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Thursday, April 30, 2015

When to include your sorority or fraternity on your résumé

Given the numerous Greek life scandals that have been surfacing, it can be difficult to know whether it would help or hurt to include your fraternity or sorority on your résumé. We turned to the career experts and asked their opinion; the consensus was an overwhelming yes — but only if you recently graduated.  "Employers want to see that you were active in your college campus, in addition to getting good grades and pursuing relevant internships," says Amanda Augustine, a career management expert and spokesperson at TheLadders, an online job-matching service for professionals. "It shows that you were a well-rounded student and were able to handle multiple activities in between study sessions." If you held a leadership position within your house, make sure to highlight that, Augustine says: "It demonstrates your leadership skills and your ability to take initiative." Additionally, many sorority's and fraternity's are involved in community service and charitable activities, which employers react favorably to, she explains. Another benefit: You may end up interviewing with someone who was in the same sorority or fraternity, and you'll have an instant connection — which can be a great icebreaker when you're in the hot seat. However, the experts note that once you've secured your first job and have started your professional career, your any mention of Greek life should be removed from your résumé. "Your résumé real estate is precious," says Augustine. "Leave these activities for a mention in your LinkedIn profile instead. The only exception would be if you ended up looking for a new job and it's been less than two years since you graduated."SEE ALSO: The perfect time to show up for a job interview Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: What the Chinese saying 'The ugly wife is a treasure at home' actually means


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT uk.businessinsider.com