jbphilly

I've just finished a cross-country ride (blog at julianbenderblog.wordpress.com if you're interested) and now it's time to settle back down and look for a job again. I'm looking at my resume for the first time in half a year and pondering how to enter "I rode a bike across the country, self-supported, for three months" as an item in my work history.

I'd be interested in hearing how other people have worded similar items, or if you've got any ideas. The thing I'm stuck at is in how to word it without sounding awkward, confusing or pretentious, and it would be great to hear people's thoughts. Thanks!

Edit:

I should probably clarify that I'm not attempting to pass the bike tour off as work experience. Rather, I thought it was a good idea to show that, since I wasn't working the last few months, I was actually doing something interesting rather than loafing around and/or being rejected from every job I applied to. The section of the resume where I listed what I was doing during each span of time since college seemed like the only logical place to put this.

Given people's feedback here, putting it there would obviously be confusing...so back to the drawing board.

Leebo

Bike vacation. Long, bike powered yoga retreat. Urban and suburban cross country sociology study. Living USA history tour. Slice of life camping expedition. Self exploration bike retreat. Or, bike tour.

fishboat

Well..unless "I rode a bike across the country, self-supported, for three months" was what you did for a living..and earned a wage at it, then it isn't "work history", it's a gap in employment that you'll need to address in some fashion.

Perhaps just a single line item of "I rode a bike across the country, self-supported, for three months" is sufficient and then move on to the next item. In reviewing a resume, I'd see it as a positive. If a potential employer has a question about it..let them ask..it's not large gap. You could dress it up as a first-hand, in-depth anthropological field study..but I'd lean toward calling it a bicycle tour.

almanorkid

On my resume, I've always just listed at the bottom along with other significant interests and volunteer activity. Mine is something like:
Bike tours: In 20xx I rode 4000 miles from San Francisco to Central America, In 19xx I rode 1000 miles from...etc.

People in interviews always reacted positively to it and were especially interested in the distance...that's why putting how far you rode is a good idea too.

indyfabz

I didn't put anything on my resume about my three long trips during the 18 months I took off from the working world and wasn't looking for a job. Potential employers noticed the gap and asked what I did during that time.

BigAura

Sabbatical

fishboat

I wouldn't dress it up with amorphous or ambiguous words or call it a "sabbatical". When given no clear info, people will tend to think the worst...and you're all done with no second chance to make a first impression. If you dress it up, people will recognize the word-smithing and wonder what you're trying to hide or deflect from. If you simply call it a "sabbatical"...is that a timeout for "rehab" or "volunteering in Africa with Médecins Sans Frontière"?

Use simple language, put a begin and end date on it, and call it what it is. If it only fits in the work history area, then plainly label it (in exactly the same format as other bullet points) as a "Gap In Employment:" with some explanation.."..I fulfilled a personal goal of bicycling 3000 miles across the northern United States in three months.." "Fulfilling a goal.." is active HR-employer language for "..I identified a target I needed to reach, I figured out how to do it, and I busted my arse to make it happen..and I was successful.."

What is work about? If you're applying to a large corporation..a place where they have their act somewhat placed in the 21st century..Your future annual performance reviews will be goals & performance based. You'll set out SMART goals in the beginning of the fiscal year SMART: S(pecific) M(easurable) A(chievable) R(elevant) T(imebased). You're thinking... that sounds a whole lot like "..fulfilling a goal of bicycling 3000 miles across the northern United States in three months.." and you'd be right.

Tourist in MSN

If you list it, keep in mind that bike can mean motorcycle, but bicycle is unambiguous.

If you are concerned that having the time gap on the resume will prevent you from getting an interview, you could state something like: From ___ to ___ was temporarily out of the workforce while bicycle touring ___ miles across the United States.

But listing that may make them think you are some sort of tree hugging nutcase, so it is a tough call on whether or not to list it. I think it depends on the type of occupation and type of employer.

alan s 

A charity ride to raise awareness. You accepted charity when offered, and raised awareness in yourself as to the areas you visited.

fishboat

Speaking only for myself, I'd hit square in the forehead with it. From an outward sense, they'd be reading something similar to what I wrote above..whilst I'd be looking at some HR wonk thinking.."..have you done anything big lately?"

But I'm recently retired..been to the mountain..saw the king in his shorts..wasn't impressed..and survived megacorp-land..having achieved my personal goal of exiting early..to go bike riding, among a few other things..

Rather than be bent by the corporate 'systems'..embrace them..use them in their own context to achieve what you want..and state it in their own language in a way they can't possibly disagree with. If they did disagree they'd be inconsistent with their own procedures..and heaven knows..they'd never consider doing that. Not ever. It works.

fishboat

You need to (have to) include the key buzz words.."..achieved a goal.." or "..achieved a difficult goal..". That's all anyone will remember. If you get too wordy, they'll lose interest, and move on. Their take away will be "..he took some time off to do something..I don't know what it was about..."

Happy Feet

Absolutely use it.
Significant achievement. Self supported bicycle trip, x months, y miles. And what skills you used/developed. Language, planning, social skills etc...

What it tells an employer is that you could plan and carry out a large commitment/project in a self motivated fashion. Why you did it, how you did it and what you learned are all important.

How many other applicants will be able to demonstrate that level of determination and work ethic?

jefnvk

Last job ending date: <Month> 2016. When they ask, explain. If they're actually interested in you, they'll ask. If they don't, they don't care or aren't interested.

I'm not one to list personal achievements on resumes, though. Three months isn't all that long.

mdilthey

When I applied for my master's, I put my bike tour on my resume. When I got a call from the director, he said "Oh! You're the bike guy!"

I think it helped!

MixedRider

What type of job are you applying for? It all depends on the Job Opening.


Sorry, I mean no offence, but, if I saw it under "Job History" for resumes I review, it would be tossed in "maybe" pile and not the "callback" pile. (review resumes all the time for a large engineering firm).


If anything, just put a "personal interests" heading and list bicycle touring. No details needed. If someone asks during an interview feel free to talk about it. Or if someone asks you the "give an example when..." you can use applicable moments from your most recent tour as an example.


As others have mentioned, 3 months is not a long time between jobs. Tailor your resume for the position you are applying in order to get interviewed!

FullGas

totally depends on the field you're trying to obtain employment in...

if you're looking for something in engineering, chemistry, biology or other scientific / technical areas, it will likely count as a vacation.

Darth Lefty 

Tell them you're coming out of retirement

timdow

weel you could apply at REI... It's part of the job description there. Otherwise, you want to paint it in a positive way. Planned sabbatical to achieve a goal and a dream... to ride a bicycle coast to coast without outside assistance." This should, as mdilthey described above make your resume stand out. It would get my attnetion.

saddlesores

leave it out. it's irrelevant. keep it out of WORK history.
if it can fit in your "personal achievements" section (if you
have one), it can be an asset and might help you stand out.
if you put it in employment, you look confused.

you're talking to bike folks here, so of course WE all think
a tour across the states on a bike is something really cool.

imagine if you will, a similarly fun for the doer personal
vacational activity.....skateboarding half the length
of the oregon trail.....don't sound so cool anymore.

if the hirer/interviewer notices the gap, they might ask, so
be prepared with a good answer. 3 months is not much,
they'll prolly ignore it.....many folks take several months
between jobs.

personal experience.....prospective employer noticed my
two-year gap in employment. what's this? oh, personal
goals, blah blah blah......cycled 6 months in new zealand,
and then a year doing the entire perimeter of australia.

really? oh wow......so, uhhh.....you think maybe you could
give us a slide show when you get here?

Happy Feet

I also think talking to "bike" people gives the impression of having not done anything very interesting.

3 months may not be a long time between employment gigs but it is a heck of a long time to ride a bike to 99.9% of the population. Most people will be impressed by the sense of commitment and self discipline required. It's not a job but, if three applicants all have common education and experience in a field, something like that gives one an edge. Lot's of people write stuff in their resumes like "self starter" "able to work independently" "see's tasks through to completion" but this example is a real life demonstration of those attributes.

A person could brainstorm all the positive skills one needs to do such a tour and be ready to list them during an interview but that chance may not occur if the interviewer doesn't even know about the experience.

Planning
Organizational
Long and short term goal setting
Self discipline
Work ethic
Independently motivated
Interpersonal skills
Exposure to others on a Nationwide scale
Ability to adapt
etc...

Someone once told me that all a University degree means to an employer (aside from any certification required) is that you could take on a 4 year goal and see it through to completion. Doesn't matter what the degree is in. You can complete assignments, meet deadlines and read and write English. Degree is all they see, compared to high school or less which almost everyone has to do and passes regardless.

Another way to look at it is if a prospective employer sees no value in what you have done; is that the company you want to work for. You wind up spending 1/3 of your life working there and if the culture does not share your passion or values it seems to me to be a waste for both sides. We often see an interview as the applicant being scrutinized but a person thinking long term will also be assessing the employer. Good employers expect that.

Abu Mahendra

If I came across your CV where you put down your bike tour as a job/employment, I'd ask for the following:

• Terms of Reference/Job Description
• Performance Evaluation
• Application form (so I could apply myself for such a 'job')

I would also ask you whether you wanted your salary at said 'job' to be taken into account as part of your salary history. If hired, I'd be on you like white on rice to see that didn't pull another fast one.

Doug64

I think the value of including your tour on the resume depends on what you have to go with it. If your employment history is brief, or weak, including it might seem like you are trying to "pad" your accomplishments. If you have a quality employment history, adding it will probably not detract or it may even help.


I agree. This was on a successful resume:

Dave Cutter

A decade from now you may not have retained a copy of this resume. If for now other reason it would be best to stick with honest recollections of events.

When referring to a bicycle or bicycling event.... always use the proper noun... bicycle. Most people would think motorcycle adventure (or riding with a biker gang) when you make reference to a "bike tour".

Happy Feet

I dunno, on my last resume I put down, under additional experience, that I conducted a five year diving research project studying an endangered freshwater fish. That could be found here: manfish.ca under "the cultus lake project".

Abu Mahendra

So, you actually produced something that could be used by others, knowledge.