[mindwaves]

I'm updating my resume and I needed some help on how would I indicate on it that I took several classes in a particular MBA program, but I did not complete the program. But when I was enrolled in the program, it was for a degree.

I suppose just do like this?

MBA - Something University 2006
Classes taken - Org Behavior, Economics, Management

[ort888]

I put: Studied Graphics/Communication at XYZ University 1994-1995

[andi*pandi]

Since you haven't completed it yet, putting MBA first is a bit misleading. I was also taught to put the college first. I would put

Higher Education

(undergrad college)

Something University
Classes in: Org Behavior, Economics, Management
MBA completion in 2009

[residentEvil]

most the time, schooling is listed as:

Something University
Dates Attended
Particulars

so in this case, the Particulars would be:
Enrolled in MBA

(or more detailed if you prefer)

[mindwaves]

Oops, what I meant by "I didn't complete the program" was "I dropped out of the program after taking just those classes."

[turtle777]

In that case, do you really want to mention it ?

What's the benefit ? They might hire you because they think you still have aspirations for an MBA, but in reality, you just don't.

If you don't plan to do anything with it, then leave it out. It's irrelevant.

-t

[mindwaves]

Yeah, I really don't want to do anything with it, but it MIGHT come in handy. During one interview, one interviewer thought that it was nice that I had some "business experience" with my MBA even though I told him I took a few classes and it was for an engineering/law job also.

And 3 classes later and $7,000 later, I kind of want something to show for it.

[residentEvil]

Originally Posted by mindwaves 

Oops, what I meant by "I didn't complete the program" was "I dropped out of the program after taking just those classes."

the statement Enrolled in MBA is still true; for any of the above; didn't complete/dropped out/quit/finished/graduated/etc

you were enrolled...

[turtle777]

I'd recommend to not mention it on the resume.

It might create a false impression and could be something your fututre employer holds against you. Understating is better than overstating.

-t

[Dork.]

I would mention it -- I'm an engineer, and I know that if I had taken any major business-specific courses, I would have mentioned it on my resume, especially if I was gunning for a management job without much prior management experience.

You definitely want to make it clear that you did not finish the degree program, though. Even if you were working toward a degree, unless you intend to finish it all that education amounts to is a collection of classes, anyway. I would avoid even putting "MBA" anywhere on your resume unless you intend to finish it someday. (Maybe they'll pay for it?)

Perhaps instead of listing a particular degree program, you could list the school or department where you took the classes, instead, making it clear that you took classes there, but that no degree was conferred.

Perhaps listing it as something like:
Watsamatta University -- 2006 -- School of Hard Knocks
Classes Attended: Pugilism, Drug Dealing, Petty Larceny

I'm pretty sure that this information can be verified through transcripts atthe University, just like degree programs are verified, so everything in that listing can be checked by your potential employer. Why not list it?

[mitchell_pgh]

Alabama Community College
8/13/06 - 12/15/06
Drop Out

[Zeeb]

Originally Posted by turtle777 

I'd recommend to not mention it on the resume.

It might create a false impression and could be something your fututre employer holds against you. Understating is better than overstating.

-t

Understating on a resume? Stop smoking crack its bad for you.

You always put any education that you have obtained on a resume even if you didn't complete the degree. You're not lying, you took the classes and probably learned something relevant to the jobs you're applying to.

[Dork.]

As long as we're talking about resumes here, I recently landed a new job myself (which is why my posting rate at teh 'NN has shot up, since I'm winding down all my work at my current employer!)

While I'm not planning on looking again anytime soon (finding a new job is a pain in the ass!), I do intend on keeping my resume up to date. In today's job environment, you never know when you'll need to start looking again!

Anyway, My current resume fits nicely on one page, after no small amount of editing to keep my statements brief but informative. But when I start to update it, I'll have to add space for another employer, and don't want to edit my current resume down any further. Do experienced professionals (I'm currently at 8+ years of experience) really need to keep their resumes to one page anymore? Many of my co-workers either have one-page resumes with only the most recent experience listed, or multi-page resumes that list every single project they've ever worked on. Neither choice sounds appealing to me.

My current resume breaks my work nicely into major projects and skills, and I'd like to keep that format in the future, but I think I'll have to go to a second page soon....

[SpaceMonkey]

Originally Posted by Dork. 

Do experienced professionals (I'm currently at 8+ years of experience) really need to keep their resumes to one page anymore?

Dear God, no. Just add a second page. The "1 page, period" rule is really only for people coming fresh out of college, and polls of HR professionals show an even split over whether it even applies then.

[SpaceMonkey]

Originally Posted by andi*pandi 

Since you haven't completed it yet, putting MBA first is a bit misleading. I was also taught to put the college first. I would put

Higher Education

(undergrad college)

Something University
Classes in: Org Behavior, Economics, Management
MBA completion in 2009

I agree with this presentation, just remove any mention of it being an MBA program. It shows that you have completed some business classes, and, if you get an interview, it leaves you in the best position to explain your decision to leave the MBA program, should you decide to mention it.

[Dork.]

Originally Posted by SpaceMonkey 

Dear God, no. Just add a second page. The "1 page, period" rule is really only for people coming fresh out of college, and polls of HR professionals show an even split over whether it even applies then.

That the opinion I was leaning toward, as well, although I don't like the "put down every single thing you've ever worked on" school of thought, either. If I were hiring, I wouldn't be interested in learning about every single project, especially if you did essentially the same type of work on all of them. I'd rather say that I performed that work on "several projects", and spend more time detailing the job function instead of detailing each, individual project....

I also added a "skills" section which listed the EDA tools I have worked with. In my line of work, a prospective employer is going to be happy if I am familiar with the same tools he uses, because it means less training before I can contribute something worthwhile....

[andi*pandi]

unless you're in the medical/legal/education fields, I'm in the "one page resume" camp. After 16 years of working, I've dropped off the older jobs, or listed them much more briefly.

[El Gato]

You might consider listing the classes under something like "Professional Training" instead of "Education." In the interview, it would be easier to talk about how you took the classes for career growth, rather than dropping out of a MBA program.

[el chupacabra]

rty

[mindwaves]

Thanks all. Here is what I did.

University of Something, The Person_here School of Business, 2006
.....Take classes in Org Behavior, Econ, Management

I completely edited out the MBA portion to show that I did not complete the degree.

[Saetre]

Originally Posted by el chupacabra 

Witchcraft 255 (this is a real course)

At my Uni (Univeristy of Wisconsin) they have a course entitled "Shamanism and Occult Experience 666"