Unrelated Jobs on Resume

Question
I am looking for a job in retail. I have some experience in this field as well as some unrelated work as a football umpire for one year and a fruit picker for five months. Should I include the unrelated experience on my resume or leave it off completely?

Answer
Definitely include your work as a football umpire in the work history section of your resume. Without it you would have a gap in employment (unless you were holding down another job at the time). Most important, it demonstrates skills that will be valuable in your retail position. An umpire needs to be clear headed, decisive, and play by the rules. What employer wouldn't want that?

List your fruit picking experience only if one of the following apply:
1. You need it to fill a gap in your work history, even if you list only years (no months).
2. The retail position you seek involves produce (for example, if you're applying to a grocery store). In this case, your field knowledge would be valuable on the sales floor.

Best of luck with your new sales job!