mensa on my mind (and resume)
October 10, 2007
I was talking to a recruiter the other day (I’ve been contacted a whole lot lately for some reason) and she asked about the reference to “mensa” in my extracurricular/other section. I’m not even 100% sure why I put that there - I haven’t updated that section in a while. I asked her if it sent the wrong message - like “I’m so smart” or something like that. She didn’t really have a solid answer, just repeated the question about why I’d put that on there.
So I’ll throw this question out to y’all. If you were interviewing someone and saw “mensa” on the resume, would you discard it? Would you think the candidate was being a show-off or had an inflated ego? After thinking it through a bit, I think my original reasoning was to hopefully demonstrate that I had some level of raw capability such that if I was thrown a new technology I’d be able to pick it up pretty quickly. Now, I’m not saying I can pick up *any* technology under the sun in 10 minutes, but I’m usually able to pick up the basics and then some of most tasks/situations/technologies pretty quickly.
When putting things on a resume, should you only put *accomplishments* that indicated a great deal of effort went in to them? Maybe that’s what I was leaning towards, but I’m talking myself out of it now. Some people might pass the bar in one attempt, and others make take 3 attempts. One might argue that “3 timer” had to put more effort in to it, but in that case indicating effort - “I took it 3 times” - probably doesn’t look very good to some people (tho it might indicate a stick-to-it-iveness they admire).
I think I’ll keep it on there, although it’s one of those things that, to me, really isn’t an ‘accomplishment’ - it just is. I mean, filling out the form was an accomplishment, and them cashing my membership check was an accomplishment, I guess. ;) But mostly it’s like being right-handed or brown-eyed or whatever. It’s a biological trait, but it happens to be that this particular biological trait comes in handy in the tech field, much like being 6′9″ might come in handy in the NBA. Being tall doesn’t mean you’ll definitely be a superstar basketball player, but it generally doesn’t hurt. A friend of mine recently got his MS MVP certification. I’m sure he’ll be putting that on his resume, but it’s also something that he worked at and developed over a couple years.
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October 10th, 2007 at 8:01 pm
Well, let me turn the question to you: what do you hope to get by putting “Mensa” on your resume? What does it show/demonstrate that the rest of your stuff doesn’t?
I’d leave off the “3 times”. That’s just more detail than anyone cares to pay attention to, and it’s an ambiguous message.
If the reader has to think about an item on the resume to get value, the item needs to be clarified or dropped. Keeping in mind that most people reading your e-mail are just going to skim it, so you need to keep it terse and focused.
October 10th, 2007 at 9:08 pm
Maybe I was unclear on the “3 times” - what I was meaning was that just because someone has achieved something doesn’t necessarily indicate an absolute level of effort. Someone passing the bar exam after 3 attempts may or may not have put in more effort than the person who passed the first time. I wasn’t saying I took a mensa test 3 times, if that’s how you’d read it. I agree, I’d leave it off as well if it took me 3 times to pass the bar.
I think I answered my own question, as the memory was somewhat hazy. By having it on there I’m using it as a way to demonstrate a level of intelligence that would indicate I am likely able to adapt to whatever technical situation someone would throw at me. Instead of just writing “fast learner” or something like that, acknowledging membership in Mensa should indicate a certain level of ability that goes beyond hard to measure claims of “hard worker” or “fast learner” or whatever.
Does that make any more sense?
October 10th, 2007 at 10:28 pm
I don’t see the harm in having it on there. It’s quite possible the recruiter didn’t know what Mensa ia - they aren’t always the sharpest crayons in the box, I’ve discovered.
I see it as being akin to putting your IQ score on your resume. Granted it’s a bit unconventional, but guess what Mike - you are a bit unconventional too.
Sure, accomplishments speak louder, but most software companies like to hire really smart people (and then put them in positions with no authority - but I digress!).
I say don’t be afraid to toot your own horn a bit. That’s what a resume is for!
October 11th, 2007 at 2:19 pm
Thanks. I’m leaving it in for now. Hasn’t really caused me any harm, at least that I know about. Perhaps it’s turned some people off, but no one has ever contacted me to say “I’m not going to consider you because you have X on your resume.” I guess the same thing could happen over PHP or Perl or whatever anyway.
October 15th, 2007 at 3:37 pm
My take on it is look at how you present it. I can tell you if I was in the 2% of the world population of smart people I’d put it on my resume. Big bold damn letters too. At the top and I’d use the blink tag on it with it scrolling across the page!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mensa is an organization so just list it in your organizational stuff.
1. Salsa and Chips Eaters Club
2. >blink<Mensa Organization>/Mensa<
3. Grails Club Fan. Member ID: #1
See my point?
October 17th, 2007 at 7:11 am
Maybe I should use a scrolling activex control? Or the snazzy “word reflected in a pool of water with live action rippling” java applet?
It is just listed in the organizational stuff. I have a list at the bottom of the resume of “extracurricular activities” - I list mensa, toastmasters, my podcast, and a few other things - no big deal. That’s why I was a bit initially concerned by her question about why I’d put it on there.
Thanks.