If you are job hunting today, your vaccination status is going to be a big issue for any employer looking to ultimately get workers back into the office. While choosing to get vaccinated is a personal choice, the fact is choosing not to get vaccinated will lower the pool of job openings considerably.
So, should you go another step further, and disclose your vaccination status on your resume to up your chances of being considered for a job? This topic is being debated more and more frequently these days. Here are the facts.
Seeking a starting point for your resume? Benefit from the expertise and assistance offered by these best resume-writing services.
Should I Put My Vaccination Status On My Resume?
The no brainer answer for those of us that are vaccinated is “yes.” That is, if you want to have the best chance of getting a job.
The reality is that more and more hiring managers are simply eliminating resumes that do not have their vaccination status. I have seen several surveys saying up to 33% of hiring managers are discarding resumes with no vaccination status. Your job as an applicant is to make it easy for the hiring manager to say yes, so put your vaccination status front and center if you are going for a non-remote job.
Additionally, I reached out to all of our top resume writing service partners, who all recommend adding your vaccination status either to your resume or cover letter, preferably the resume.
But, can the company even ask for my vaccination status?
Some people believe that because documentation of vaccination is considered confidential medical information, that means companies can not ask about their vaccination status. This is a grey area. Explicitly asking you for your vaccination status could possibly open a company up to a discriminatory complaint, technically most businesses are not covered by this HIPPA rule and are well within their rights to ask about your vaccination status.
Join The Break Community
To avoid any possible complaints, most employers will notify you of their vaccination policy and ask you if you have any concerns instead of flat out asking you about your status.
How To Include Your Vaccination Status On Your Resume
Make your status clear and unambiguous
Don’t be Aaron Rodgers and say “I’ve been immunized.” Be absolutely clear with statements such as ““I am fully vaccinated against COVID-19” or “I am up to date with the current COVID-19 vaccination guidance.” Avoid shorthand and slang variations like “vax,” or “vaxxed”. Remember, your resume will first be read by Applicant Tracking Software, so it is important not to confuse the bots.
Include your status at the top of your resume
Hiring managers take about 7 seconds to read your resume, so make sure your status is noticeable. This is your chance to stand out since only about 20% of resumes we see have vaccination status on them. Seeing your status will definitely make your resume stand out.
The best place to include this information is in the header, or within your summary statement.
Be honest
It is extremely important to just be honest about your status. You will likely be required to show proof at some point, and you will be rejected if you are found to be lying. Better to move on now than have a problem down the road.
Keeping Up With The Changes
While disclosing your vaccination status on your resume makes current logical sense to give yourself the best odds of getting the job, it’s important to realize that COVID-19 is changing, response is changing and even definitions are changing. For example, the CDC has said that the definition of “fully vaccinated” is likely to change in the near future as booster shots are looking more and more likely in our futures. If you choose to include your vaccination status, make sure you are current and all of your stated information is accurate and up to date.
Want to discover a greater variety of job leads? Refer to our curated list of the best job posting sites for a wider range of opportunities.
The analyses and opinions presented on Career Cloud are our own. We may receive compensation from purchases made after visiting links within our content. Learn More.
