Resumes.
Yes i know it has a funky e, but i’m not looking it up at 4am
Having found a few posts dealing with legal issues [speeding ticket i think it was from 2 years ago] and not finding anything with the key word “resume”. IE:When applying for a job you submit your “resume”.

I’m going to guess putting mention of being a memeber of the craft on a resume would be generally considered bad form. However if in the interview the HR person asks something similar to “What groups/clubs/organizations are you a part of?” That’s the time to mention it.

Buisness cards.
What about buisness cards? I’ve seen some pretty odd ones. Some where people put down “Ronin” [masterless samuri] on cards they use for general and buisness contacts made. So why not “Freemason”?

Since i’m currently job hunting i’m not putting it on my resume, tempted to put it on a contact buisness card though with a mini resume on back. Since these wont be what the emploreer gets as a final submition. Only a memory enhancer.

(Edit) Been employed for a while now in a company where the local management has never heard of the craft. The stores founders are not Masons.

I’ve wondered about this too.

I, personally, don’t see anything wrong with listing “Volunteer Activities” or “Community Organizations” on your resume, and I would list Masonic membership like this:

Member of (Your Lodge Name) Lodge #XXX, F. & A.M.

Or, A.F. & A.M. if that is how they address themselves in your area. (personally I wouldn’t get into listing appendant bodies.  Affliated groups like the Shrine or Grotto, being independent of the Grand Lodge system, merit their own listing)

You might want to add years as a member, or if you served as an officer, I would recommend just saying “current officer” or “held multiple offices”, so that you don’t have to get into discussing exactly what a Junior Deacon does in this organization.

Remember, the Elks and the Moose operate as “Lodges” as well, so that is the key word employers see that would say to them, “this guy belongs to established community organizations and volunteers his time”.  Some may know what F. & AM stand for, some may not, and it can be their perogative to inquire further.

For me, Masonry has been like enrolling in a Leadership 101 course.  The experience I’ve had with the organization has been too valuable to to my professional growth NOT to mention it.  Besides, if your Masonic involvement takes up a lot of time outside of work, and you don’t list it on your resume and your employer asks what you do when not working, what are you going to say?  “It’s a secret”?—I hope not!

I think, as Masons, we would only discourage you from listing it if you thought it should incur special favors, i.e. emphasizing your membership instead of your skills when applying at a company owned by a Mason. 

I’m not so thrilled about the business card idea.  The “Ronin” thing is basically a cute way of saying you are unemployed—you have skills, but no “master”.  Listing “Freemason” is not only irrelevant to what you want a prospective business contact to remember about your meeting, it could also be misleading—the contact could pull your card out later, and, having no knowledge of Freemasonry, thinks, “this guy is a bricklayer, why is he trying to get a job in my company?”

If you’re going to use business cards in your job search, I’d recommend your name and contact information, and maybe a general statement like “X years of experience in (your profession)”

Ronin:
Actually 1 was the owner of his business, the other was employed.

Card:
I was just thinking of saving the reprinting costs later. But then if I have a resume on the back and employed that to might give the wrong impression. So half the cards with 2 different prints should fix that issue. “Social resume pass out card” and “social networking but employed”

JasonM, having read some of your other posts, might I suggest that you not put the cart before the horse?  Rather than being over eager and coming out of the gate in a full sprint, I would offer this advice:

Remember that you are not yet a Master Mason.  You are an Entered Apprentice.  MM’s can call you brother, true, and this is a courtesy extended to EAs and FCs to begin to introduce new members to the idea of brotherhood, but please remember that the full concepts of Freemasonry have not been fully revealed to you.

Until you have been raised as a Master Mason I would refrain from advertising your membership, answering questions from non-Masons about Masonic specifics, etc.  While your zeal is truly laudable, it is best for new Masons to approach membership with a degree of subtlty until they have fully comprehended the lessons of the craft and the accepted protocols concerning your public life as a Mason.

Just my friendly and brotherly advice.  At this time, Masonic business cards, resume references, and other public banner waving is not for you.  Your job right now is to continue to learn about what it means to be a Mason.  When the time comes that you are a Master Mason, then your Masonic education REALLY begins.

I hope this makes sense, I’m not putting down, and I’m glad there are men excited to join the craft, but being over-eager only distracts you from the true lessons of the craft.

Regards.

I also under stand in England [location?] that you also have to disclose your Masonic affiliation if your in the political arena. Hmm.
@Dan. I’m not taking it as a put down. I asked a question to get others input from their views. Not a question that i wanted to hear others repeat something i wanted to hear and if they did not, get all upset. I did not see the topic else whereso i thought i would ask it for others to read as well incase they were thinking about asking. When my lodge had an open night and we had a guest or 2 and no one was asking questions i asked one of the more common question s i found while investigating Freemasonry. “Is Freemasonry a religion.”

I asked it for those that we’re not asking.

I asked the resume question figuring the answer was already a “probably should not do it”. Mainly because of what Mike said. “There is a common belief amongst them that we join in order to gain favors and advantages (business and otherwise) from fellow Freemasons, as ridiculous as this is some of them believe it and spread it about.”
Also in-case others might have the same fairly good question but might not want to ask.

Ultimately i decided not to even mention it in print. All but one of my relatives and friends that know I’ve entered into the craft were either surprised with a smile on their face or had confusion. Maybe more like an intrigued deer in the headlights. It will save time and dollars later by not having to redo any resume large or small. There is more i could type up now, but i need to go visit the local college counselor for re-admittance. Been 10 years.

I have Freemasonry listed on my resume.  I found out from job counselors (I too am unemployed) that it is okay to do so, and shows that you are good natured and charitable.

CIVIC, VOLUNTEER, AND PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
Member - Tuckahoe #347 Masonic Lodge, Richmond, VA

I have “Freemasonry” listed under my outside interests on my resume. It is perfectly acceptable to do this. Back in the 1930’s (and for some time after), Grand Lodges operated employment bureaus, to assist brother Masons (and their dependents) in seeking work. I would love to see this splendid tradition, revived.

I used http://www.freemasonstore.com There are a couple others out there i might use next purchase.
[EDIT]
The above URL is no way a endorsement from the Massachusetts Grand Lodge.

*******

1>The above post no longer fits this thread as the previous post was spam and removed. [He was asking where a good place to shop was and dropped a link (bot)]
2>Edited to reflect that the URL i posted is not endorsed directly.

JasonM I’m pretty sure maximusfirst is just spam and not a real post.  Just ignore it.

That’s what i was thinking, but just in case…. And no i did not click his link.

Our friend Maximus has been banned from our site and his posts removed. But thanks for remaining civil. We seem to have had a rash of those lately.

Funny, though, after looking at the site Jason sent for Freemason stuff I have to admit it kinda bothers me that it all has to be so commercial. I know we’ve always had places before where everyone went for regalia and such, but it just didn’t seem so crass.

The way of the new world, I guess.

By the way, leaving that Site on there is in no way a endorsement from the Massachusetts Grand Lodge. We should probably do a post where we can list places where Masons had good experiences buying online. Might help keep one of us from getting “fleeced” LOL.

Bob Heruska
Forum Administrator

Commercialism finds its way into just about everything. With that said, when I was growing up, I always thought that every Mason or Lodge had a special place where they got their jewelry….I never would have guessed that any two Brothers had the same ring…..

Reply to Bob
“The way of the new world, I guess. “

He said New world! Hes a moderator so he keeps order. nwo!!!

@Steve.
I wonder if i can commercialize something. Lets see keeping Freemasons out of it. We have NWO and 2012. I’m sure there’s a T-shirt in there some where. Hmm. [strokes non-existent beard]

@ButchA
I copied your idea and modified it a little.

All very good replies. Anyone have any other comments? Or tales of what they are doing?

Jason:

I believe if you marketed a NWO shirt you just might get sued by either the WWF or the Rap group from the late 1990s for some copyright infringements.

lol yea i forgot about them. I should have remembered. Wife watches wrestling on tues. The rap group i thought ended with an “A”. I remember my grandparents talking about them and “Their generation” one evening.