Are you currently a member of Greek life applying for a job? Heck, you might even be applying for medical school or a masters program. Whatever it is, as I’m sure any student knows, a resume is a key element to show any university or employer why YOU stand out from the rest. So with the ongoing to stereotypes, it has come into question whether or not to include your affiliation, and present it to those who have not necessarily experienced it. or understand it. For instance, it might be hard for employer XYZ to fully conceptualize the fact that Bobby holding a Presidential position in his fraternity is essentially yes, a full time job! Or for the fact that the majority of Greek members contribute hours and hours to service, philanthropy, leadership and office positions, etc. For most of us, being apart of a Greek organization has become a huge part in our college careers, and has undoubtedly impacted our lives in one way or another, so there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be included on your resume in some way.
With that being said, here are some ways on how you can positively market Greek life on your resume:
1. Where to stick it on your Resume?
Option 1: Leadership Section (if you have one, and the generally applies if you’ve obtained a position within the organization)
Option 2: Activities Section (usually for general membership)
2. How to apply it on your Resume?
Come up with a list of skills and experiences that you have potentially gained in your time in your sorority or fraternity, and if you are going to add those experiences, be confident with it.
- Did you hold any leadership positions? If so, what did you do and what skills did this require? Remember, you don’t need to have held a leadership position in your chapter in order to highlight skills you’ve gained from your Greek experience!
- What are the requirements of a Greek organization as whole?
- What have values have you gained in Greek life that you did not necessarily have coming in?
For example:
Held an office position = Leadership
Attended Weekly chapter meetings = Time-management
Participated in your chapter’s philanthropy events = Service
Worked with a committee = Teamwork
3. Common Action Verbs
Some common suggested Greek life Action Verbs:
- Achieved
- Arranged
- Assisted
- Budgeted
- Chaired
- Coordinated
- Led
- Managed
- Organized
- Planned
- Ran
- Served
- Volunteer
4. Include Concrete and Quantitative Details
It’s important when adding a job or experience on your resume to provide as much quantitative and concrete detail as possible to give a better representation of what you did and to add to the relevance at scale. Make the employer see why the role you played in your organization or position was essential and how your chapter couldn’t possibly survive without it.
Some details to add to any position:
- How many?
- How often?
- How many hours?
- Dollars raised?
- Events planned?
- Attendance?
- Purpose?
For example:
Recruitment
- Recruited ______ amount of new remembers, resulting in a new member class of ______ men/women
Finance
- Budgeted/Handled ____ amount of dollars for ____ amount of members and for ____ amount of positions/events
5. Don’t Use Greek Jargon
There’s no guarantee that the person reading your resume is going to know what a Grand Consul or an Interfraternity Coucil is, so no need to use that terminology!
6. Utilize Your Resources
Everyone’s college and Greek experience is different, so there is no reason for any two resumes to be the same. Again, the point of a resume is to make yourself stand out to other candidates. There are tons of resources that are available right on your campus that work with students, just like you, on the daily. Some common ones can be your career coach, academic advisor, professor, or even your on-campus writing center who constantly work with cover letters and resumes. These staff members and advisors are here to ensure you’re getting the best preparation to move forward to the next step in your career, or the next step in your advanced education.
So while you may want to shout your sorority name from the rooftops, be sure that you’re bringing up Greek life in the most strategic (and professional) way possible. on your resume.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rj…