‘Phi Theta Kappa’ are Greek letters that are an abbreviation for wisdom, aspiration, and purity, all of which make an attractive personality.
This Honors Society is based on four Hallmarks- Leadership, Service, Scholarship, and Fellowship, and whichever Hallmark your chapter chooses to focus on may change the type of experience you gain while being a member.
This may also raise some questions. “Is it necessary to mention the involvement of Phi Theta Kappa on my resume?” or “Where should I include it on my resume?” – Let’s find out!
Should you include Phi Theta Kappa on your resume?
Include Phi Theta Kappa if your chapter was competitive in the Service or Leadership Hallmark as these come with the most valuable transferrable skills to an organization. Also, include it if you have recently graduated or are still in college. Lastly, include it if you have no other educational honors or awards.
If you have other more relevant achievements and it has been a while since you graduated, you can leave it out of your resume.
Where should you include Phi Theta Kappa on your resume?
There are three places to put Phi Theta Kappa on your resume. The first place is in the ‘Education’ section, listed along with your GPA or Minor. The second place is in the ‘Honors & Awards’ section. The last place is in the ‘Professional Experience’ section.
Add it here if you were an important Officer in your chapter and in return, gained achievements within your Honors Society that transfer well.
Now, let’s delve into the top 3 tips to remember when including Phi Theta Kappa on your resume.
How to list Phi Theta Kappa on your resume – Top Tips
Mention which of the four Hallmarks your chapter chose to be competitive in.
The first thing to keep in mind is that there is a difference in each Hallmark’s perception, which affects the recruiter’s view of the type of candidate you are.
When an institution’s Phi Theta Kappa chapter chooses to take on leadership roles on campus or in their community, it shows the hiring official that you have experience being in charge, and you know how to handle the pressure that comes along.
Focus on the Service Hallmark indicates to the recruiter that you can put the community first and have value for philanthropy, and almost every single company wants this quality in their employees.
A lot of times, organizations like to dedicate a page on their website to their Corporate Social Responsibility activities, where they mention how they are giving back to their own community.
The Scholarship Hallmark is an Honors Committee that selects an Honors Study Topic for two years and focuses on tutoring and mentoring.
Not only does this show dedication, but also the capability of training others, which looks great when applying for managerial roles especially.
Lastly, the Fellowship Hallmark mainly focuses on social activities based on the other 3 Hallmarks; this can also be a good transferrable skill gained.
Event organization and coordination is an important competency for many companies.
Examples:
Education
Eastern Oregon University
Bachelor of Science, Major in Business Administration | 2015 – 2018
- GPA 3.76
- Active member of Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society, Leadership Hallmark.
Honors & Awards
- Dean’s List, all semesters
- Phi Theta Kappa Vice-President of the Fellowship Hallmark (2015 – 2018)
Use specific examples to demonstrate how Phi Theta Kappa helped you gain transferrable skills
As mentioned previously, differentiating which Hallmark your chapter was involved in is a good reflection of what skills you may possess to the recruiter.
However, it is also important to mention examples of what you did that made your experience worth it and made you a good candidate for your target organization.
The best way to list examples of achievements is to start with the action you took, then by a numerical specification if possible, and then who it helped.
Examples:
Professional Experience
Phi Theta Kappa Vice President of Service
Rider University | 2017 – 2019
- Organized volunteering event that raised $15,000 for partnering charity.
- Oversaw all International Service Program activities and planned 25 community service events.
Professional Experience
Phi Theta Kappa Treasurer
University of Cincinnati | 2015 – 2017
- Maintained the financial accounts for 2 consecutive years for my PTK chapter.
- Received and deposited $25,000 throughout each officer term.
List Phi Theta Kappa after your personal academic achievements
If you are listing your Phi Theta Kappa membership under your ‘Education’ or ‘Honors & Awards’ section, it is best to mention your personal achievements first.
Although your chapter’s accomplishments are notable and look good on your resume, it is better to show the recruiter how well you do on your own first.
When you have other awards, such as a high GPA or a National Merit Award, prioritize them over the Honors Society involvement.
This way, you are showing the hiring official that, individually, you can stay motivated and ambitious but also have great teamwork and collaboration skills if needed.
Examples:
Education
Oklahoma State University
Bachelor of Technology, Major in Public Safety Management | 2018 – 2021
- GPA 3.74
- Dean’s List (Fall & Winter 2020)
- Member of Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society, focusing on Scholarship.
Education
Salisbury University
Bachelor of Science, Major in Finance | 2016 – 2019
- Minor in Accounting, GPA 3.62
- GPA 3.86
- National Merit Award (2018)
Phi Theta Kappa membership is great for networking, especially if your recruiter was also a member.
It helps break the ice in the interview and establish some sort of bond.
It can also demonstrate transferrable skills that are valuable to an organization if you write it down on your resume correctly.
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