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One of the most common mistakes I see applicants making is ignoring their non-work experience when preparing their MBA résumés. Many create multi-page résumés filled with professional accomplishments—and even routine job responsibilities—but leave little or no mention of their activities outside of work.
Your résumé is not just a summary of your career—it’s a snapshot of you. It should reflect your values, interests, and commitments beyond the workplace.
Below, I am sharing some common misconceptions I have observed among candidates regarding their non-work experience, along with my advice on how to address them.
1. “I don’t have a certificate to prove it.”
Some applicants hesitate to include their extracurricular or volunteer work because they lack a formal certificate. To them, I say: you don’t necessarily need one. If you have genuinely engaged in an activity—teaching underprivileged children, volunteering at an NGO, distributing food, mentoring, or organizing community events, your honesty will speak for itself. The Ad Com trusts authenticity and can always verify such experiences if necessary.
2. “It’s not significant enough to mention.”
Many applicants undervalue their non-work achievements. I’ve seen candidates hesitate to include long-term commitments like donating blood regularly since college or pursuing seven years of formal music training, simply because they couldn’t complete a diploma due to work relocations. What may seem ordinary to you could actually reveal commitment, compassion, discipline, or creativity, qualities the Ad Com values deeply.
3. “One word in the hobbies section is enough.”
Some candidates provide a laundry list of hobbies—reading, traveling, hiking, cooking, etc.—and feel their job is done. But this one-word approach doesn’t reveal anything about who you are. Provide context and depth instead. A list of single-word hobbies, such as travel, reading, or cooking, doesn’t tell the reader anything meaningful. Provide context and depth instead. For example:
This is a misconception I encounter frequently. Just yesterday, during a résumé discussion, a candidate told me he had completed several Coursera certifications nine years ago but didn’t think they were relevant anymore. Another had passed CFA Level 1 but omitted it because she hadn’t cleared Level 2.
5. “I didn’t have enough space to include it.”
· Sometimes, candidates simply run out of room. One applicant told me he received “plenty” of awards but left them out for lack of space. When prompted, he shared a long list of honors recognizing his work performance—none of which appeared on his résumé! Select your most meaningful awards and include them concisely, but don’t leave them out altogether.
6. “It’s unrelated to my professional goals, so why mention it?”
· Some candidates hesitate to include activities that aren’t directly tied to their career or post-MBA goals. For example, a software engineer once asked me if his years of involvement in community theatre were worth mentioning. My answer was an emphatic yes! Experiences like these often demonstrate transferable qualities—leadership, teamwork, creativity, empathy, and perseverance—that are equally valuable in business school and beyond.
👉 📘 For more résumé insights, you may also enjoy my related blogs:
Or, if you prefer watching instead of reading, check out my YouTube videos on résumé writing:
Final Thoughts
Your non-work experience rounds out your candidacy and adds dimension to your story. Admissions committees want to admit individuals who are curious, well-rounded, and engaged with life beyond work. Extracurricular activities, community service, certifications, awards, and personal interests provide valuable insight into your personality, values, and passions—helping the Ad Com see the complete you.
Think of your résumé as a portrait, not a checklist. While your professional journey paints the main picture, your non-work experiences fill in the color, depth, and texture that make it memorable. So, save space for them; they are what make your story truly stand out.
🎨 Need support with painting your portrait? Email me at poonam@myessayreview.com
About MER (myEssayReview)
Your résumé is not just a summary of your career—it’s a snapshot of you. It should reflect your values, interests, and commitments beyond the workplace.
Below, I am sharing some common misconceptions I have observed among candidates regarding their non-work experience, along with my advice on how to address them.
1. “I don’t have a certificate to prove it.”
Some applicants hesitate to include their extracurricular or volunteer work because they lack a formal certificate. To them, I say: you don’t necessarily need one. If you have genuinely engaged in an activity—teaching underprivileged children, volunteering at an NGO, distributing food, mentoring, or organizing community events, your honesty will speak for itself. The Ad Com trusts authenticity and can always verify such experiences if necessary.
2. “It’s not significant enough to mention.”
Many applicants undervalue their non-work achievements. I’ve seen candidates hesitate to include long-term commitments like donating blood regularly since college or pursuing seven years of formal music training, simply because they couldn’t complete a diploma due to work relocations. What may seem ordinary to you could actually reveal commitment, compassion, discipline, or creativity, qualities the Ad Com values deeply.
3. “One word in the hobbies section is enough.”
Some candidates provide a laundry list of hobbies—reading, traveling, hiking, cooking, etc.—and feel their job is done. But this one-word approach doesn’t reveal anything about who you are. Provide context and depth instead. A list of single-word hobbies, such as travel, reading, or cooking, doesn’t tell the reader anything meaningful. Provide context and depth instead. For example:
- Instead of Travel, write “Visited 15 countries; lived and worked in Hong Kong and the U.S.”
- Instead of Reading, write “Enjoy biographies of global leaders to study their decision-making styles.”
These brief details make your interests memorable and distinctive. (For more on this, read my blog on Let Your Hobbies Speak
This is a misconception I encounter frequently. Just yesterday, during a résumé discussion, a candidate told me he had completed several Coursera certifications nine years ago but didn’t think they were relevant anymore. Another had passed CFA Level 1 but omitted it because she hadn’t cleared Level 2.
5. “I didn’t have enough space to include it.”
· Sometimes, candidates simply run out of room. One applicant told me he received “plenty” of awards but left them out for lack of space. When prompted, he shared a long list of honors recognizing his work performance—none of which appeared on his résumé! Select your most meaningful awards and include them concisely, but don’t leave them out altogether.
6. “It’s unrelated to my professional goals, so why mention it?”
· Some candidates hesitate to include activities that aren’t directly tied to their career or post-MBA goals. For example, a software engineer once asked me if his years of involvement in community theatre were worth mentioning. My answer was an emphatic yes! Experiences like these often demonstrate transferable qualities—leadership, teamwork, creativity, empathy, and perseverance—that are equally valuable in business school and beyond.
👉 📘 For more résumé insights, you may also enjoy my related blogs:
- Avoid these 10 Mistakes when Creating your MBA Resume
- 20 Useful Tips to Craft an Effective MBA Résumé
Or, if you prefer watching instead of reading, check out my YouTube videos on résumé writing:
- Video - How Your MBA Resume Can Boost Your Performance at Work https://youtu.be/xALWJyTtN_I
- Video- 7 Powerful Tips to Craft a Winning MBA Resume https://youtu.be/5K5uasPzGPU
Final Thoughts
Your non-work experience rounds out your candidacy and adds dimension to your story. Admissions committees want to admit individuals who are curious, well-rounded, and engaged with life beyond work. Extracurricular activities, community service, certifications, awards, and personal interests provide valuable insight into your personality, values, and passions—helping the Ad Com see the complete you.
Think of your résumé as a portrait, not a checklist. While your professional journey paints the main picture, your non-work experiences fill in the color, depth, and texture that make it memorable. So, save space for them; they are what make your story truly stand out.
🎨 Need support with painting your portrait? Email me at poonam@myessayreview.com
About MER (myEssayReview)
Poonam Tandon, the founder of MER (myEssayReview), holds a Ph.D. in English and has 14 years of experience in MBA consulting, complemented by three decades of teaching experience in India and the US. A master storyteller, Poonam has successfully guided hundreds of students worldwide in gaining admission to the esteemed MBA, EMBA, and specialized master's programs in the US, Canada, Europe, and Asia. Throughout her four-decade-long professional career, she has reviewed 11,000+ essays written by applicants worldwide. Poonam was among the top 5 most reviewed consultants on the GMAT Club from September 2012 to December 2023.
