honors associations also have greek letter names that jumping to the conclusion that someone was in some douche bag social fraternity is unlikely. If the interviewer is not familiar with the organization, then they'll likely ask about it, and you can talk about coordinating committees, managing a budget, organizing philanthropy, etc. If they are familiar with your organization, they were likely in greek life themselves (or spent a fair amount of time with members of greek life) and probably don't have that bad of an impression about it.

Anonymous User wrote:In your "Education" section, if you include an "Activities" line, just put "[Name of Fraternity]- Vice President, [any other leadership positions]"

The fact is there are so many social, academic, and professional greek organizations, and a lot school honors associations also have greek letter names that jumping to the conclusion that someone was in some douche bag social fraternity is unlikely. If the interviewer is not familiar with the organization, then they'll likely ask about it, and you can talk about coordinating committees, managing a budget, organizing philanthropy, etc. If they are familiar with your organization, they were likely in greek life themselves (or spent a fair amount of time with members of greek life) and probably don't have that bad of an impression about it.

Seriously, this. Not to mention, if, like me, it's overwhelmingly obvious that you're not a fratty douche, they won't make that mistake just because you have some greek letter organizations on your resume.

There's a big difference between D1 varsity athlete and fraternities. No one is going to begrudge a D1 varsity athlete, especially if he or she does well in law school, there are going to be interviewers where being perceived as a fratboy is a negative. Just as there will be interviewers where being perceived as a fratboy will be a positive. Depends on how risk averse you are. Oftentimes you can see who will be conducting the screener interview and can use your judgment accordingly. It's probably not that big of a deal either way.

I agree with this and the "tread carefully" mention above. It might be an auto-include if you have nothing better, but the way you do it and the way you talk about it if asked will matter a lot. You could always consider having one resume with it and one without and choose which one to send depending on your knowledge of the firm/interviewer/whatever.

It's most likely generally a positive, but I can definitely see it as POSSIBLY being a negative to some interviewers, which is what you want to watch out for.