Put Ebay on Resume?

TheShepherdSauce

TheShepherdSauce

CAGiversary!
I'm a junior in college and I'm trying to put a resume together as I hunt for an internship for next summer. Problem is... it's looking a little bit sparse lol. So, I was thinking maybe I could put Ebay in my resume. I don't make a lot, but I certainly make money just about every month from it - ranging from maybe $20 to over a $100 on a good month. Aside from re-selling cheap or hard to find items I come across, I've also fixed PS2s, Xbox 360s, Ipods, and the old fat DS and sold them for profit. I'm actually pretty proud of what I've accomplished through ebay. Yet, I still feel a bit odd about putting it in there. I know I don't make a lot, but for a poor college kid I make good spending money. And if I do put it in there, I don't really know how I'd word it - any suggestions?

p.s. I'm an economics/accounting major
 
Dunno...I'm thinking it wouldn't be a good idea.

What kind of position are you applying for? Rather than putting it in your resume (personally I see it as filler, whereas I was encouraged to make one's resume as bare-bones essentials as possible), you can incorporate parts into your cover letter (such as understanding technology enough to fix it and your dedication?)

If you still wanna include it, I definitely wouldn't put it under your 'job' column.

Good luck regardless, and let us know how it goes!
 
Lie and make up a company. Then say you got promoted there within three months. A good impression is all you need. These guys aren't gonna background check for an internship. Hell, if they really require a phone number, just give them your friend's cell phone number.

It's a perfect plan.
 
I don't think I would list it as you would a degree or place of employment. However you could mention it in your cover letter (you are including a cover letter, right?). You could also list it elsewhere on your resume if theres an area for minor accomplishments such as employee or student of the month.

If you must go so far as to list it as something that significant, refer to it simply as a small business.
 
lol I'm not gonna lie on my resume... besides, the accounting/business world can actually be quite small and to make a moral/ethical blunder this early in my career would be quite detrimental.


[quote name='Dori-dori']
What kind of position are you applying for? Rather than putting it in your resume (personally I see it as filler, whereas I was encouraged to make one's resume as bare-bones essentials as possible), you can incorporate parts into your cover letter (such as understanding technology enough to fix it and your dedication?)

If you still wanna include it, I definitely wouldn't put it under your 'job' column.
[/quote]

I wasn't planning on putting it under work experience but rather 'activities' much like you would add an organization or intramural sport to your resume.

Also, I don't plan on making a cover letter. Similar to what you mentioned, my school advises a simple resume of one page - a cover letter is seen as unnecessary and a lot of employers don't even bother to read.
 
Theres no set rules for resumes, but so what if the employer doesn't take a second glance at a cover letter? They are easy to write, help you personalize your experience for their specific job/company, and add to the overall presentation. Give them the option to read it or throw it out, don't take that away from them by not including it. Better safe than sorry, especially when going for a job. In your area, that cover letter might help separate you out from others who have learned not to include one.
 
Rutgers Business School - New Brunswick... dunno if it's true but we claim to be one of the three top business schools in the greater New York metropolitan area. Competition is really high and it's hard to stand out.
 
Always include a cover letter. Trust me.

At times its only a formality, but its absence can be more noteworthy than its presence. If its ignored, nothing is lost. Its a built in opportunity to make your sales pitch.

The employers I've encountered are resentful of recent college grads with an entitlement attitude, who don't take the time to do things the right way. I frequently hear complaints about ridiculous things like people text messaging during their interviews. Any length you can go through to present yourself as a true professional and distance yourself from typical college students is well worth it.

That you are running an ebay business and supporting yourself is a step in that direction. Doing the little things like sending a cover letter, a thank you letter after interviews, showing up on time, paying attention to your interviewer and not fiddling around with your cell phone are all important things which must be done.

If your school is giving people such bad advice, you will stand out from the crowd by not heeding it.
 
Cover letters only become really useful once you have a lot of shit to explain. I'm in engineering, though, so there is much less use for it, and its absence doesn't really seem to impact anything for anyone I know.
 
I would only bring it up to explain a gap in employment and take the approach of 'it was a fun way to turn my hobby into a way to make some extra money while going to school'.

Of course, I would go back in time and choose a different major than Accounting if I had the ability.
 
[quote name='DarkSageRK']Lie and make up a company. Then say you got promoted there within three months. A good impression is all you need. These guys aren't gonna background check for an internship. Hell, if they really require a phone number, just give them your friend's cell phone number.

It's a perfect plan.[/quote]

Indeed.

Art Vandelay Industries. How may I direct your call?
 
I'd leave it off. But your college probably has a department to help students create a resume and find their first job so you may as well ask there what they think about it.
 
Putting ebay on your resume is the most important thing you can do. I'm sure you new employer would be very impressed that you can sell things online. You might want to highlight the fact that you are a mulittasker: you sold these while eating food; browsing the web, and holding your cock with your left hand (you should also point out that you are right handed).

In other words, I see nothing but upside in putting ebay on your resume.
 
You're serious about this OP?

I highly recommend that you DO NOT put this on a professional resume. MAYBE if you had a professional eBay business, but selling $20-100 a month is nothing. This would be a huge mistake to put on your resume.

Your resume is supposed to be sparse. You're just starting out in your career. Potential employers, especially those seeking interns, are going to know that you are just starting out. Having a "sparse" resume isn't a big deal considering your position and where you are so far in life.
 
I don't see any problem with it, I wouldn't lie, and I wouldn't make up a company. But you kept a balance sheet? A cash flow sheet? Some sort of calculation to make sure you were profitable?

You can indicate it under other skills, or other accomplishments, just characterize it as practice for when you have to apply these principles for real.

My point is, I wouldn't hesitate to put something on a resume that I was genuinely proud of.
 
Hmmm... a lot of mixed reactions here. I just wanted to point out I would in no way put Ebay under 'Work Experience.' As I mentioned earlier, it would be under 'Activities' like you would put a fraternity that you are a member of or volunteer work.

I feel like although not particularly spectacular, ebay MIGHT just stand out in a resume. Even better, it could be a point of conversation during an interview. The problem is, as others have mentioned it probably comes off as resume filler.
 
[quote name='TheShepherdSauce']
I feel like although not particularly spectacular, ebay MIGHT just stand out in a resume. Even better, it could be a point of conversation during an interview. The problem is, as others have mentioned it probably comes off as resume filler.[/quote]

Put it on your resume.

When it come up during the interview, the person will ask how much you've made.

When you tell them you've made $20 IN ONE MONTH, they'll hire on the spot due to your entrepreneurial genius!


So remember:

1. eBay on resume
2. ???
3. Profit!(job!)
 
Here is how eBay looks on my resume:

Company Name, Location, Date Started - Date Ended.
Sole Proprietorship
Duties
1. Researching the profitability of hundreds of retail items.
2. Developing and maintaining business relationships with suppliers.
3. Purchasing items that pass strict profitability guidelines.
4. Inspecting defective items to determine repair costs and feasibility.
5. Testing items to verify repairs and functionality.
6. Aggressively marketing and selling profitable items.
7. Determining accurate shipping rates.
8. Shipping sold items quickly and accurately.
9. Reviewing the profitability of items as purchased items are sold.
10. Discontinuing the purchase and sale of unprofitable items.
11. Answering any question a potential or past customer has about any item for sale or sold.
12. Performing all of the above tasks with no supervision.

...

Any critiques?
 
[quote name='fatherofcaitlyn']Here is how eBay looks on my resume:

Company Name, Location, Date Started - Date Ended.
Sole Proprietorship
Duties
1. Researching the profitability of hundreds of retail items.
2. Developing and maintaining business relationships with suppliers.
3. Purchasing items that pass strict profitability guidelines.
4. Inspecting defective items to determine repair costs and feasibility.
5. Testing items to verify repairs and functionality.
6. Aggressively marketing and selling profitable items.
7. Determining accurate shipping rates.
8. Shipping sold items quickly and accurately.
9. Reviewing the profitability of items as purchased items are sold.
10. Discontinuing the purchase and sale of unprofitable items.
11. Answering any question a potential or past customer has about any item for sale or sold.
12. Performing all of the above tasks with no supervision.

...

Any critiques?[/quote]

Too many bullet points. I would shrink to 3-4 points max. You use action words and present tense well, maybe more adjectives. The main thing I think it's lacking is numbers. On a resume numbers pop! Especially improvements and profit percentages. Show that you have a track record of success.
 
[quote name='dafoomie']Always include a cover letter. Trust me.
[/QUOTE]

My school's career services website that has job postings says to never include a cover letter unless requested when responding to a job on their site. Pretty interesting.
 
[quote name='fatherofcaitlyn']Here is how eBay looks on my resume:

Company Name, Location, Date Started - Date Ended.
Sole Proprietorship
Duties
1. Researching the profitability of hundreds of retail items.
2. Developing and maintaining business relationships with suppliers.
3. Purchasing items that pass strict profitability guidelines.
4. Inspecting defective items to determine repair costs and feasibility.
5. Testing items to verify repairs and functionality.
6. Aggressively marketing and selling profitable items.
7. Determining accurate shipping rates.
8. Shipping sold items quickly and accurately.
9. Reviewing the profitability of items as purchased items are sold.
10. Discontinuing the purchase and sale of unprofitable items.
11. Answering any question a potential or past customer has about any item for sale or sold.
12. Performing all of the above tasks with no supervision.

...

Any critiques?[/QUOTE]

I like how you "Any critiques" like putting it like that somehow makes you look professional.

*fatherofcaitlyn hands in resume*
Interviewer: Wow, this looks impressive. What job let you do all that?
FoC: I had an internet business.
Interviewer: Oh, that's great, did you have a website?
FoC: No.
Interviewer: Did people contact you because you were a wholesaler?
FoC: No.
Interviewer: What did you do?
FoC: I bought things and sold them on ebay.
Interviewer: . . . . Seriously?
 
I would only put it on the resume if it relates to the position you are applying for. It has the potential shows the company that you are able to go out on your own and make some kind of money even if it is $20 - $100. There are also a lot of skills that could be associated with selling on ebay(selling stuff, marketing it(the description), dealing with customers, dealing with money). After all a big thing being looked for in an interview is ambition and the desire to succeed.
 
[quote name='munch']I like how you "Any critiques" like putting it like that somehow makes you look professional.

*fatherofcaitlyn hands in resume*
Interviewer: Wow, this looks impressive. What job let you do all that?
FoC: I had an internet business. You have to wear a lot of hats when you run your own profitable business.
Interviewer: Oh, that's great, did you have a website?
FoC: No. It wasn't needed.
Interviewer: Did people contact you because you were a wholesaler?
FoC: Yes.
Interviewer: What did you do?
FoC: I bought and sold a few hundred thousand dollars of video games and video game accessories on ebay and directly to private individuals and companies.
Interviewer: . . . . Seriously?
FoC: Yes, would you like to look over my books?
[/quote]

Fixed.
 
[quote name='asstaber']I would only put it on the resume if it relates to the position you are applying for. It has the potential shows the company that you are able to go out on your own and make some kind of money even if it is $20 - $100. There are also a lot of skills that could be associated with selling on ebay(selling stuff, marketing it(the description), dealing with customers, dealing with money). After all a big thing being looked for in an interview is ambition and the desire to succeed.[/quote]

It also raises questions in the interviewer's mind like: 'Will he/she be doing this while working this job? How will that affect his work here?'
 
[quote name='manthing']It also raises questions in the interviewer's mind like: 'Will he/she be doing this while working this job? How will that affect his work here?'[/quote]
Actually, as a former interviewing and hiring manager, I never thought that. I looked at external opportunities like that as a demonstration of drive. A self-motivated employee is a great asset.
 
[quote name='Quillion']Actually, as a former interviewing and hiring manager, I never thought that. I looked at external opportunities like that as a demonstration of drive. A self-motivated employee is a great asset.[/quote]

Actually as someone who has interviewed potential employees and made hiring decisions, I have thought that.
 
It's all in the packaging. don't talk about Ebay. Talk about running a small business, of which Ebay was just a venue for your retail operations.

If you had a management position in a store, you talk about what skills that position helped you develop. You don't lead with what mall contained the store.
 
[quote name='manthing']Actually as someone who has interviewed potential employees and made hiring decisions, I have thought that.[/quote]
Then it appears that there isn't any consensus between hiring managers.
 
That is why you put an end date on your "eBay" experience.

Then, you get the best of both worlds.

You show drive yet have no conflicts with the current position.
 
I would leave it off. Focus more on your academic achievements within your cover letter. Volunteer work would be good for the resume too, but selling on eBay probably won't help (unless you are applying for a job at eBay).
 
[quote name='Quillion']Then it appears that there isn't any consensus between hiring managers.[/quote]

Clearly. Just ask anyone without a job now.

;)


BTW: I'm not a hiring manager.
 
[quote name='fatherofcaitlyn']Here is how eBay looks on my resume:

Company Name, Location, Date Started - Date Ended.
Sole Proprietorship
Duties
1. Researching the profitability of hundreds of retail items.
2. Developing and maintaining business relationships with suppliers.
3. Purchasing items that pass strict profitability guidelines.
4. Inspecting defective items to determine repair costs and feasibility.
5. Testing items to verify repairs and functionality.
6. Aggressively marketing and selling profitable items.
7. Determining accurate shipping rates.
8. Shipping sold items quickly and accurately.
9. Reviewing the profitability of items as purchased items are sold.
10. Discontinuing the purchase and sale of unprofitable items.
11. Answering any question a potential or past customer has about any item for sale or sold.
12. Performing all of the above tasks with no supervision.

...

Any critiques?[/QUOTE]



that's funny....
I could imagine the interviewer reading it and asking,

Interviewer: "So... what is your websites name?"
You: "Ebay, sir!"
Interviewer: "HAHAHA You're kidding right??!! My 10yr old daughter makes more than you do on ebay in a day!"
 
[quote name='Dead of Knight']My school's career services website that has job postings says to never include a cover letter unless requested when responding to a job on their site. Pretty interesting.[/QUOTE]
Consider the source of the advice. Some people in academic environments have probably decided that cover letters are unnecessary, while the real world might not share that opinion, especially in industries that are a little more conservative than others.

Why wouldn't you take the opportunity to sell yourself that a cover letter affords you? If the employer doesn't care, it doesn't hurt you. So why not? If others don't take the time to do it, it sets you apart. The only way it hurts you is if its poorly written or generic.
 
[quote name='Dead of Knight']My school's career services website that has job postings says to never include a cover letter unless requested when responding to a job on their site. Pretty interesting.[/quote]

You should always include a cover letter, and it has to be one that shows that you are professional and passionate about getting the job
 
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