Should you put karate on your resumé/CV?

Discussion in 'Karate' started by Hatamoto, Feb 28, 2011.

  1. Hatamoto

    Hatamoto Beardy Man Kenobi Supporter

    Just glancing over 24fightingchickens and found an article about whether or not you should put your karateing on your CV. The article makes reasonable points (it shows you have things to do in your life to take your mind off work and gives interviewers et al extra to read, isn't related to what you're trying to get hired for, etc), given the douchebaggery of his final paragraph about how little readers know so they shouldn't question the content of the related podcast on the subject, I'm inclined to seek other opinions. Mostly because I've been employed very little but done a fair bit of martial arts, so my martial arts experience is about the fleshiest part of my CV lol

    Has anyone had bad experiences where having it on their CV has cost them a job, or received concerns? Has it got the interviewer's attention? I read a long time ago, or was told, to include it because it's a conversation point, gives you the opportunity to talk about your perseverence and so on, while allowing them some insight into your personality, not just what you're trying to sell yourself on.

    Being unemployed, this is of course a bit of a thing for me to consider, but I'm asking this based on its own merits. What do you think?
     
  2. Smitfire

    Smitfire Cactus Schlong

    Not if it's GKR. :)
     
  3. Killa_Gorillas

    Killa_Gorillas Banned Banned

    I don't know mate... if the job was in sales. That's all a GKR grade is isn't it, a sales promotion? :whistle::hat:
     
  4. thauma

    thauma Valued Member

    I include general information about myself (which include MA), but I would give it no more than a single line - Unless it is relevant to the job application.

    Ideally you should have a standard CV, that you can tailor for every job, and I believe that showing that there is more to you than meets the eye is a good thing.

    I've never known it to affect my job opportunities, and it has come up as a topic of conversation in interviews, but only when the rest of the interview has concluded.

    I guess that I wouldn't know whether my CV was discarded at pre-selection due to the MA information - but I would seriously doubt it.
     
  5. Killa_Gorillas

    Killa_Gorillas Banned Banned


    I'd say it would be ok to write a few lines at most about it under the title of hobbies or outside interests. It shows your physically active and have a life.

    I'd steer clear of attempting to overplay it's relevance to your employability in terms of all the usual character building and indomitable spirit BS you usual hear associated with martial practice.
     
  6. tonyv107

    tonyv107 Valued Member

    Well as you stated it would simply be another topic of discussion so that they may gain insight on your personality. It makes you more interesting. I dont see what kind of negative impact it would have.
     
  7. John Titchen

    John Titchen Still Learning Supporter

    I think it depends on the breadth of your cv and of your martial arts experience.

    As a stand alone item many employers might ignore or be worried (through ignorance) by seeing martial arts of any kind on a cv. However, if you've done it long enough to become an instructor or assistant instructor, those phrases (especially if combined with listed coaching, health and safety, first aid qualifications) may increase your appeal. Generally fit and active people tend to enjoy better health (both physical and mental) so most employers should see it as a plus.

    Personally my generic CV is divided into two halves, a military half and a civilian half, with all qualifications listed at the end.
     
  8. robertmap

    robertmap Valued Member

    I find that letting a prospective employer know that you have the ability to kill them without leaving a mark and that indeed you may have already used a dim mak attack when you shook hands - which can only be cured if you meet with them five times a week over the next five years works wonders - I always get offered the job...

    <Note for the humour impaired the above is NOT to be taken seriously>

    As to the OP - it depends entirely on whether or not your martial arts is relevant to the job you are applying for. If I wanted to be a chef then I might list it as a hobby, if I wanted to be a close protection operative it would get a little more emphasis and if I wanted a job as a martial arts instructor then I would tell it all...
     
    Last edited: Feb 28, 2011
  9. Kwajman

    Kwajman Penguin in paradise....

    Unless there is a space for 'other interests' I would say no. As a hiring manager I'd pitch the application unless the job had something to do with martial arts.
     
  10. The Wiseman

    The Wiseman Valued Member

    Um... It definately depends on the job...
     
  11. TRK

    TRK Valued Member

    I've been doing MA since I was 18 and have never even considered putting it on my CV. I've also been involved in hiring and would, at best, ignore that if it were on one I was reviewing. Unless it is connected in some way to your qualifications for the job, I would leave it off as irrelevant. If you end up in an office with Sai on the wall for your interview, bring it up then...
     
  12. John Titchen

    John Titchen Still Learning Supporter

    Purely from the perspective of someone who's just had to sort through a range of CVs and job application forms this is proving interesting. My colleagues and I automatically checked out each candidate's outside interests in addition to their quals, employment history and education. Those with no outside interests did not move on a stage.
     
  13. Bigmikey

    Bigmikey Internet Pacifist.

    From my experience employers like to see that you have a release for stress or some outside the office pursuit thats healthy. However, that being said, it wont HELP you get a job unless its in a field thats related to it. For example, if you were trying to get a job in the fitness industry but havent' yet gotten a cerfiticate showing years of martial arts experience may get you in the door. It will certainly help get you a job selling MA gear.

    As far as hurting your chances of getting hired or costing you a job, no more so than if you said you played rugby or were a competitive power lifter.
     
  14. Bigmikey

    Bigmikey Internet Pacifist.

    Well, in all fairness an application is different than a resume. I haven't filled out an application in years. Its always just through sending in my resume. I guess it depends on what field and what level job you're applying for.
     
  15. robertmap

    robertmap Valued Member

    Ummmm if I was going for a job and the fact that I was passionate about martial arts meant I was deselected - I'd be glad - I wouldn't want to work for an organisation that was not sympathetic (or at the very minimum, neutral) to my interests !!!
     
  16. Anth

    Anth Daft. Supporter

    As I work in training I mention martial arts on my CV to cover the coaching qualification I have (which covers child protection, working with vulnerable people etc) and mainly to show some knowledge of the teaching/coaching field until I finish my PTLLS course. So far I haven't actually needed my CV but I'll see if I have any problems shortly :)().
     
  17. stephenk

    stephenk Valued Member

    I've done my share of interviewing in the financial sector. I look at any long held, dedicated pursuit as evidence of the sort of self-motivated, responsible personality that is a benefit in any sort of work.

    In fact, I spent a great deal of time looking for any evidence of this sort of thing in every candidate. It's a warning flag if someone has no outside interests or can't discuss those interests in detail and passion. You can't teach someone to have natural curiosity and dedication, but you can always teach the nuts and bolts of a job to someone who has these qualities.

    As to how to present it. I would include it as a single line under 'Interests' or 'Activities' or something. I think the time spent training is more important than the rank, although something easily understood like 'Instructor's Certification' or 'Black Belt' is understandable to the average person (sorta). I would also write something like 'Japanese Martial Arts' instead of (for my case) 'Bujinkan'. As I mentioned, I'm more interested in the qualities the training shows rather than the specifics of the martial art, which aren't going to be relevant for anything save a security job or something like that.
     
    Last edited: Feb 28, 2011
  18. monkeywrench

    monkeywrench Valued Member

    -I had an internal interview for a position in another department. I was asked about interests and I mentioned MA. One of the interviewers volunteered that his daughter did MA and it turned out to be at a place I had visited.
    The guy that got that job took the interviewers out to dinner and plays golf with one of them...
    :confused:

    -There is a school that is closely affiliated with our style that is almost all young Chinese college students. They all want to put "black belt" on their resume and it is one of their motivating factors for training to that level.
    I don't really agree with that kind of thinking, but there it is.

    -One last tidbit, I once heard a senior level instructor give a speech about how she has directly applied her MA training to social work. Pretty gritty stuff!
     
  19. Kuma

    Kuma Lurking about

    Like many others have suggested, I would put it under the Hobbies section but not make it too indepth. Don't have mind handy right now, but basically I mentioned martial arts as a hobby and have trained for X number of years. This way it shows them you do something outside of work but then they're not scratching their heads trying to figure out how to say your system's name.
     
  20. Bigmikey

    Bigmikey Internet Pacifist.

    LOL, "We're sorry Mr. Kuma but we've decided to go with someone else because we have no idea what Gojushotokwonhapkichido is but it sounds fake as hell"
     

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