There are many proud people out there who have participated in Mixed Martial Arts, but they’re not so sure that they should put it on a resume, considering the nature of the sport. Although it is true that there can be a stigma associated with someone who has competed in MMA, there are also times when putting MMA experience on a resume can be a big plus. Here are a few reasons why to put it on your resume or CV:
It Can Payoff, if You Do Your Research
First of all, make sure to create a resume that has references to MMA where appropriate, and one that doesn’t. There may be some times when you may not want to mention it, even if those are few.
Second, if you have great skills in Microsoft Office, then you might be able to make up the resume yourself. If not, find a good resume writing service, like CraftResumes.com, to help you make a proper and professional resume.
Whether or not to use a resume that includes MMA experience depends on how the company will react. A sports company, for instance, would think of an MMA as a huge positive. A medical company, perhaps not so much.
It’s also a good idea to do some research on the person or people who are going to interview you, if possible. They might have a LinkedIn page. If they do, then they might list themselves as being fans of MMA. In those cases, it’s a great way to have a personal connection with an interviewer right from the get-go.
It Can Be a Great Ice-Breaker
Even if you’re applying for a job where it won’t be directly relevant to the field, for instance, it’s not one of the skills needed to be a psychologist, that doesn’t mean that it won’t make an interesting item to put in your list of hobbies. An interviewer seeing that listed will likely comment on it and ask questions about your experiences. This, again, is likely to generate a more personal connection with your potential employer.
You Might Have a Fan
For those who have competed professionally in the past or even competed locally, a potential employer may read your past MMA experience and then ask “That was you?”. At that point, you might just have a fan, eager to hire you on right away.
It’s not that simple of course, there are other aspects of winning an interview like the skills vs traits argument on how to approach a job, but at the very least, this is a great way of getting your foot in the door.
It Could Be Very Pertinent
The biggest reason to add MMA experience to a resume is if it is directly or indirectly relevant to the job you’re applying for. If a person is applying for any job in a gym, having that in your background helps to inform the business that you do have something relevant in the field of health and fitness.
It’s not only gyms, either, that might also want a person with MMA in their background. There are fitness centers that might want to hire a person to teach classes in MMA. Some boxing-oriented businesses might need someone who can help out in weight-training, which is also relevant.
As you can see, there are many reasons why an MMA might just be a plus on your resume or CV. Use your imagination when it comes to any job you’re applying for and see if there are ways that it might be helpful.
What if You’re Going Professional?
If the plan is to make MMA your full-time job, then having it on your resume is a must. People who know what you’re doing professionally might not hire you, but they might know someone who is looking for a person with your skillset, or they might just be aware of people who could help you to go professional.
As previously mentioned, it’s probably a good idea to keep two resumes on hand. In this case, a resume for finance analyst, for instance, probably would mean using the resume that doesn’t mention MMA. The reason simply being that it wouldn’t seem relevant to the job.
Always make sure that your resume looks professional by either using a resume service or by using one of the many free templates out there to help you get started and also to get a general idea of how it should look and good luck!