Is it legal to use company logos on your Resume?

October 6, 2005 2:24 PM

I want to put company logos on my resume so it's easier for recruiters to parse. Is it legal to use company logos like that?

For example, I've worked for ABCC and ABCD and ABCE companies that look similar and recruiters often think it's the same company. Their logos are globally recognized so I want to use those instead. So can I do this? Do you think it's a good idea? I don't see anyone else doing it so I'm a bit cautious.

posted by lpctstr; to work & money (23 comments total)

You could always ask your former companies for permission. Of course, if you got permission from some and not from others, that would kinda suck.

I think it's very unlikely that you would get sued over this use. How would they ever know? And if they did, would they actually go through the trouble of suing you?
posted by delmoi at 2:42 PM on October 6, 2005

I wouldn't. Chances are the companies you're applying with use an autosorter of some kind, and the system would not read the logos. Use the cover letter to make the distinctions.
posted by pomegranate at 2:43 PM on October 6, 2005

We get resumes with logos occasionally. It was weird because they're so different. In my opinion, a resume isn't the place to assert your individuality.
posted by srburns at 2:53 PM on October 6, 2005

Legal, yes. And almost certainly tacky looking.
posted by argybarg at 2:55 PM on October 6, 2005

I worked in a head hunting organization. We appreciated plan resumes that were easy to scan. Anything out of the ordinary (presentation-wise) reduced the chance of that person getting a job.
posted by null terminated at 2:57 PM on October 6, 2005

*plain.

And to clarify, the chances of a job were reduced for two reasons:

1) It was more likely the scanner would screw something up and you wouldn't be entered into the database properly

2) The recruiters would complain loudly when they came across anything that made them "think". (I was a data entry person at the time who had the listen to the complaints, such as "does this bastard think he's better than everyone else? why do they think clipart makes them more qualified", etc)

/2 cents
posted by null terminated at 3:00 PM on October 6, 2005

Of course, it depends on the type of job you're seeking. If creativity is rewarded (or you need a job where you are encouraged to solve problems creatively), then putting the logos in there is a fantastic idea.
posted by Merdryn at 4:38 PM on October 6, 2005

I wouldn't do anything that could be deemed questionable. And you already asked. Good luck!
posted by snsranch at 4:45 PM on October 6, 2005

Second the "tacky" opinion.
posted by madman at 4:55 PM on October 6, 2005

argybarg: how do you know it's legal?

and I just want to point out, they won't be annoying banner ad type logos. it's like replacing the word Microsoft or Google with the same sized logo version, for easier recognition.
posted by lpctstr; at 5:27 PM on October 6, 2005

Please don't -- echo the tacky/mistake/etc. remarks.
posted by jca at 5:58 PM on October 6, 2005

I want to put company logos on my resume

My immediate response was "No, you don't," if only for the reasons cited above by people who receive resumes. Avoid looking like any kind of an oddball. Almost nobody hires oddballs.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 6:05 PM on October 6, 2005

Why wouldn't it be legal?

It sure sounds tacky to me.
posted by caddis at 6:07 PM on October 6, 2005

IANAL, but I'm fairly sure that's legal. Just so long as it's clear that you no longer represent these companies.

I've never seen logos on resumes before, but I see nothing wrong with it, as long as they're small, you can fit them properly into the layout and you think they're important to help make the distinction. If you lay it out properly, I can see it looking professional. But I can easily see it looking tacky if done badly too.
posted by Count Ziggurat at 8:13 PM on October 6, 2005

If you absolutely must do this, use print-quality images. Don't just grab them from the company's web site.
posted by hydrophonic at 8:31 PM on October 6, 2005

IANAL
Its not legal. You're using another entity's logo to promote yourself. I certainly know one Fortune 100 company who would be quite unhappy if you did this.

But apparently the recruiters wouldn't like it anyway. So much for all those lessons that say you should make your resume stand out.
posted by Goofyy at 8:34 PM on October 6, 2005

I am not answering the question but, as an occasional reader of resumes, I am chiming-in with the no logo crowd. Even for the creative set. (That's what a portfolio is for.) Your resume should illustrate through written content -- not format, not color, not graphics. There is nothing more off-putting in a resume than a presumption that the audience is not paying attention.
posted by Dick Paris at 5:20 AM on October 7, 2005

The similarity between ABCC company and ABCD company will only pose a problem to an HR drone or a resume-mill type of recruiting operation. Don't worrry about them and instead concentrate on getting your resume in front of the manager who's got a position to fill. If your future boss doesn't look carefully at your experience and doesn't know the difference between these globally recogonized companies, do you really want to work for him/her?
posted by kc8nod at 5:50 AM on October 7, 2005

kc8nod is right. Forget about the people who won't "get it." They either won't be in the position to hire, or, if they are, you wouldn't want to work there. So skip it. I went to a university with a name very similar to another, less good, state school. When people read it, I'm sure the right people know the university and the others, well, hey, who cares.

DO put them in an online portfolio if this fits with your industry.
posted by zpousman at 9:57 AM on October 7, 2005

I used to be in charge of logos (and intellectual property marks) at two previous companies. IANAL, but I do have good knowledge of IP law. Some thoughts:

It is not legal. Those are the trademarks -- registered or not -- of other firms. You are infringing on their IP.

It looks tacky. Okay, no legal status on tackiness, but still...

If you are applying to a company that is very protective of their own IP, they may see your use of the logos as an indication that you do not respect IP. THis is very bad if you are going into certain fields or industries -- knowledge worker jobs, marketing, programming, etc.

The sales team at one company I worked for used to have a PowerPoint slide of all our customers' logos. Then some of those customers served notice. (Before my time.) It wasn't that they hated us, it was just that they have to show they protect their trademarks or risk losing their IP. Your past employers probably won't go after you, but I just wanted to show that it is illegal.

There is no case for fair use, so your position has no defence.

The logos will choke scanners.

The logos will not fax or photocopy well. (Yes, some firms still use such antiquated devices!)

The logos will make your resume look cluttered.

Some people may interpret the use of logos as puffery. Better to stand on your own merits.

Anyway, just my thoughts. Like I said, you're not likely to be sued over this, but there could be fallout.

FWIW, I once had to do a presentation at a university for a potential employer. I was to do the presentation as if I was an employee. So I used the school's logos, pictures, colours, etc. I actually got the idea from a workshop at the school's career centre the week before -- they had a CEO of a prominent firm talk about how to do this. It was legal (in Canada) because it was for a private meeting and because it was for educational purposes. Well, at the end of my presentation, the hiring director blasted me and said I'd broken the law, infringed copyright, etc. This shattered the rest of the interview. When a professor at the university where you're a grad student makes such statements, it's pretty awful, even when the guy is misinformed. He was wrong and I notified the career centre after. But I had no hope of getting the job, even though it was legal, sanctioned by their department, and appropriate for the context. It didn't matter that I was right -- it mattered that he had certain opinions, even if they were not consistent with the law.

So err on the side of caution.

posted by acoutu at 10:56 AM on October 7, 2005

How is it infringement acoutu? Is there a likelihood of confusion? Doubt it. Does it dilute the value of the trademark? Perhaps, but that is a tough case I would think. They are used to show pride in an organization, not cheapen its image. I fail to see any grounds for trademark infringement here.
posted by caddis at 2:46 PM on October 7, 2005

okay, I have been convinced that this is not a good idea. thanks all for the replies. even the ones that just said "I think it's tacky too"
posted by lpctstr; at 6:14 PM on October 7, 2005

Caddis, IANAL, but it can contribute to dilution of the mark. It could be considered blurring or tarnishment. It could also fall under unfair competition. The person using the resume could also be said to be trading on the goodwill of the mark. I suppose it's really more in the areas of trademark dilution and copyright infringement and I've just blanketed the two with one by saying infringement of IP. It may not be trademark infringement, per se, but you would be infringing on the copyright and diluting the trademark. Since it's possible to get an injunction under dilution, a lot of companies would tell you to cease and desist even if it wasn't likely that someone would be confused, because of the lengths the firm must go to in showing that it protects its mark. I suppose we could get into a big discussion of what is technically allowed, but the problem is that employers may see it as illegal, regardless of what is really going on. See my own experience. As someone who champions IP protection, it was humiliating to be accused of IP theft in front of a panel, even if I hadn't actually done anything wrong.
posted by acoutu at 7:10 PM on October 7, 2005