# Masonic Membership on Resume?



## NY.Light (Sep 13, 2014)

I live in NY, and a good friend of mine lives I'm TX.  While I am too young for membership in my jurisdiction, my friend is old enough (we are both college students) and he is going to be initiated soon.  Long story short, he's adding to his CV that he belongs to a lodge.  Is that appropriate?


----------



## JJones (Sep 13, 2014)

Well, we should never join a fraternity to further our own careers.  It's possible to interpret it that way, I suppose, and it certainly wouldn't be appropriate it that were the case (not saying that it is).

I've entertained the idea when I was building my resume as well.  Being a Past Master and a member  for almost ten years means that I've got a lot of different types of experience under my belt and most employers I've interviewed with love to hear about past leadership experiences, fundraisers, and so forth.  Especially if the interviewer is a Mason...which is rarely the case anymore.

On the other hand, if your interviewer doesn't like the Masons then all the experience in the world won't help you.


----------



## Zack (Sep 13, 2014)

I wouldn't do it but that's just me.


----------



## goomba (Sep 13, 2014)

I work in the public sector.  I list mine because it shows activity in the community.  I also list my church and other groups I belong to.


----------



## Warrior1256 (Sep 13, 2014)

goomba said:


> I work in the public sector.  I list mine because it shows activity in the community.  I also list my church and other groups I belong to.


Does not sound like a bad idea. As you say it shows that you are active in your community.


----------



## dfreybur (Sep 15, 2014)

I am torn on the subject.  I didn't petition for mercenary purposes so I don't want to use my membership for my own benefit.  Going through the line and attending grand lodge sessions for wardens is a management education program with formal management training.  So I keep an optional skills bullet available - My management experience is through volunteering at a non-profit.  If that skills bullet applies to the job I am applying for I include it.  otherwise my resume does not mention Masonry.

LinkedIn includes hobbies and group memberships.  I do include it there are allow Masonic groups to appear in my public profile.


----------



## pointwithinacircle2 (Sep 15, 2014)

When changing cities, or states, for work I have been asked; Why do you think you will be happy here?  At that point I may say "I am a Mason and I have noticed that you have a Masonic Lodge here.  I think I will fit right in."  If a potential employer is upset by my membership it is probably not a good job for me anyway.


----------



## MaineMason (Sep 15, 2014)

Because I have been a Sacred Musician by profession for over 30 years I often list certain groups I belong to, but never the Masons. I joined the Fraternity not out of mercenary reasons, but for others. I have been known to wear a blue lodge ring, especially when travelling, and sometimes a pin on my lapel. I have also been known to show up in regalia with the other brother officers at funerals. People know I am a freemason,  but I certainly don't advertise it on my resume. 

That being said, my father was once saved from being (unjustly) fired from a job because his direct boss knew him to be a Freemason and gave him the benefit of the doubt in a meeting where his direct boss's boss wanted him out. Dad never wore his ring to work, and I think that's not a bad practice. On my resume, I list "and other service and fraternal organizations" after those that are germane to my direct employment. I also avoid mentioning that I am also a member of the ACLU, the NAACP (though I am white) and the Human Rights Campaign though where I live it makes little difference: those are political things, the Masons are not, but it's better to keep certain things to ones self and one's brothers and compatriots. I would never use any of those things--especially not Freemasonry--as tools of advancement.


----------



## Glen Cook (Sep 15, 2014)

I don't put my Masonic membership on a professional CV.  Membership by itself implies no more than AAA membership (pretty harsh, but I think accurate).  I think I have listed boards such as the Shrine hospital.

I do have a separate Masonic resume for invitational bodies which require such.


----------



## MaineMason (Sep 15, 2014)

I agree.


----------



## cemab4y (Nov 6, 2014)

I always list my Masonic membership on my resume. As a rule, you should always list your relevant volunteer work on a resume. I list my leisure activities. I am a telecommunications engineer, and in my free time, I enjoy amateur radio. If you have served in an officer capacity, you should list that as well.


----------



## MaineMason (Nov 6, 2014)

I would no sooner mention my membership in Masonic bodies than I would in the Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament (an Episcopalian order) or anything else. My grandfather, a Master Mason, would not even wear a lapel pin while being involved with the DeMolay which his children were involved in. Not out of fear but out of humility. I sometimes think that my ring I wear to lodge is too much, when thinking about him.


----------

