You successfully completed a thru-hike, but does it belong on your resume? You spent months on the trail persevering through physical and psychological pain, planning your mileage and supplies, and proving to the world that you are basically a boss.

Your thru-hike is probably in the top tier of life accomplishments of which you are most proud. So, naturally you may ask:

Should I put my thru-hike on my resume?

I’ve gotten this question several times and have asked it of myself quite often as well.

The short answer is: YES!

But wait… Isn’t it completely irrelevant to the job? Will people get it? Where would I even put it??

Let’s break it down.

The way I see it, there are three general reactions an employer may have to your thru-hike being on your resume:

Worst case: They don’t get it

The employer either hasn’t heard of the trail you hiked, doesn’t care about the outdoors, or whatever… In this case, they will skim past this bullet point on your resume and likely think nothing of it. Too bad, but no worries.

Middle of the road: It’s an interesting conversation piece that allows you to talk yourself up

The employer reads through your resume, compares your qualifications with the job requirements, and notices a seemingly out-of-place bullet point under your list of accomplishments: “Completed 2,200-mile thru-hike of Appalachian Trail.” They remember you out of the resume pile they have been reading through all week. They bring it up during your interview and you get to explain how you persevered for several months hiking across the country, how you disciplined yourself to see the task to completion, how you organized your mileage and supplies, etc. This offers you the chance to stand out from the crowd and tell the employer about the strengths you developed during your thru-hike that will make you a valuable team member.

Best case: They get it, and they love it

The employer has heard of the trail you hiked and understands the gravity of your accomplishment. They allow you to explain how the experience has impacted you and how it will set you apart as an employee and team member. In addition to your qualifications, you now have an edge on the competition.

I am not saying that putting your thru-hike on your resume will be some kind of magic bullet for you to land your dream job, but it can definitely set you apart from the crowd.

What to say if my thru-hike if it comes up during the interview?

Think about the difficult aspects of your thru-hike and how you overcame them. Think below the surface and you will discover a strength that can be applied to most areas of life. One example I used during my most recent successful interview process was:

“One thing I took away from my thru-hike was finding the balance between planning and flexibility. Effective planning was crucial to the completion of my thru-hike, but I had to learn how to be flexible and adaptive when curve balls came. I’ve taken this learning into all areas of my life and especially when approaching projects – either too much rigidity or flexibility lead to failure. Sticking to the plan, but being able to adapt to unforeseen obstacles is a necessary balance that I have learned to operate well in.”

Some other examples could be:

• Discipline – sticking with it, even when it’s hard and/or unexciting
• Organization – taking a large task and breaking it into manageable pieces
• Perseverance/Dedication – keeping eyes on the prize, working toward a larger goal
• Team Player – planned and coordinated with hiking partner(s), helped each other along

Let it come up organically

Now, these examples, or the thru-hike itself, should not domineer your interview. Don’t force it in there… But these are great talking points if the thru-hike comes up organically. Again, bringing in this kind of experience can set you apart from the crowd, even if it doesn’t seem directly related to your position.

Where should I put it on my resume?

Hint: Keep it subtle

I have my thru-hike listed in the bottom section of my resume that is titled: “Activities, Honors, Service”. This brief section of my resume includes things I want to show employers that are not related to my professional or educational accomplishments. For example, I have a couple service trips to Africa listed in this section in addition to my thru-hike.

While I encourage all thru-hikers to include their thru-hike on their resume, make sure to keep it subtle. It can be a great talking point and something that makes you stand out from the crowd, but it should not detract from your professional and/or educational qualifications. Keep it in some miscellaneous section of your resume if you have one.

Well there you have it. If you have completed a thru-hike, you have some incredible experience that you can bring into the workplace if you make the effort to recognize it. Including this thru-hike accomplishment in your resume can be a great way to stand out from the crowd and provide some interesting talking points during your interview.

Good luck and happy hiking!

— Kris (Motown)