{"id":14481,"date":"2021-08-27T09:22:48","date_gmt":"2021-08-27T09:22:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/?p=14481"},"modified":"2022-06-15T09:13:04","modified_gmt":"2022-06-15T09:13:04","slug":"hackathon-on-a-resume","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/hackathon-on-a-resume\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Include Hackathon Experience on a Resume \u2014 Top Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>img#mv-trellis-img-1::before{padding-top:150%; }img#mv-trellis-img-1{display:block;}<\/style><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hackathons are collaborative timed projects which explore software and app development under specific topics or themes, such as using a certain OS or <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/list-programming-languages-on-resume\/\">programming language<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hackathons are intensive and require the ability to work under pressure, as well as fundamental skills in programming. How can you best include hackathon experience on a resume?&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>How to Include Hackathon on a Resume<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><b>A hackathon is typically included in the skills section. Include it as a bullet point under a programming header such as &ldquo;programming&rdquo; or &ldquo;C++&rdquo; depending on the hackathon&rsquo;s content. You may also include it in the relevant experience section if you have more than one experience to describe.&nbsp;<\/b><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>Hackathon &ndash; A dangerous word on a resume<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first thing to consider when including hackathon experience on a resume is how that word may come off to an employer. To someone who has never heard of this event, it may sound negative or suspicious.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hacking is historically a malicious way to utilize programming or computer experience, thus reading this term on a resume may give an employer pause when considering a new employee. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hacking is most often illegal, so those who are unaware of the purpose of a hackathon could grow wary.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>Making hackathon a positive on a resume<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While words which sound like &ldquo;hacking&rdquo; may sound negative to an employer, this does not mean you should omit hackathon experience on a resume. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Choosing your words carefully is an important part of including this experience, so let&rsquo;s discuss ways we can do so.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The best and simplest way of framing this experience is to add a small description beneath it stating what a hackathon is. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This must be kept brief, as it is <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/what-is-wrong-with-my-resume\/\">wrong to go over two pages<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on a resume. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Especially in the skills section which rarely uses bullet points, the more concise you make this description the better.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You may also include it after the description in the relevant experience section. This way the employer knows what it is before they even come to the word &ldquo;hackathon&rdquo;. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The experience of working in a group under pressure is a great asset, so let&rsquo;s go over some examples of <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/italics-on-a-resume\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">how the formatting will look on a resume<\/a><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-19036 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Hackathon-Experience-on-a-Resume.jpg\" alt=\"Hackathon Experience on a Resume\" width=\"1000\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Hackathon-Experience-on-a-Resume.jpg 924w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Hackathon-Experience-on-a-Resume-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Hackathon-Experience-on-a-Resume-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Hackathon-Experience-on-a-Resume-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Hackathon-Experience-on-a-Resume-735x1103.jpg 735w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Hackathon-Experience-on-a-Resume.jpg\"><\/noscript><img loading=\"eager\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-19036 aligncenter eager-load\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%201000%201500'%3E%3Crect%20width='1000'%20height='1500'%20style='fill:%23e3e3e3'\/%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" alt=\"Hackathon Experience on a Resume\" width=\"1000\" height=\"1500\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Hackathon-Experience-on-a-Resume.jpg\" id=\"mv-trellis-img-1\" data-src=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Hackathon-Experience-on-a-Resume.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Hackathon-Experience-on-a-Resume.jpg 924w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Hackathon-Experience-on-a-Resume-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Hackathon-Experience-on-a-Resume-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Hackathon-Experience-on-a-Resume-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Hackathon-Experience-on-a-Resume-735x1103.jpg 735w\" data-svg=\"1\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"><\/p>\n<h2><b>How to include hackathon in the skills section<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Begin the relevant skill with a title such as &ldquo;Java&rdquo; or &ldquo;C++&rdquo;. Beneath the title, include a single bullet point which states your hackathon experience and what it was focused on. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You should not over-explain the project because the focus should be on the base skill and not the weekend experience.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When titling this skill, decide what you want the employer to get out of your resume. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For more general programming experience, you can title this &ldquo;Computer programming&rdquo;. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For a specific type of programming, you can narrow this down to &ldquo;C++&rdquo; or &ldquo;Phone app development&rdquo;.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have participated in multiple hackathons, choose the most relevant one or include this in the experience section instead. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The skills section should remain concise and easily read, as it is not meant to be written in paragraph or full-sentence format.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hackathon does not need to be capitalized mid-sentence, as there are many different hackathons all over the US with different affiliations. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The word refers to the type of event, not a specific event, thus it is not a proper noun.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When formatted correctly, hackathon experience in the skills section should look as follows:&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><b>Skills<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Website security<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/typing-speed-on-your-resume\/\"><b>Typing speed<\/b><\/a><b> of 80 WPM<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Computer programming&nbsp;<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Participated in hackathon, a 48-hour group programming collaboration focused on website design.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2><b>How to include hackathon in the relevant experience section<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hackathon should be described using full sentences without pronouns in this section. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Describe what the event is, what the focus was, and what skills were necessary to achieve the desired outcomes. Do not use more than 2-3 sentences, as this is a short-term event which should not be a focal point.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The relevant experience section is different from the work experience section. Relevant experience may include experiences such as <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/volunteer-work-work-experience-resume\/\">volunteering<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, short-term experiences, <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/one-month-job-on-resume\/\">one-month jobs<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, or <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/how-to-put-temporary-jobs-on-a-resume\/\">temporary jobs<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A weekend event is fitting in this area, but not in the work experience section.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Employers want to see longer-term work experiences, so it is unwise to include a two-day event in the same section as other jobs. Be sure to separate these sections by using the header &ldquo;Relevant Experience&rdquo;.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You may choose to include <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/how-many-bullet-points-job-on-resume\/\">bullet points<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in this section in the same way you would with jobs. This section should be briefer than the work experience section, however, so only use a maximum of 1-2 bullet points to explain the experience.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When formatted correctly, this will look as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Relevant Experience<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Computer Programming &ndash; <\/b><b><i>Hackathon 2020<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Participated in a 48-hour collaborative programming project with a team of 20 people<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Developed a mobile app focused on health and fitness tracking<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We know how to include hackathon experience on a resume, but there is the question of whether this experience deserves to be included. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Because of limited space, resumes should only display the best and most impressive jobs or experiences in order to make the employee stand out among the rest. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Does hackathon experience make the cut?<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>Should you include hackathon experience on a resume?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><b>Hackathon experience can be included to fill blank space or if the results were particularly impressive. However, a weekend-long experience has lower value to an employer than a long-term one. Do not include hackathon experience if you have other relevant experiences you can put instead.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On a resume, the more concise a skill is, the more it will stand out to an employer. Including the bullet point &ldquo;7 years of experience in C++&rdquo; may be more impressive than describing a hackathon you participated in which was focused on C++, because it draws attention away from the base experience of seven years.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For those who are new to the skill or have <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/i-have-nothing-to-put-on-my-resume\/\">nothing to put on their resumes<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, hackathon experience is a nice boost to their credibility in the area. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For those who already have several years of experience, including hackathon experience may make one come off as a novice.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Experts do not need to bolster their skills describing short-term projects on their resumes because their work experience speaks for their utility in the workplace. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In those instances, it is best not to include hackathon experience.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hackathon experience can always be brought up during interviews, where you may describe your ability to program under pressure and collaborate with others. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is a great response to the typical interview question &ldquo;describe a time you overcame a great challenge&rdquo; or other similar inquiries.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hackathons are collaborative timed projects which explore software and app development under specific topics or themes, such as using a certain OS or programming language. Hackathons are intensive and require the ability to work under pressure, as well as fundamental skills in programming. How can you best include hackathon experience on a resume?&nbsp; &nbsp; How &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14484,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"disable-in-feed":false,"article-schema-type":"Article","disable-critical-css":false,"_convertkit_action_broadcast_export":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[521],"tags":[742],"class_list":["post-14481","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-resume-writing","tag-hackathon-on-resume"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14481","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14481"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14481\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19039,"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14481\/revisions\/19039"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14484"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14481"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14481"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14481"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}