The ultimate guide on how to list education on a resume

Whether you came straight out of school or came in with work experience, you may be wondering how to properly list education on a resume. It might seem easy, but there are a few things to consider, such as what to do if your education isn’t complete or whether your university experience should go first whatever.

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• Why listing education on a resume is important
• What to include in your resume section
• How to Format Your Resume Education
  

We’ll also give you some more examples and tips because even such little things Punctuation can make all the difference!

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Why listing education on a resume is important

While people make work experience the primary focus of their resume, education on a resume is important because it helps recruiters understand what type of knowledge you have. Dedicating four years or more to pursuing a specific skill set should be highlighted.

Another reason education on a resume is important is that it also showcases your interests and areas where you might be able to bring a vital fresh perspective, even if it’s not immediately obvious how education directly relates to your type of work. apply.

The final reason why education on a resume is important is because it demonstrates your ability to stick with something, manage competing assignments, and (hopefully) get the job done on time.

Tips for the Education Section of a Resume

Before we get into the specifics, we thought we’d give you some general tips about the education part of a resume. Above all, you have to put yourself in the shoes of the person looking through your app. They probably have 500 different resumes to go through, which means the education section of your resume should be as clear and easy to scan as possible. Here are 5 quick tips you can use to list education on a resume.

Use subsections – If you have a lot of information, break it down into different sections, including the course or degree itself, and then things like “awards,” “extra-curricular activities,” and “professional development.”

Give specifics related to the job you are applying for – include (or make more prominent) details relevant to the sector you expect to work in. For example, while in most cases you’ll put your university name first, a sub-college, such as “Hospitality School,” may be kicked out first if you’re going for a hospitality job.

GPA is not required – If you received a stellar GPA, you may want to include it, but otherwise, it’s not necessary. Once you have work experience down the list, the education section should be made smaller, and you can remove the GPA altogether.

Forget high school – If you’re in college, this should highlight, but you should include your GPA or GED if high school is your highest level.

Be honest. – Employers can check your transcript, and if you get to the interview stage, you’ll likely be asked more about the information you provided. Getting caught in a lie will sink your chances.

What to include in the Education Section of Your Resume

Keeping in mind the points mentioned above, here’s what to include in the education section of a resume when you apply for a job. These requirements are not set in stone but provide a general idea of ​​what part of your education will be like. These educational experiences are often presented in this order to reflect what hiring managers are looking for when scanning education on a resume:

• Your most recent degree name: Bachelor of Science (BSC) with a minor in politics. Your minor listing is optional. ‍
• Your school/college name: Ohio State University. . Include the location even if the name of the school or college is obvious. ‍
• Year attended: 2018 – 2021. . If you haven’t finished your course, you can write 2018 – Present .
• GPA: 3.69 . As stated in the previous section, if your GPA isn’t very impressive, or if you have a lot of other experience, it’s best to leave this out.
• Honor: With good compliments . This is also an optional part.
• Any course, activity, or other job-relevant accomplishment: 1 year exchange program in Gothenburg, Sweden . The Exchange program demonstrates your willingness to engage with new experiences and take on challenges that may be out of your comfort zone.
  

With so much information to include, it’s sometimes easy to forget that your education still only makes up one part of your resume and is almost always listed under work experience, which is often the value of any employer; the real skill set you have developed in the right workplace conditions.

Education List on Resume

What about unique educational situations that fall outside the sections listed above? As you can see, listing education on a resume is not so easy.

Unfinished program – Specific programs, even after completion, may not need to be specified; However, if you are close to completing a program at a good school that is relevant to the position you are applying for, then add that to your resume education.

Middle school related activities – Everyone has to start somewhere. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to fill out a resume when you have little or no work experience; But don’t worry! You still have the opportunity to showcase what you have to offer with relevant courses, extracurricular activities, or hobbies that showcase your work ethic and area of ​​interest in the education section of your resume.

Certification. – Certification is a great way to show that you went above and beyond to achieve something the school or employer doesn’t currently mandate. Remember not to use jargon or abbreviations that your potential employer may not understand.

Workshop. – It is best to include workshops only if they relate directly to the functions required by the potential employer. For example, having completed a two-day behavior management workshop would be worth mentioning if you were going for a teaching job, but not necessarily if you hoped to work in a restaurant kitchen.

Apprenticeship – Very worth mentioning the relevant internships, which are closer to work experience than education. If you’ve only had one or two previous jobs, an internship is a great way to highlight other professional skills, which employers can scan for.

How to Format the Education Sections of Your Resume

Now that you have your information, how to format education on a resume is the next big question. Having professional qualifications is only half the battle; Knowing how to present it is key. Here are four tips:

Distance – Unless the employer is using recruiting software (which is another topic), HR people want something they can scan easily. Use spaces that allow information to be retrieved easily.

Short and clear information – No one wants to read your entire life story. Revise the format of your education on your resume until it is clear and to the point, without unnecessary detail.

Relevant to the type of position you are applying for – We’ve said this before, but it’s worth mentioning again. Many people have 3 or more versions of their CVS, depending on the job they are applying for.

Highest achievement first and the rest in reverse chronological order – You don’t need to rank in chronological order as a strict rule. List highest education on your resume first, then use reverse chronological order for other courses.

Example of college education on a resume

If you are currently completing or have completed a degree, you should know how to format your college education on a resume. Here’s an example:

When putting your education on your resume, you can also choose to put your institution’s name in bold, so it’s very clear when you apply.

Example of education on a resume for high school seniors

A resume for a high school senior would look something like the following example:

As stated above, high GPA can be entered, as shown here. Also, listing some of your major courses will show your employer what your areas of interest are and give you something to cover at the interview stage.

Resume Education Section

The individual parts seem simple enough, but how does it all fit together? Here are some tips for listing education in the special education section of your resume:

• Start with your highest level first – You don’t need to order by date! Include your greatest academic accomplishments above when listing your education on your resume.
  
• College education is most important – If you’re a graduating professional with some work experience, it’s safe to say that you can delete most, if not all, of the information related to your high school education. ‍
• Small details of the material – Double check your spelling, grammar and punctuation, and pay attention to formatting. Sometimes there are different ways to present information, for example:
• You can elaborate on your title or use an abbreviation – art master become MA. ‍
• You can use periods to separate the initials – M. (optional).
• You can separate your degree from your major with a comma – MA, Sociology .
  

As you can see, there is more than one way to format your educational experience, but the most important is consistent .

How to put education on a resume as a seasoned professional

The education section of a resume will look different for a professional who has completed more than one degree and has significant work experience. In this case, listing education on a resume comes under work experience. Recruiters will always be more interested in the skills acquired on the job than your academic career, no matter how impressive it may be.

If you have more than one education, these rank in the hierarchy, with a Ph.D. Or Master’s first, then bachelor’s degree, then other professional courses. Here’s a good example of what that looks like:

‍ ‍ If you have work experience and multiple degrees, it’s best to leave your GPA as a priority manager will prioritize.

If you haven’t completed your degree yet, we’ve got you covered with our next example — So read on!

How to include ongoing education on a resume

How to list incomplete education on a resume is a common question that we hope to answer satisfactorily. Similar to the advice for high school seniors, graduates, and professionals, the education section of a resume should include below your work experience if you have any.

While we know where to put education on a resume, there isn’t one single answer as to what to write. Just make sure whatever you write is consistent. Here are some examples of what a hiring manager might want to see:

Remember, making sure the recruiter can scan your work is the most important thing.

Key takeaways..

We hope this blog is helpful when figuring out how to list education on a resume. While your work experience section is most important, for those who don’t have much experience, a strong resume education section, even if it’s a high school education, can help showcase your skills and passion to potential employers.

If you’re stuck listing education on a resume and want some expert advice, reach out to some professional resume help. Research shows a well-written resume can double your job chances!