# Resume advice **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 30, 2003, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resume-advice/178459 "2003-05-30T05:42:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resume-advice/178459/1 "2003-05-30T05:42:26Z")
Should I put the Straight Dope Message Board as an interest on my resume? This computer doesn’t have a number pad so I can’t do the alt-code for that accented e. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resume-advice/178459/2 "2003-05-30T06:19:12Z")
No. Résumés should be limited to your objective, specific job-related skills, education and work experience. IF you have other _skills_ or facts about yourself that are important but perhaps not job-specific, like a second language or a required work permit, those can be listed under a “Miscellaneous” heading. But one should never list “interests” on a professional résumé. It’s, well, unprofessional. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resume-advice/178459/3 "2003-05-30T07:28:08Z")
What **Shayna** said. Really excellent advice. ---
**Author:** ![Peg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Peg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peg)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2003, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resume-advice/178459/4 "2003-05-30T23:01:44Z")
Granted, this was several years ago, but some of the best interviews I’ve had revolved around talking about my interests, which I listed on my resume. (e.g., travel, chocolate making.) My guess is that it was the one area that set me apart from all the other candidates because the vast majority of the candidates had similar qualifications. This could be job-specific. I would not, however, list the SDMB. ---
**Author:** ![Optihut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/edb3f5/32.png) [@Optihut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Optihut)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2003, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resume-advice/178459/5 "2003-05-31T00:53:35Z")
I don’t agree about the second language though. Languages are an important skill these days, so they definitely need to be mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2003, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resume-advice/178459/6 "2003-05-31T01:10:41Z")
Anything not directly job relate is not professional, and in some areas, it’s also illegal for a prospective employer to even ask about that type question. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2003, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resume-advice/178459/7 "2003-05-31T05:21:39Z")
Hmmmm. If your resume crossed my desk with SDMB on it, it would get a second look, but that’s really because I too come here. The sole reason you want to put personal things on your resume is in the hope they’ll be in common with the reader, who may then give you a higher priority then he otherwise would. I know a few VP of Sales types who take a strong liking to resumes which have athletic interests called out because they feel this indicates an aggressive, competitive personality, but I suspect the real reason is because they themselves have athletic interests. I know one VP of Eng who likes seeing resumes that call out an interest in puzzles because he feels that people who enjoy puzzles are sharp and inquisitive, but (surprise!) he enjoys puzzles himself. Really the point of every word on your resume is to get an interview. Every word that doesn’t potentially add that value is a wasted word, even a detracting word. So, if you have good reason to believe the reader of your resume reads SDMB, or is at least familiar with it, then it could be a good thing to include it. But if you don’t know it’s probably best not to. Oh, another thing. For someone completely unaware of the Message Board or the Column, the word “Dope” isn’t really a good one to have on a resume. Doesn’t really matter about the context. The last thing you want is for your resume to be discarded over a misunderstanding.