Honors and Awards

If you have been recognized in any way for achievements, you should consider listing these accomplishments on your resume. Certainly you would want to include any professional awards (Salesman of the Month, Realtor of the Year, Outstanding New Professional, etc.). Sometimes community involvement is recognized with awards or certificates. You may want to include an award like the United Way Volunteer of the Year award on your resume as well.

Other honors and awards may be academic, athletic, or civic, or they may be related to athletic achievements.

HONORS AND AWARDS

• Dean’s List seven consecutive semesters at Regis. (*Note—you could include this information in the education section instead)


• Rookie of the Year Award—Metlife Seacaucus office—Highest sales volume for a first-year agent, 1996.


• Business First “Forty under 40” Award—Recognizes community involvement for local citizens under the age of 40.

Professional Associations
Your membership in any professional associations should also be included on your resume, particularly if you held any leadership positions within the organization. If you were only a dues-paying member, and if the association has no relevance to the position you are pursuing, you may want to omit this section. If not, you will want to list the name of the organization, the dates of membership, and any positions held.

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
National Society of Black Engineers, 1997–2000.
Membership Chair, Texas A&M Chapter, 1999.

References
There are a variety of opinions on the topic of whether or not you should include references on your resume. Because employers often request references before reaching a hiring decision, there appear to be three viable options:

• Ignore the issue completely on your resume, but keep a single page of references available in the event that an employer asks for them.


• Include a line at the bottom of the resume stating “References Available Upon Request,” and then keep a single page of references available in case they are requested.


• Include the references directly on your resume.

Let’s begin with an analysis of including the references on your resume.

Pros

1. Shows that you have confidence in what the referents might say about you.
2. If the employer knows one of your references personally, they might pick up the phone and call, thereby giving your candidacy more consideration.
3. If the employer doesn’t know the reference personally, but recognizes the name as an individual who is respected, some of that respect rubs off on you.
4. If your candidacy is “on the bubble,” an employer may call one or more of your references to help him or her make the decision.

Cons
1. Adding a references section may mean that your resume goes to an extra page, or that something valuable is cut.
2. The employer may know the reference and dislike or distrust that individual.
3. The employer may contact the reference and find out that the reference doesn’t have too many good things to say about you.

Let’s address the cons first. If you must make a choice between listing your references or listing the fact that you are fluent in three languages, decide which one is likely to be more important to the employer. If the languages are English, Latin, and Greek, perhaps listing a contact who is a leader in the field would be more valuable to your candidacy. If those languages are English, Spanish, and Mandarin, it is likely that this information is more important to the employer than your references. If this is the case, simply preparing a separate sheet that lists your references and keeping it available will be more appropriate for you.

The second two cons are fairly easy to address. You should ask someone to serve as a reference for you only if:

• The person knows you well enough to speak intelligently about your abilities.


• The person has seen you perform successfully in some endeavor.


• You are confident that this person will be able to speak knowledgeably, positively, and enthusiastically about your candidacy.


• The person is generally or universally liked. You may never know if there is a personal history between the two people, but by staying away from controversial individuals, you help your chances.

Regardless of whether you include references on your resume or simply list references on a separate sheet of paper, there are certain pieces of information that you should include:

References

If you ask someone to serve as a reference for you, you should provide the person with a copy of the resume that you will be using in your job search. If you want the person to talk about particular skills, you should provide the person with that information as well. If you have not been in regular contact with the reference (perhaps he or she is a former employer), you should try to bring the person upto- date on your accomplishments and career goals.

Also, if you include your references on your resume, in your cover letter you should give the employer permission to contact those references. Some employers will shy away from contacting your references without your written consent because of their interpretation of some regulations, including the Fair Credit Reporting Act. By giving permission outright in your letter, which you sign, you should clear up any confusion.