NY Times article on Sororities

[Glitter650]

I don't have my sorority on my resume... but I wouldn't be opposed to wearing some inconspicous Phi Sig jewelery to an interview that would only be recognized if you knew what you were looking at...

[James]

Well there is networking and the vague cooncidence that someone with Greek sympathies are going to read your blindly sent in Resume and choose to give you a call.

People seem to be focusing on the resume. You don't need to put your affiliation down if you are being sent to talk to someone from your Org. by your Org. for a job.

That is superior networking. To use the commonality of your affiliation to have people make phone calls or open doors for you.

There are actually paid job search consultants that just teach people how to do that.

Its no different than your friends or their friends doing something for you. Only in the case of sorority, you have an enormous amount of instant friends that might be willing to help you.

IF YOU ASK.

[Tom Earp]

Which is wron and which is right?

As YAM said, Fraternitys have done this for years.

But the rub of the question is in this Politicaly Correct time, who knows?

I for one am proud to list mu Fraternity affiliation. I got a job once and lost a job once. Well sactually the asswhole dated and marred my ex girl friend! So who knows!

The thing is, I for one would hire a Greek Member if I was in the real world of semi corprate world. Why, because I for one know what it takes to do what is needed while being a member of a Greek Org. Making Grades, participating in activities, being active in school activities, being an Officer and again making grades!

What being a Greek To me is that if you Graduate and have done ALL of This, then you must be a Great Person who can juggle and wear a lot of hats.

Hell, being a Fraternity Man, I damn sure did not look down my nose at any Soroity who did the same thing we did but did it looking better!!!!

Am I ashamed of my affiliation, NO! If they feel that being a Greek is not good enuff for them, Then Screw them!

I am sure that they are not good enuff for me!

[pinkyphimu]

when graduating from college, i did have phi mu on my resume. i highlighted my experiences as secretary and president to show my ability to work with others, be organized, be a leader, etc. i think it depends on how you use it. if it just says, member xyz, then that would be looked on less highly (regardless of affiliation).

i did not include phi mu on my resume when i was job hunting last year. first of all, it was already two pages, so i really didn't have the space. secondly, i had not been involved "enough" to highlight it on my resume. lol...i couldn't justify putting shows up to ladies' night out events on the resume!! lol. if i had to write a resume now, and if i had space, i would put phi mu bc i am a chapter advisor.

[JohnsDGsweethrt]

Well I have DG on my resume but now I don't know if I should take it off. I think I am in a special situtation over here but I don't know what to do now...

[dzandiloo]

I have DZ on my resume-mainly b/c it was my first job out of college. Also, in my prior job, I had a some say in who got hired for my team, and I always pushed to interview people who had Greek affiliations on their resume. It was a foot in the door as far as I was concerned, but didn't guarantee that I would hire them...although, they were usually finalists, based on their interview skills & experience...just a comment.

Now that I'm back in the job market again, I was told by one recruiter to remove all reference to my sorority from my resume, but I refused. If someone doesn't want to hire me because of my affiliation with an organization, then I don't want to work for them. I know that's an over-simplification, and I may be limiting my career opportunities, but so be it. My sorority experience helped shape the person that I am and gave me many of the leadership & organizational skills that I have to offer. On the other hand-I'm over 10 years out of college, and have a pretty detailed resume given my prior professional experience, so I can probably get away with it more. Plus, I'm looking for work in the legal world, and if that's not a fraternity in itself, I don't know what is....

[AOIIalum]

It's funny to find this thread just as I'm starting to update my resume. I've been out of the paid work-force for over 7 years and am a 'retired' banker. I can explain a couple of those years during a job hunt because I was back in college. The other 5 years are best described as "Professional Mom" years! So, to avoid a big resume gap, AOII stays on my resume. Luckily for me, my current AOII volunteer position is serving as the local House Corporation Board President. Yes, it's a volunteer position and not a salaried job. What I've learned about landlord/tenant relationships, interviewing and hiring employees, and running a property (for starters!) as President are all resume-worthy experiences.

[justamom]

James has it right-everyone seems to be focusing on te resume.

This is how it works-A letter is written or a phone call made.
The person receiving the request WANTS to help because he/she is a brother or sister and KNOWS that he can trust YOU. From that point another phone call or letter is written and because the third party trusts THEM a connection is made. This type of referal
goes on ALL THE TIME. It happened last night. From ONE contact, I was put in touch with a person who's MOTHER was a DG (my daughter) and who's GRANDKIDS were AXO (me).
Now, don't you think this person might put in a good word for someone with these connections?Well, they did. This was the second line of contact. Two more followed. In the end, it all boils down to the individual, but it does place a little star by the name so the person or people you want to meet can take a closer look.

I honestly don't have any real opinion about mentioning it on a resume. Good points on each side of the issue. I DO believe the network is a fantastic opportunity to be put in contact with the right people, the ones who can really help.

[KSigkid]

I think you've just got to know your audience and go from there.

I mention on my resume that I was a chapter president, and on a few applications that I was a alumni relations chair (if the job had a PR slant to it). The fact that I am a Kappa Sig isn't played up large, the fact that I held important positions is.

If you get the job through Greek connections; more power to you, as James and others said, it's connections that make the world go round, and it's great to have good people like that who are willing to help you out.

[shopgirl]

Everyone has made excellent points.
I really have no objection to networking.
In fact, I would have loved to had the
oppurtunity to be helped along by a
fellow Sigma Kappa.

However, I'm still indifferent about placing
it on my resume when I'm faxing or mailing
it to a potential employer (from the newspaper
and what not).

[winnieb]

AGD has always been listed on my resume. Fresh out of school it was listed under my "Leadership" section--- and while my affiliation was not listed, it was named and the offices and the assocaited rolls were played up.

Now that I have been out of school 7 years it is still listed. This time however, it is listed in the "Personal / Volunteer" section. I am the finance advisor, my duties are outlined there. I also list my other volunteer activities.

When I applied for my current job, AGD was listed. No one made reference to my affiliation--nothing was ever said. I interviewed with the plant manager, hr manager and the controller. I know the job was between me and one other guy. I report directly to the controller. After working there about 2 years she mentioned she was an AGD. Did my affiliation have anything to do with me getting the job? I am not sure-- I have never asked and my boss has never said. Maybe somewhere it was an influencing factor.

-wendi

[greeklawgirl]

Alpha Gamma Delta is listed on my resume in a sneaky way--under awards, I mentioned that I recieved a AGD Foundation Award for highest GPA in my chapter.

Never underestimate what your membership can possibly do for you. During one interview, I was asked something to the effect of, "Can you tell us about a time when you exhibited leadership on a project? What were the results?"

I answered that I was a College Panhellenic Rush Chair. It raised the interviewers' eyebrows, but I told them, "When you are trying to ensure that 200 independent women are at 4 different parties, at 4 different spots on campus, at 4 different times, and you repeat that process over the span of one week, you learn to provide leadership very quickly. Anything can--and will--happen. I'm very proud that recruitment ran smoothly and everyone found an organization for themselves at the end of the week."

There were over 900 other people interviewing for four positions that year. I got one of the positions. Another young woman who landed a position is a Delta Zeta. Coincidence? Maybe. I think that if you "spin" it correctly, it can be very positive.

[enlightenment06]

I think the article was well written and balance. Putting a fraternity or sorority on a resume is a good idea in my opinion. You never know who's watching.

[aabby757]

I also think a good rule is if you put your GLO affiliation on your resume, only do so for no more than 1-2 years post graduation.

I think after that, it looks silly.

[33girl]

Originally posted by aabby757
I also think a good rule is if you put your GLO affiliation on your resume, only do so for no more than 1-2 years post graduation.

I think after that, it looks silly.

Unless you're very active on a national level of course - especially with things like fundraising or rush workshops (aka motivational speaking).