Opinion on including a Sorority on Resume

[SuchaNatural]

I'm a computational and applied math major with a physics minor and am considering rushing a sorority this fall but am concerned about how will it affect my career prospects. There are many claims that sororities improve leadership skills/build networks but I have a feeling that most of these women are headed into business, not STEM. I have also heard that noting your sorority affiliation on a resume can actually hurt your chances for positions in academia and was wondering if anyone had any insight into this subject. Thank you for your time.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Is this a nationally recognized sorority and can you give impressive examples of leadership?

 

[SuchaNatural]

The ones I'm looking at are nationally recognized. Examples of leadership would be orchestrating philanthropic and or social events. I don't know if that counts as "impressive", but it's something. What I heard is that academic circles tend to associate sororities with promiscuous and not especially intellectually curious women and therefore it's frowned upon to include a sorority affiliation on a resume for such positions.

 

[berkeman]

What I heard is that academic circles tend to associate sororities with promiscuous and not especially intellectually curious women

So you are planning on working in academia as opposed to industry after you graduate?

 

[SuchaNatural]

I'm not sure yet. I have had good internship-type experiences in both realms and still have a couple years until I finish my undergraduate degree, but if I was applying to such a position it would be useful to know whether or not the resume I send in should or should not mention a sorority.

 

[berkeman]

I have no insight into the academic employment world, but in the industrial world where I work (high-tech R&D in Silicon Valley), if you could show some leadership angles to the sorority membership, that would be a bit of a plus, IMO.

 

[SuchaNatural]

Great. I'll keep that in mind. I appreciate it!

 

[Vanadium 50]

I would not mention it even on a business resume. If, as you say, it provided leadership experience, I would put those leadership experiences down. what you did is more important than who you associated with.

 

[gmax137]

I think V-50 is right, mention the experiences if they're worth mentioning.

... What I heard is that academic circles tend to associate sororities with promiscuous and not especially intellectually curious women ...

Wow, really? In the "real world" anyone saying stuff like that will be heading to the HR department for sensitivity and diversity training.

 

[Choppy]

I think just about anyone who's been to university has formed some kind of opinion about sororities or fraternities. In my experience they're not all created equal. I've had experiences with some that would lead me to place them on equal footing with criminal gangs. I've had experiences with others that would lead me to see them a lot more as students would like to be perceived - as social organizations that do charitable work, encourage academics, social responsibility and leadership.

The thing is, I suspect, most people don't really bother to make distinctions. If their initial experience is one way, they'll tend to associate all fraternities or sororities with that experience.

And I agree with what Vanadium50 said. Either way, you don't want to be evaluated based on the group that you chose to associate with. You want to be evaluated based on what you've done. So if you join a sorority and organize a fundraiser that brings in $20k for spinal cord research - that goes on. If you just used the house as a place to crash and went to parties... not so much.

 

[jack476]

Only if you were in a leadership position, ideally an elected one. Otherwise I don't think that anyone cares what you did in your free time, since that says nothing about your abilities or skills or why anyone should hire you.

 

[Student100]

Wow, really? In the "real world" anyone saying stuff like that will be heading to the HR department for sensitivity and diversity training.

I'm not sure what real world you're referring to, but I've heard much worse while working in government positions.

I don't see the leadership angle here. Also, I don't think sororities are something you join in the hopes it gives your resume an edge. It's different than extracurricular activities in high school for college applications, I doubt anyone would care one way or another.

Join because you like what they're selling and want to be a part of that, not for some perceived benefit when applying for future jobs.

Also determine if the time you spend with a sorority couldn't be put to better use elsewhere in your studies, which are far more important.