Martial Arts on your resume

Hey, im just wondering how many people have noted that they do martial arts either as an activity/hobby, previous job/commitment on their resume or some where along the lines in a interview.

What was the employers reaction to it?

Thanks. Sam

 

Yes I did. The reaction was positive. Not because they give a darn about martial arts, but because it shows an interest in athletic recreation as well as some sort of community involvement. The former is important to help an employee steer clear of burnout and substance abuse (common in the legal profession) as well as poor health (i.e., sick days that diminish productivity); the latter is important for networking and getting the firm's name out there.

If you ever get a negative reaction in an interview, it might be worth bringing out these facets of martial arts that are beneficial to the employer.

 

If you're a reasonably high grade (everyone knows what "black belt" means) it also shows commitment and perseverence, and if you've ever led a class if the teacher was away or something you can put that down to show you have good communication skills and patience.

Same goes for the rest of it though - only put it down if it's true lol

 

Absolutely, I have. And I've done professional resume development for about 10 years now. So I've spent a fair amount of time thinking about this topic. When I was younger, I put it on there if there was an "activities" section on a job application or the template I was using for my resume had an "activities" heading. It helped, even then. It's just that it was dumb luck. The guy interviewing me, in one case, happened to be a big kenpo practitioner. So that gave us common ground in the interview.

Nowadays, I still include it. I'm just clearer about what I'm trying to achieve with it. You need to be prepared to use it when the opportunity presents itself. The last job I interviewed for mentioned in the listing, specifically, that they were looking for someone with an interest in working with culturally diverse populations. So I included my interest in Filipino martial arts, very deliberately mentioning the facts that 1) the arnis group I belonged to was a part of the Philippines Cultural Society at a major university (and I was going for a job in higher ed), 2) I was frequently the only non-Pinoy in the group (so I was kinda immersed in another culture, and 3) much of the class was conducted in Tagalog (which I don't speak myself, but I'm familiar enough with the material that I can keep up). Not only did that illustrate my interest in other cultures, but it turned out that an important member of the hiring committee was herself Filipina. So I got another connection there. When asked, I talked about how great it had been watching young Filipinos get their first exposure to something awesome in their own culture (which many of them hadn't known about prior to that).

Of course, that's all true. Which is important. Can't just blow smoke up people's skirts with your resume.



Stuart

 

I have. People have either said nothing or have given positive feedback. There have been no cons to including them so I see no reason why not.

 

Yes, I have.

I have mainly recieved positive feedback during interviews due to my training and licences.

Once and only once did I recieve a ridicule for it. The comment went something like; "Well, I wouldn't like to meet you in a dark alley." Another dazzling form of wit from the same interviewer; "We'll try not to make you angry." Both times I politely smiled, laughed while my internal dialogue was producing some pretty colourful rebuttals (Which can't really be printed - rhymes with punt).

 

Did you get the job?

 

Yes, but I only stayed on with that job before moving on to a different job and a new location. The boss/interviewer was a rather condescending male reproductive organ.

 

My CV has a picture of me roundhouse kicking the head off Chuck Norris - and nothing else.

I never fail a job interview.

 

WIN.

It reminds me of this one time where an employer remarked that I did karate. That was great.

The part where he said 'what would you do if I did.... THIS?!' and proceeded to attack me with a chair wasn't so great.

I didn't get the job.

 

Reminds of the time an interviewer said "So, I see you do karate. What does that involve then?".

I shouted "jodan" and punched him in the face.

As my teacher always says - if they don't block it, it's their fault.

 

I have to wonder how often, when someone types "LOL," they did actually laugh out loud.

Because I just did. Twice.

Well played Moosey.

 

i don't have a resume.

i have a hajime.

 

As an engineer, Ive included martial arts organizations or schools I belong to, etc. as Community/Activity Involvement on my "engineering resume".

As a personal trainer, my martial arts experience makes up a significant portion of my "fitness resume".

On the flip side, hopefully some day I can quit my dayjob and just teach martial arts/run PlumDragon full-time; at which point my engineering experience will be supplemental material for my "martial arts resume"... =)

 

Had an interview with a big law firm where one of the two interviewers mentioned the partner doing the interview had been wanting to ask me about my karate and he almost started bouncing up and down in his seat. I talk about karate in all my job applications because it's got loads of the things employers want to hear.

 

Like how you pick on poor defenceless people? I hear that's really useful in law

 

As a former hiring manager, NO one should ever put martial arts on a job application/resume unless it is for a job in the martial art field....I'd trash it right off......