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Job experts weigh in on whether you should put vaccine status on your resume

Experts are urging caution that putting your vaccine status on your resume could help or hurt you.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — In a COVID-19 job market, your vaccination status may help you land your dream job, but it may also find the door slammed in your face.

Those who teach job seekers how to write resumes and prepare for interviews differ on whether posting that you are vaccinated on your resume is a smart move or not.

“Anything that is going to give you an edge, that's what we advise,” said Jeremy Worthington, owner of Worthington Careers and Buckeye Resume

“That is a risk you can take if you want to get a competitive advantage,” said Shelly Stotzer, CEO of Crosworks Career & Talent Strategists.

Posting your vaccination status on your resume or LinkedIn page comes with a risk.

“If you feel strongly about it and are willing to give up opportunities that don't match your decision, you can go for it but also recognize that you are going to close as many doors as you open,” Stotzer said.

“Much like I don't think you should be putting your picture on your resume. That's unacceptable I don't think a resume is a place to say you are vaccinated,” Worthington said.

There are advantages to posting #vaccinated on your professional page. 

Experts say it lets employers know you are willing to work in the office.

Leaving it off, they say, may leave your status unclear.

“You have to do your homework to understand whether putting that on your resume will actually be an advantage because there are a lot of risks,” Stotzer said.

If you left your job because you refused to get vaccinated, career coaches say you need to prepare to have a well-thought-out narrative to explain the gap in your work experience

“Don't avoid it. Get out in front of it and sort of deflate it so to speak,” Worthington said.

The share of job postings stating that a new hire must be vaccinated has nearly doubled in the past month, according to the job search site Indeed.

While many believe your vaccination status should remain private, some job seekers are using it as a way to get their resume at the top of the pile.

Many employers are trying to figure out how to use the information, if at all, without violating employment law.

“This is all influx. Right now companies are putting policies in place trying to figure it out,” Stotzer said.

According to MarketWatch, a survey of more than 950 large employers found that 21% had some type of vaccine requirement for all or some of their staff by the summer, up from 9% in the spring.

By the end of August, MarketWatch reported that the share of postings per million on Indeed requiring vaccinations rose 242% from the same point in the previous month.

COVID-19 in Ohio: Recent Coverage ⬇️

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