So here's the deal: I'm trying to get a job in a place outside Utah, where it's safe to assume that a lot of people don't like mormons. Praise Jeebus I didn't go to a church school, but it's only been 4 years since I've returned from my mission. I've only had three jobs since I've been back (not quite enough to do justice to the work history section of my resume), and I don't think I can leave a 2 year gap on my resume. FWIW, I went stateside English-speaking, so I can't play the "travel abroad" or "taught ESL" card. Right now my mission is vaguely described in a one-liner at the bottom of my resume: "Performed full-time church service in ********, Somestate"

I'm trying to think of what I can do so that people won't look at my resume and say, "Ew, this guy's mormon." I'm seriously considering volunteering with an LGBT organization, not just because it's a good cause but because it might help "demormonize" my resume.

What else could I do?

Curse like a sailor and chain smoke Camels?

(Eta) oops, that's for when you get an interview...

On the resume, describe the two year gap as a failed experiment in trying to live an alternate lifestyle...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/10/2014 12:15AM by csuprovograd.

A lot depends on what you'll be doing and how much of a need there is in that field.

Three jobs after you graduated or three jobs while in school?

Seriously, you can write it off as volunteer work. That you helped people in those areas, helped the church members, etc.

Start your resume with college graduation and year. Put only post college work experience (or 1-2 in-college jobs if they are good). Leave off HS and nobody will know your age or think about it. And if they spot it they'll just think you took 6 years to get through college.

Nobody cares unless it is related to the job you are applying for.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/10/2014 12:47AM by vh65.

Yes, this. Start with your college years. No one cares what you did in high school anyway.

No one cares what part time jobs you did in college either, unless they were in the same field you work in today.

Start with your education, giving the graduation date ONLY.

That solves your 2 year mission gap - there is none.

Only put jobs after graduation.

If you learned a language on your mission include that, but do not say anything about how you learned the language. If they ask in the interview, say I lived in _____ for a couple of years when I was younger.

Do not use weasel words like volunteer to describe your mission. That will piss off people like me and I wouldn't even interview someone who called their mission "volunteer work." Leave it off altogether, do not try and put lipstick on a pig.

Apologies to all pigs for comparing you to a mission.

Completely agree. Nobody care about a job you did in high school or at age 18, unless it is directly related to the job you are replying to. Or you have no other experience. But you have other experience. Start with college and jobs after college. I'd leave the mission and the gap therein completely off.

FYI- not everyone is freaked out about mormon's. I live and work in a very non-mormon city and career. Most people thing mormons are a bit odd but they also assume they are all hard working- honest, squeeky clean people. Depending on the job, this is sometimes a benefit. I've literally had this conversation with the CEO of a large company. He says- always hire a mormon because they are all so positive and friendly and honest. I tell him he only knows 3 mormons- hardly a basis for this sort of judgement. Mormons are like any other group- they contain all kids of people- some the kind you want to hire, others you don't. However, even this pro- mormon CEO that would certainly see your mission as an advantage finds them to be just a bit odd and I've never seen him invite a mormon into his inner circle of confidants.

At any rate, my two cents. Just leave the mission stuff off. If it comes up in an interview- call it volunteer work or whatever you are comfortable with.

This is exactly what I do. Starting with my college graduation year means I don't have to explain what took me so long to get a degree. I'm unfortunate to have a church school on my resume. Who knows how much that has held me back, but probably my even more unfortunate mormon attitudes and behaviors have held me back more. Hopefully, I'm getting past some of those.

I've seen several resumes where people list the missionary time (and other church callings) and characterize it in various ways. I find it off-putting.

Don't sweat it too much. At this stage in your career the gaps aren't as relevant. It's what you do after you have your first degree that matters. Those little work study jobs, internships, study abroad opportunities, and mission-type experiences quickly lose their relevance. Keep the mission as some vague thing or just take it off altogether.

You resume should be more focused on your skills than your experience. Most people in their mid-20s have very little relevant work experience, even those with masters degrees and PhDs. Draft a functional resume about what you can do: programming languages, data analysis, software, technical abilities, etc.

In my experience, just having Utah on your resume at all carries Mormon stigma--even if you didn't go to BYU or if you hadn't actually gone on a mission. In the new place get used to telling people, "Yes I'm from Utah. No I'm not Mormon." Or maybe say, "I have a few Mormon family members. We get along well enough, but I find their religion a bit odd."

I applaud you for getting out of Utah. Outside of Utah (and the inter-mountain Mormon corridor in the west), nobody at all cares about the LDS Church.

Applying for jobs 4 years after my mission I just left it off (although the BYU degree is a bit of a tell still). I got interviews with most of the big names in the tech industry. One or two managers asked what the gap was, I just told them I was doing volunteer work and they seemed satisfied.

While this board may give the impression that Mormons are universally loathed and justifiably so, that's not the case. Most of the world views Mormons as overly-earnest hard-working non-drinking family types. Depending on the career, this may be viewed as an asset. In a few cases it'll be a negative.

Most recruiters won't care about something that far back, unless you haven't worked at all (and I'm seeing a lot of resumes of people who coasted on loans all through school and thus, have never worked). Chalk it up to volunteer work or leave it off.

I agree. It is much more likely to be advantageous than dis-advantageous to you. Especially if you are not working for Mormons. And even more so if you speak Spanish. We are currently filling a position that 5 people have flowin in for, 2 of them being Mormon. Neither of them came out and said it, but it was easy for me to confirm. However, I can guarantee, the decision will not be based on anything but their work experience and whether we can give them enough money, since at least 3 of them are extremely experienced.

I did tell one of the VPs who was just curious, because both of them were originally from Utah, how to tell. A) Are they a lillly white boy who speaks a foreign language? B) Did they do 2 years of "service work" or "teaching English"? First big tip offs. So you probably can't demormonize your resume if you want to include those 2 years. But I'd say it's not as big a deal as you might think.

It isn't that most people dislike Mormons. Most people have no idea who Mormons are or what they do. People would view you as religious, and of a religion that is probably slightly annoying, not necessarily view you as a Mormon.

In other words, they won't care. If they do, they aren't the type of company or person that you should respect anyways.

Keeping it off of your resume and saying that you were doing volunteer work I think is the best advice.

What you don't want to have to do:

1. Explain gaps on your resume.

2. Get asked again to explain a gap.

3. What were you doing again?


Be honest, include info that pertains to the job for which you are applying and don't communicate embarrassment. It was a learning experience which has prepared you to better do the job.

BTW, most people are willing to hire one Mormon, it's the second Mormon that gives them heartburn.

I would disagree that most people would think being Mormon is advantageous. I don't think it is the kiss of death, but it is weird, and if it's a job that calls for critical thinking, it would be akin to stating you are a scientologist.

Just start with your post college job experience and if questioned, say you were doing volunteer work during that period.

Don't address it at all on your resume. Keep your resume strictly professional, starting with college graduation and forward. Do not include anything in college unless you were Phi Beta Kappa or something extraordinary.

If anyone notices the 2-year gap, simply address it in the interview. I like the generic "volunteer work" comment myself.

Leave it off. 4 years is plenty of history at your age. Unless work you did as a teenager is directly relevant to a job you are applying for it is unnecessary - just start your work experience resume with work after your mission.

Truthfully, you can put down TWO years of direct sales experience. That is what you were doing. If they ask what you were selling, tell the truth, say "religious beliefs." But then let them know that you are not affiliated with that organization anymore. Don't be critical of TSCC at the interview. Just say you are no longer with that religion and leave it at that. They won't press on the religion. They might ask how the selling part went and you can tell them honestly that it was door to door or whatever it was in your mission.

Be honest - unlike your TBM training. Honestly will get you the job. Let them know it was direct selling but that it was volunteer so they won't wonder about the salary.

csuprovograd - FUNNY! - as long as some of these are funny, I will add my NOT do at the interview and that is
Don't pick your teeth or fingernails with a switch blade!

Leave the garmies at home and the "Elder Whoever" pin....KIDDING!



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 02/10/2014 04:53PM by verilyverily.

Your résumé should be a brag sheet of what you feel is important to the job you are trying to get. For best results, a resume should point out accomplishments and not just who you hung out with. If a company likes what they see, they will probably have you fill out a formal job application where they might ask you to account for all time in the last x years. At that point be truthful but try to minimize the importance of anything you wish.

In a job interview, they can ask about the details of any of those things but don't bring it up yourself if you don't want to. To me, I would have a problem if somebody acted ashamed of a decision they had made, whatever it was.

Remember, if you falsify the formal job application you can be fired without question if they find out, no matter how trivial.

Did you go to BYU? Then don't even bother.

It's like putting high heels on a short woman. Who are you trying to kid?