personal information on a cv: yes or no?

February 14, 2008 12:34 PM

Should I include personal information on my cv?

There's a mass of conflicting information about this online, so I thought I'd ask the experts at Metafilter. I'm about to send out an application to a small liberal arts college in Vermont. In addition to all my academic information, I've included some personal stuff such as 'built a solar house', 'student of aikido, Vipassana meditation' etc. These are things that reflect who I am and seem relevant, and hopefully make me look like an energetic, creative, motivated person (I am!) But some people say personal info. of any kind on a cv looks like padding, or irrelevant, or unprofessional.
I specifically want to work at a place that is more 'personal' and less 'academic', meaning that even though I'm nearly finished my PhD, I have absolutely no interest in being Mr. Overworked, Super Producing, Publish-Every-Month uber-academic. I want to work at a place where thinking and teaching are balanced with real life.
So what do you think? It's getting printed out tomorrow, so have your say before it's too late!

posted by arcadia to work & money (23 comments total)

What sort of job are you applying for?

One data point: When I hire I do look at personal information.
posted by shothotbot at 12:42 PM on February 14, 2008

As long as it's not squeezing out important information I don't see a problem. I would stick to activities and accomplishments rather than adjectives. "Built a solar house" means much more than "technically inclined" or "green".
posted by unixrat at 12:44 PM on February 14, 2008

If it's relevant in some way to the position, then yes, I'd say go for it. For example, if you're applying to a position as a music lecturer, mentioning that you've run a choir in the past, or that you're an active musician, or that you volunteer to teach music to underprivileged kids someplace would definitely be seen as an asset.
posted by LN at 12:47 PM on February 14, 2008

Another data point: I also look at this info when hiring, and in fact I much prefer "personal" information like your examples to all the buzzwordy cliched adjectives people include because some book told them to.

"Built a solar house" is worth about 100x the points as using the words "creative" or "motivated" or "team-player" in my book.

A CV is your sales pitch for yourself. Show me what you have done and let me figure out what it means, please. Telling me you're "creative" doesn't help me, since everyone says that. The house helps a lot.
posted by rokusan at 12:52 PM on February 14, 2008

I'm applying for a one year adjunct position as a lecturer in Art History.
posted by arcadia at 12:52 PM on February 14, 2008

I would not put these kinds of things in the CV, that document is a list of your academic and professional accomplishments. Building a solar house is neither of those things. If it's relevant to the position I would put it in the cover letter, research statement, or teaching statement. Any of these parts of the application packet are better suited to giving a broader view of yourself. Otherwise, I would leave it out.

There have been responses from some people noting that they look for personal information from applicants. Unless these people are hiring for an academic position I wouldn't rely on their comments too heavily.
posted by oddman at 1:02 PM on February 14, 2008

Leave it out. Your CV documents your relevant professional credentials, not you. The letter of application can gently hint at some of these things, especially if they make for a better fit between you and the institution.

This is a case where academia has somewhat different rules from the rest of the world, and I think some of the previous answers may have been generic working-world answers. I think most readers will not perceive this kind of stuff as padding, exactly, but they may well see it as somewhere between simply irrelevant and evidence of a possibly unprofessional attitude. There are better ways to show your other sides as a person without appearing to confound them with your professional credentials.
posted by RogerB at 1:12 PM on February 14, 2008

I have some of that kind of information on my CV, and it certainly doesn't appear to have hurt me in the hunt for academic jobs. I tend to think of it as an opportunity to show myself as a real, three-dimensional person. It's also an opportunity to show some skills -- technical skills, leadership skills, etc. -- that, while not necessarily directly related to the job, might make me a more desirable candidate.

So, I guess, I'm agreeing with rokusan.
posted by dseaton at 1:19 PM on February 14, 2008

I think it's important to make the distinction between the American connotation of CV (important resume equivalent in the academic world) and British/Australian CV (traditional resume).

I'd assume you mean the American connotation, which might change how people are responding to this.
posted by messylissa at 1:20 PM on February 14, 2008

Since most people look at CVs to determine if you have the right qualifications for the job, I would keep only stuff pertaining to the job on the CV. Your CV is not only a record of your education and work history, but also an indication of how well familiar you are and how much you adhere to the rules of the of job application game. Mentioning things like building a solar house or that you practice aikido do not really enhance your qualifications for the position, and also could potentially detract from the appearance of professionalism. So it seems to me that it could only be your detriment, if it matters at all.

Your point about the type of environment you want to work in is well taken, however. I would suggesting talking about the kind of work environment you are looking for (and looking to foster) in your cover letter, and there you can get into a few more specifics about your interests in that context. The cover letter is the more "personal touch" part of your application anyways, so I think it would fit in better there.

Talking about those things in your cover letter can also serve as a nice ice-breaker at an interview or during a visit. Then you can wax poetic about the cool things you do outside of your academic focus in order to really endear yourself to the hiring committee. Best of luck on your job search!
posted by that possible maker of pork sausages at 1:31 PM on February 14, 2008

Academia seems to be its own strange planet. For the regular job market, please - no. Just no.

I do not care if you raise ferrets, study pilates, or are a runner. If you have personal interests that are related to the position, I prefer to see them under an Additional Skills section - which pretty much forces them to be relevant.

All of that bitched about, you should probably take suggestions from people in academia, not the broader job market, because I think it really is different in your world.
posted by DarlingBri at 1:38 PM on February 14, 2008

Seems like you've got people on both sides here, so another data point won't hurt. I hire academics regularly and do look at personal info, but only as an incidental source of information and never as a piece of data that sways my decision. Ultimately, as 'that possible maker...' suggests, it may make you more approachable in an interview, so I'd keep it in your CV.

I don't think it gains you any advantage in the paper stage of the hiring process, but further down the line, it may humanize you to the committee who makes the decisions.
posted by yellowcandy at 1:45 PM on February 14, 2008

Background: I have been hired in academia. I have hired in academia. I have been hired in professional services. I currently hire in professional services.

I know this is one of the Big Questions in job searches, no matter what field. Unfortunately, you're going to get as many answers as there are people, no matter the field, and they're all valid answers. The reality is that your resume or CV has to appeal to the person reading it, period. There are going to be people who object to seeing personal information on it. There are people who are going to love to see personal information on it.

Based on this, my three thoughts for you: (1) I'm one of those people who enjoys it. I think, so long as it's not too off the wall ("Well developed business and horticultural skills, based on experience with grow op in my basement"), that it adds a level of depth to an application that you don't normally see. It takes accomplishments on a sheet of paper and helps me see a person instead. Odds are, that's a good thing. (2) I've worked with people who disagree and don't want to see it. Interestingly, I have never heard one of those people say they wouldn't interview or hire someone because it was there. (3) Please don't create an uncomfortable situation for us - don't include information relating to religion, race, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, etc.

Good luck with your application process, and don't lose sleep over this!
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 1:51 PM on February 14, 2008

Oh sure, you can include that kind of stuff for applications in the regular or academic job market. In your case, I definitely recommend it.

As discussed before, you don't want to displace other, more relevant professional experience, but one line of extracurriculars (for either academic or private sector) shows some multidimensionality that makes you memorable. I had some pretty high-up corporate executives, vice-presidents, and attorneys vet my resume and none of them had an issue with my extra-curricular stuff. In fact, the attorney reminded me to add SCUBA diving.

I've also spoken with about 4-5 recruiters in my current job search too. So far two have remarked on my homebrew beer-crafting as a topic of interest. Does it make me a better candidate? Maybe, they remember who I am now and can also glean what kind of person I might be in my "off time" (i.e. geeky, fun, able to complete a complicated process independently.) That's important information to know about a candidate. What does building a solar house tell someone about you? Certainly nothing fluffy. You're a badass.

Telling someone your outside accomplishments, successes, and unique hobbies can only help you. And therefore, omitting them can only hurt you.
posted by dendrite at 1:54 PM on February 14, 2008

fwiw career services at wharton recommends putting personal info on there if your resume is going to be referred to in an interview.
posted by flaneuse at 2:26 PM on February 14, 2008

I've done a fair amount of hiring in an academic research setting, and I've seen CV's with similar types of personal, non-relevant information. When I do run across people's CV's with stuff like that, I always wonder why they include it. Unless its something really really noteworthy (and I'm talking "I take annual retreats to feed and clothe the poor in Calcutta" or something similarly stunning), it really doesn't interest me (even if I share the same interests). I probably wouldn't throw out the CV or anything, but it would be something that would detract somewhat from the rest of the stuff on the CV.

I understand the sentiment that these aspects of your life are important to you, help define you as a person, and give you immense fulfillment. That's really cool, but people aren't hiring a friend (in which case these personal interests might matter) they're hiring a person to accomplish specific tasks and duties. So I'd say think about what these items say about you with regard to the job (not the picture they paint of you being energetic, motivated, etc.) Knowing you study aikido, tells me as the hirer next to nothing about your ability to lecture on Art History. However if one of your personal interests is to say, lead a choir, that might have some relevance (even though at first glance it might seem it has nothing to do with what one might be expected to do teaching Art).

If you feel you can make a case there's a good tie to the duties/responsibilities of the job and your interest, talk about it in the interview and don't put it on the CV. It will stand out more when mentioned during the interview, anyway.

Caveat: I've never done any hiring for faculty/lecturer positions, so things may be vastly different in that realm than in the research realm where I have done/do hiring.
posted by cptspalding at 2:35 PM on February 14, 2008

I've helped hire people in the business world. We needed creative people who had a sense of humor. I liked to see a few real-world accomplishments or activities on the resume because they provided concrete examples of the "creative, energetic, blah blah blah" stuff that always made my eyes glaze over.

I might caution against mentioning the Vipassana, because someone not familiar with it might think it's a weird fringe thing. But definitely mention the solar house. You'd win a bajillion points from me, and I think a liberal college in Vermont would have a similar reaction.

And since you really want a place that values the personal, including personal info on your resume could be a quick & useful filter. If a place rejects you just because you mentioned your house, that's probably not a place where you want to work.
posted by PatoPata at 2:42 PM on February 14, 2008

The last four lines of my resume are a section called "Interests" where I list three things I'm into. Just the names, like "Bicycling." They don't have much to do with my skills, but they can help with a prospective employer to figure out how I'd fit in their corporate culture. I figure it humanizes my resume.
posted by rhizome at 2:44 PM on February 14, 2008

Anecdote: When I'm hiring (attorney positions not academic), I like to see interests. They wouldn't make or break an applicant (unless the interests were disturbing) but they help me form a picture of who this person is and whether I think s/he would fit on my team. BUT, I've heard others say they toss out resumes that include "interests" because they feel the person is not serious and has poor judgment in including non-relevant info on the resume.
posted by n'muakolo at 3:13 PM on February 14, 2008

I'm not an academic but it seems to me that the type of school you are looking for might be more likely to value outside interests and interesting personality than a school with a more strictly research bent. So, given that the advice from the experts is split, I think that if you are right about this school expecting professors to have balance in their life then including it will signal that you fit their culture.
posted by metahawk at 7:01 PM on February 14, 2008

I have to agree with other academics above saying that advice for the non-academic world is not really relevant here. LarryC would recommend this if he were around, but you will do better asking this at the Chronicle of Higher Ed forums. Probably depends a lot on the standards in art history (ask your advisor or placement head) and on the personalities of the people reviewing your application at this school. Ask around discreetly whether anyone knows the people who are there.

My first instinct would be "no", but that's from reviewing apps in an R-1 context. In a SLAC context, possible. Try the Chronicle forums.
posted by LobsterMitten at 10:27 PM on February 14, 2008

1. SLAC = Small Liberal Arts College, as opposed to Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (where I did some work) right?

2. The Chronicle of Higher Education forums, as Lobstermitten says, is your friend here.

3. I'm in the midst of applying/interviewing for "R-1" tenure track professorships, and I wouldn't include that on my CV, but I'm not going for the SLAC schools right now...

Good Luck.
posted by u2604ab at 11:08 PM on February 14, 2008

You should not mention anything that could be considered illegal if asked by an employer. It is technically legal for you to tell an employer (I think), but that puts them in a tight spot.
posted by easyasy3k at 11:01 PM on February 15, 2008