resume writing education section

How to List Education on a Resume in 2024 (With Examples & Tips)

Not sure what degree to list? If you should include a GPA? It just so happens that there's a variety of ways to effectively list your eduction.

The education section of a resume may not always be the star of the document but knowing how to properly list your education can be essential for advancing into the next phase of the hiring process.

In this guide, we will cover all the ins and outs of crafting an education section for your resume.

We'll cover the following:

What to Include in an Education Section?

Tips for Listing Degrees (College, High-School, GED)

Listing incomplete education.

Where to Include Education on a Resume?

What Employers Look for in an Education Section

Beautiful resume templates to land your dream job.

What to Include in an Education Section

As we've covered, different formats of resumes may require different information to be included within an education section.

In general, there is some basic information that should be included within the education section of a resume:

The name of the school — "e.g. Georgia Institute of Technology"
The location of the school
Your degree ( high-school diploma, GED, associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, etc. )
Graduation year ( if applicable )
Major field or department of study (if applicable )
Minor field or department of study (if applicable and relevant )
GPA ( If you're a student or graduates who held lower GPAs, this bit of information may be good to omit unless specifically requested by the employer )

Here's what that looks like for and university grad:

Georgia Institute of Technology • Atlanta, GA B.S. in Computer Engineering, 2006 - 2010 GPA: 3.9/4.0

For high-school students, you can do something like the following:

Georgia Institute of Technology • Atlanta, GA High School Diploma, Graduated in 2010 GPA: 3.9/4.0

Remember, including a GPA is optional. Only add it if it's required by the job listing or it's relatively high. If your GPA is low (under 3.5), it's better to just leave it out.

Listing Education with Limited Work Experience

In resumes that have limited or no work experience , as may be the case with college students or recent graduates, the education section may be a good opportunity to show off educational achievements instead.

Additional information that can be included in longer education sections can include:

Internships completed as part of a curriculum
Academic awards or sponsorships
Relevant coursework
Academic assistantships with professors or other academic professionals

As covered, in documents such as CVs the education section could be fairly lengthy.

However, the education section for most resumes will be one of the shortest sections.

This is mostly because standard resumes will be used for entry-level or mid-level positions, while longer-form resumes like the CV will only come into play for more prestigious or hard to obtain positions.

It is much more important to show either a robust work history or detail relevant and transferable skills, using your education as support rather than the main point of interest.

Here are some quick tips for deciding what educational information to include in a resume:

1) When including professional hobbies and extra curricular activities, it is important to keep relevance in mind

Incorrect: Do not include information about sports clubs or other clubs that cannot be connected back to your qualifications for a job.

Correct: If you held leadership positions in clubs or other extra-curricular activities, this can be useful information to include to highlight non-paid leadership or management experience.

Keep your descriptions simple and concise

Incorrect: Including long-winded and wordy paragraphs explaining the relevance of a certain piece of information. If a piece of information is relevant, it should be easily explained in one, simple sentence.

Correct: Use bullet points to separate bits of information to keep your resume easy to read or skim.

The readability of a resume can be the defining factor of whether or not a job recruiter or potential employer moves the candidate into the next phase of the hiring process.

As such, using clear and concise wording and formatting is essential for not just the education section, but for all sections.

Here are a few tips for different formatting options depending on the level and type of education you have completed.

1) Adding High School and GED on Resume

If your highest level of education is a high school diploma or a GED, this should still be included as there are many jobs that are open to high school graduates as well as college graduates.
Generally, this type of education section should be kept short and sweet. Listing that you have received either a diploma or a GED should be sufficient.
If you have recently graduated high school or received your GED, including additional high school-related achievements may be beneficial (such as leadership positions, honor roll awards, athletics, etc.)

2) Adding Associate’s and Bachelor’s Degrees on Resume

When listing an associate’s or bachelor’s degree on a resume, always include the name and location of the institution, as well as the date or expected date of graduation.
While the education section should still be kept short, inclusion of any collegiate level academic achievements, such as honor societies or dean’s lists, can be useful to include.
Don’t go too crazy including coursework of extracurricular information – stick to including the most relevant information.

3) Adding Graduate School or Doctoral Programs on Resume

Graduate and doctoral students may feel inclined to always include this information; however, it is important to be wary of including too much academic information in scenarios where it may render you overqualified for the position.
Graduate and doctoral information is more likely to come into play for candidates seeking higher level positions at the management level.
For candidates seeking jobs in academic or scientific fields, a CV-style resume and longer-form education section providing higher level of details regarding graduate or doctoral programs may be necessary.

4) Adding Certifications on Resume

In some cases, a candidate may not have attended college but may have completed a trade school or other program that resulted in various certifications. These certifications should be included when relevant.
Certifications such as CPR or First Aid can be useful to include in most resumes, although they should perhaps be saved for a separate certifications section .

5) Listing Incomplete Education on Resume

Incomplete education can be tricky to include in a way that sounds positive — as such, if you have incomplete education, be wary of your wording and avoid words such as “incomplete” or “unfinished.” Instead try to do the following:

Include relevant coursework or credits earned during your duration of education before the point of departure from the institution.
Omit any wordy or lengthy explanations of why the education is incomplete.

However, we've seen this be a common problem that many candidates have. Continue reading below to see how to effectively list education that is left incomplete. ‍

In some cases, a job applicant may have a partially-complete or incomplete educational credential they want to list on their resume.

Incomplete education can result from a variety of circumstances, including:

A person who is still in the process of earning their diploma, GED, or degree, but has not yet earned the credential or graduated.
A person who started a degree and completed relevant coursework, but ultimately did not finish the degree program.
A person who chose a different career path than what they studied for, but still has relevant coursework for the new career path.

When listing incomplete education on a resume, it is important to stay highly mindful of how you are wording your limited educational credentials — as words such as “ unfinished ” or “ incomplete ” are not ideal to include within a resume.

Here are some quick examples on how to properly list incomplete education in the education section of a resume:

For applicants who are in the process of completing a degree, it is important to note the expected timeframe of completion.

Incorrect: ‍ B.S. in Communications University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC Not yet complete

Correct: B.S. in Communications University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC Expected graduation May 2021

For applicants who began a degree, but ultimately did not complete the degree, it is key to be mindful of how you frame the education you did receive.

Incorrect: University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, NC

Why is this incorrect? Sure, this example indicates you, at some point, attended a university.

However, it provides no insight as to what relevant coursework or studies you may have completed.

Here's the correct way to describe your educational experience instead:

Correct: University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, NC Completed 20 credits towards a BS in Communications

Alternatively: This could be a good opportunity to include a bulleted list of relevant coursework.

For applicants who did not complete high school, it is important to note if you either earned a GED or are in the process of earning a GED.

Incorrect: ‍ Watauga County High School Boone, NC Incomplete

Correct: General Educational Development Diploma Earned May 2021 — OR — Expected to earn May 2021

Generally speaking, the majority of jobs will require applicants to have earned at minimum a GED certification in order to qualify.

In some cases, an applicant may lack a degree but may be certified by a trade school.

For instance, a beautician would want to include any beauty and health related certifications or licenses earned under the education section.

Take a look at this resume example of a college student below to see how to do this.

Where to Include Education on a Resume

When it comes to placing your educational credentials on a resume, there are many considerations to make.

Resumes can serve a variety of purposes and, as a general rule of thumb, should be tailored for specific jobs .

It is also important to take into consideration the level of education you have completed, as this will impact how it should be presented as well.

For instance, a job applicant seeking a position in academia would have a much heavier emphasis on education and academic-related achievements — than someone seeking a job in a corporate environment.

Ultimately, not all resumes are the same, so the placement of the education section will differ depending on the type of resume being used and the intention behind its structuring.

Choosing the right resume format

There are several different types of resume formats to choose from, but the main ones that are used are as follows:

1) Reverse-Chronological

‍ Emphasis is placed on the most relevant work experience, listing jobs from most recent to oldest. Education can be placed before or after the work experience section. However higher degrees that qualify a candidate for the position may be beneficial to mention sooner rather than later.

2) Functional

‍ Functional resumes place a much heavier emphasis on skillsets and areas of expertise. This format of resume is typically used by job applicants lacking the relevant work experience or educational credentials. In this format, the education section may lead if the applicant has educational credentials but limited work experience but should follow after the skills section if education is limited.

‍ Hybrid resumes combine the reverse-chronological work experience ordering with the emphasizing of skills. This can help to supplement resumes of applicants who may have some relevant work experience but still need to beef up their resumes with a skills section . The placement of the education section will depend on how applicable or high level the credentials are and should generally be kept brief.

4) Curriculum Vitae (CV)

‍ CVs are a type of long-form and multi-page resume used most commonly by applicants seeking positions in either academic or scientific fields. In a CV, the education section will be a prominent component and should appear early in the document. This type of education section should include all credentials, published works, projects, awards, or other academic achievements — no details should be spared.

The below example of a Physician Assistant's resume is listing education in the bottom-right corner as it's using a reverse-chronological resume format to shine on it's work history.

Employers can gather a variety of information about a job candidate from an education section, including:

A job applicant’s work ethic, reflected through GPAs or other grade-related information
Relevant skills or training an applicant has received through their schooling
Name recognition of specific universities, such as ivy leagues, that may give a candidate a leg up on the competition
Insight into a candidate’s interests or talents based on academic-related extracurricular activities included

Understanding what employers are looking for in an education section included on a resume is key to understand how much or how little information to include.

What an employer is looking for will vary depending on the nature of the job being offered.

For instance, an entry-level communications job at a corporation is likely to require a bachelor’s degree in communications or a related field.

Comparatively, a job in the welding industry may require the completion of a trade school program but not require a four-year degree.

It is of the utmost importance when you are applying to various jobs that you read the job descriptions provided carefully, as this is where you will find the necessary information regarding what educational credentials are required of eligible candidates.

This will also help you to tailor your education section according to what credentials or qualifications you have that meet the requirements of the job.

In general, what an employer is mostly looking for is simply that an education section exists on a resume.

The majority of employers will want candidates who have shown a commitment to their education, reflected through the inclusion of an education section.

For candidates lacking a completed education, it is still considered best practice to include some information regarding what level of education was reached before the point of incompletion, as well as the inclusion of any relevant coursework and knowledge gained from the time the candidate spent pursuing further education.

Here is a quick rundown of a few key factors to consider for applicants who may be unsure how much information to provide in an education section for a specific employer or position:

The education section should prove that you have the credentials necessary to complete the job at hand.
Oversharing of education can be detrimental in some situations, as overqualified candidates may not be considered by employers.
Job descriptions will always be the best place to look for indicators regarding how much educational background information an employer is looking for.
Never lie or over-exaggerate — while not all employers double-check applicants’ educational histories, many still do, and dishonesty can cost you the position in the long run.

Final Thoughts

Unless you are crafting a longer-form resume, such as a CV, the education section will generally be a fairly short summary of your academic credentials and achievements.

Education sections can be longer in some cases where job applicants may have hefty academic backgrounds but limited work experience.

Ultimately, the key to making a strong education section is to include only the most relevant information.

Always avoid deceptive wording, as employers can fairly easily run academic background checks if need be.

Check out our resume templates to get your creativity flowing and get started on your ideal resume today.

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How to List Education on Your...

How to List Education on Your Resume (with Examples)

10 min read · Updated on March 27, 2024

Use your education to show you have the knowledge to land the job

Your education is an essential detail to include on your resume, as it indicates that you're trained in your field. Even if your formal education isn't directly related to your current career path (perhaps you made a career change, for instance), it's still worthwhile to show that you succeeded in a high-level learning environment.

As with much of resume writing, the content and format of your resume Education section is fluid and will depend on where you are in your career. Still, it's important that you get it right to prove you're qualified for the job you want.

In this article, you'll learn how to list education on your resume and see examples that you can use for inspiration as you craft your own.

What to include under Education on a resume

It sounds simple – you list the degrees you've obtained and the schools where you got them.

But, wait! There's more.

In some instances, it may be appropriate to include your GPA, some relevant coursework, or even give a nod to some major project you worked on. Much of this depends on whether you're fresh out of school or have some experience under your belt.

Here are some other things to consider when writing the Education section of your resume:

Does your education section go at the top or bottom of your resume?

Do you include a degree if you're still working on it?

Does high school belong on my resume?

Let's start with the basics.

1. Degree earned

When you finally graduated and received your diploma, what did it say? For example, you may have achieved a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Master of Business Administration (MBA).

Whatever it was, it's the most important education detail you can put on your resume, because it's the official evidence of your education.

One of the most important things to remember is that you should list your degrees in reverse chronological order. That means you start with the most recent one (which is likely to be your highest) and work backward. Also, once you get into college there is no reason to add high school. Employers know that you have to finish high school to get into college, so they'll assume you graduated.

Remember that one degree type can be applied to a variety of fields of study. For example, a Bachelor of Science degree can be earned for both physics and computer science. Therefore, in addition to the degree itself, you must include the major for which the degree was earned. This way, a hiring manager knows exactly what topics you've studied.

If you completed any minors or concentrations, you can include those too.

3. University, college, or institution

Add some context to your education by listing the university, college, or institution where you went to school. This is especially important if you attended a well-respected program in your field, because it will make you seem all the more impressive.

4. Years attended

The timeframe that you were in school is generally something you don't need to worry about including unless you're still in school or graduated within the last year. Additionally, you might add the dates you were in school if you need to take care of a gap in employment. Outside of these conditions, you should leave off the timeframe you were in school.

Whether or not you include your GPA in the Education section of a resume depends on many factors. If you earned your degree 20 years ago, your GPA is likely a defunct measure of your current abilities. If you earned your degree recently, however, adding your GPA can be a great move – but only if it's 3.5 or higher. You can also indicate any distinctions you earned based on your grades, such as summa cum laude , if applicable.

6. Extracurricular activities

If you were in an honors society, you can list your membership. If you were part of a fraternity or sorority, it's a toss-up. While you might think this is a good inclusion because it demonstrates you were participating in service-related activities or so on, Greek rivalries can extend way past college years and you wouldn't want to accidentally tip off your hiring manager that you belonged to a rival group.

7. Certifications

Outside of formal education, you may also have taken the initiative to earn supplementary certifications or complete online courses that are relevant to your field. Highlight these in your resume Education section, especially if they are on niche or high-level topics that prove your expertise far beyond a more generalized curriculum.

Here's an example of what all that looks like:

EDUCATION & CREDENTIALS

Bachelor of Business Administration | ABC University | 2021-2024

Dean's list - summa cum laude

President - Marketing Club

Certifications:

Project Management Professional (PMP) | Project Management Institute

Conditions to consider, aside from the basics

Some of those basics may be optional - as we mentioned, you wouldn't include the dates of your degree program if you've been out of school for more than a year. When you begin to craft the Education section of your resume, there are other things to consider as well.

You completed high school

Attending college may not be among the goals you've set for your life. That's okay!

If you decide to graduate high school and go straight to work, your career can still be rich and full. At this point, though, a lot of people ask if they should include high school on their resume.

A few rules of thumb about adding high school to the Education section of your resume:

Exclude high school altogether if you go to college

Exclude high school if you've attended trade school

Include high school if you have no additional education, professional development, or certifications

Include high school if the job description specifically mentions that you need a high school diploma

Include high school if you're applying for a job while still in high school

This is what the Education section of your resume would look like if all you have to put in it is high school:

Diploma or GED [whichever is appropriate] | DEF High School

Graduated: 2023

Relevant courses: Accounting, Business Law, and Ethics

Just because high school is the highest education you've obtained, doesn't mean you can't take the opportunity to inject some relevant keywords into your resume.

PRO TIP: Check out our article on tailoring your resume to different jobs to understand how important relevant keywords are when writing your resume.

You have an undergrad degree

Once you graduate from college and start searching for your first entry-level position, it's assumed that you'll remove any information that refers to your high school activities and focus on your new undergrad degree.

Go back to the basics to build your Education section when you earn your Bachelor's degree.

Include your degree and major

Add the name of the school where you obtained the degree

Throw in some extras, like achievements, coursework, and affiliations

The last point – about adding extras – is extremely important if you have little to no work experience . Adding that you were a Resident Advisor or won first place in a robotics competition could be the thing that puts your resume at the top of the yes pile.

You have an advanced degree

Once you enter the world of Master's degrees and PhDs the Education section of your resume becomes more robust and might include things like the title of a dissertation, fellowships or internships.

As before, always start with your highest degree and work backward. Here's an example of an Education section with advanced degrees:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) – Leadership Studies | CCC University

International Student Scholar

Dissertation: Exploring the Relationships of Principal Preparation Programs and Leadership Styles on School Accountability Indices

Master of Arts (MA) – Counseling | BBB University

Bachelor of Science – Psychology (cum laude) | University of AAA

You started college at one place but finished somewhere else

If you attended college at one institution – perhaps a community college – and then completed your education in another place, you only need to list the university where you completed your degree. All the employer wants to know is which college supplied you with your degree at the end of your education; they don't necessarily care or need to know how you arrived at this place. Save that resume space for more important information.

You didn't attend or finish college

If you attended college but didn't graduate, you may want to list the relevant courses you took, especially if you made it to some of the higher-level classes, to demonstrate the skills you built or the disciplines you were exposed to during your coursework.

You're still pursuing a college degree (undergrad or grad program)

If you're still attending college for either your undergraduate or graduate degree, you can simply add an expected graduation year to this information. You can add a list of a few courses you've completed if

They're higher-level courses that are relevant to your job goals

You don't have a lot of relevant work experience to market on your resume.

You earned your degree more than 5 years ago

If you earned a degree or certification more than 5 years ago, place your Education at the bottom of your resume and remove the graduation date. It's important to demonstrate you've earned the degree, but there's no need to draw attention to how long ago this occurred.

Doing so will allow you to focus your resume on your skills, accomplishments , and professional history. For those who have many years of professional experience, education becomes less important because you should be moving forward in your career.

Where does the Education section of your resume go?

If you're new to the workforce and your new degree is your best selling point, the Education section should appear toward the top of your resume , because

You most likely have limited professional experience to list on your resume

Your education is the core competency that you wish to highlight for an employer

After you have a few years of relevant experience under your belt, the education section gets shifted to the bottom of your resume, and your work history will get pushed farther up on the page.

Key takeaways

Presenting your education on your resume in a thoughtful way will open a lot of employment doors. Here's what you should keep in mind as you write the Education section of your resume:

You list education on your resume in a certain way based on what stage of your career you're at

The main components of your Education section are degree, major, school, years attended, and certifications

Tailor your Education section based on keywords and qualifications mentioned in the job description

Be honest about ongoing education or degrees you've decided not to complete

Your Education section is fluid

Remember, there isn't one resume format that fits all job seekers. Be strategic when placing your Education information by considering where you are in your career and how it will help you to land the jobs you're after.

Find out if you are showcasing your education on your resume - get a free resume review from TopResume.

This article was updated in December 2023. It contains work by Amanda Augustine and Lauren Settembrino and Heather Rothbauer-Wanish .

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What to Include in Your Education Section

The education section on a resume gives hiring managers a glimpse into your academic achievements , interests, and skills.

It can demonstrate your commitment to learning, your ability to succeed in a structured environment, and the relevant knowledge you've acquired.

The information you should include in this section, though, varies based on things like your career level, the exact job you're applying for, and how recent your education is.

This means you don’t always have to be super detailed. Some of the information about your education is optional, and some of it may even be redundant if you have relevant work experience, so you should only use it if you think it can give your resume a boost.

Let’s start with the details most employers expect to see:

Essential Information

Degree Name. Include the type of degree and the relevant major. (E.g.: BFA in Graphic Design)
University Name. Add the name of the institution you studied at. (E.g.: University of Saint Andrews)
Location. If the university isn’t well known or the name doesn’t specify where it is, include the general location. (E.g.: St Andrews, Scotland)
Years Attended. Usually, only the years you attend there are enough, but the mm/yyyy format is also popular. (E.g.: 09/2018 - 06/2021)

Optional Information

Honors and Awards. If you’ve received any acknowledgments, list them here. (E.g.: Dean's List, Summa Cum Laude, Merit Scholarships, Valedictorian)
Relevant Coursework. List three to five courses that directly apply to your target job. (E.g.: Marketing 101, Marketing Strategy, PR Basics)
Thesis or Dissertation. We recommend including this for graduate-level degrees in research-heavy fields.
Minor. If relevant, include any additional areas of study. (E.g.: BA in Creative Writing, Minor in Journalism)
Grade Point Average. Only include your GPA if it's 3.5 or above on a 4.0 scale. Anything lower can undermine your application.
Extracurricular Activities. Mention any clubs or organizations that seem relevant. (E.g.: Debate team, Theater Club, School Newspaper)

Here’s an example of an education section that includes information from both categories:

Getting ready to find a job? Start by learning how to write a resume with our detailed guide!

How to Format Education on Your Resume

Now that you have an idea of what to include in your education section, let’s explain how you should do it.

In terms of structuring your education section, follow a reverse-chronological order ; this means, list your latest educational entry first and then go backward from there.

And remember – if you have a relevant university degree, there’s no need to waste precious space on your resume by listing your high school education .

As a general rule, if you’re an experienced professional and you have a Master’s degree, you can also omit your undergrad degree. Hiring managers are a lot more interested in your work experience section, so your education section should only focus on the basics.

However, if you’re a recent graduate , you might want to include more details to give your resume an extra kick. It’s always a good idea to leverage your education if you don’t have enough relevant work experience.

Now, regardless of your level of experience, add the name of your degree at the very top of the entry in your education section.

The same degree can be written down differently, for instance:

Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Culture with a Minor in Teaching
BA in English Language and Culture, Minor in Teaching
B.A. English Language and Culture (Major), Teaching (Minor)
BA, English Language and Culture

Here’s an example of what the formatting in your education section should look like:

If you graduated from a famous university with a good reputation, you can highlight that first. For example, list “Harvard University” before the name of your degree.

Where to Place Education on Your Resume

Another important thing to consider is where to position the education section on your resume.

This mostly depends on where you are in your career. Do you have a lot of relevant achievements in the field, or are you looking for your first job ?

As a rule of thumb, the top third of your resume should be reserved for your accomplishments , which are most relevant to the job you are applying for.

So before you place this section on your resume, ask yourself: is your education your biggest selling point to the hiring manager?

Most of the time, it won’t be. Work experience is way more important for just about any position above entry level, so it should be listed first.

Let’s look at an example of a resume that puts this into action:

As you can see, this architect resume starts by listing their relevant work experience and then includes a detailed entry of their most recent degree.

When Does Education Go Before Work Experience?

While your work experience section is generally more important, there are a few cases where you should list your education first.

These include:

You have no work experience. When you have absolutely no work experience yet, you should focus on your academic achievements instead.
You just graduated college. If you don’t have relevant work experience, you’re often better off not listing it. For example, if you’re applying for an entry-level office job, the part-time teenage jobs you had won’t be anywhere near as relevant as your recently earned BA in Marketing.
You are currently studying. If you’re in the process of earning a degree that’s relevant to your targeted field, it’s better to list education before work experience. For example, if you’re making a career change , you would want your new education to be the first thing the hiring manager sees.
You recently earned a new degree. Getting a fresh MSc, Ph.D., or MBA in your field is worth showing off. For example, if you’ve been a line manager for years but earned an MBA to qualify for an executive position, your education section should go first.
You are applying to academia. Usually, when applying for a research or teaching position in academia, you’ll need an academic CV , not a resume. In that case, your education will always come first.

Not sure if you need a CV or a resume ? Check out our guide to learn what the difference between the two is and when to use which.

Use a (Free) Resume Template

Creating a resume can be a hassle.

You have to find a template that works with your favorite text editor, set the page margins, adjust the line spacing, choose a professional font , and all while making sure you never go past page one.

What if there was an easier way?

This is where our resume builder comes in!

Novoresume lets you choose from 16 professional resume templates , each crafted with feedback from HR professionals around the world, and create the perfect resume in minutes.

Just look at how one of our resume templates compares to a basic text editor resume template:

16 Examples of Education on a Resume

Looking for inspiration?

We’ve compiled a list filled with real-life examples of how education can be listed on a resume, with practical examples for different types and levels of education:

#1. High School Education

If you’re a high school student, you might have some volunteer experience or extracurriculars you can show off. In that case, you can start by listing those sections, so long as they’re relevant to the job you’re applying for.

For example, if you volunteered with your local branch of the Red Cross, that’s a good experience to have when you’re applying to work at a shelter.

In most other cases, the education section would take the upper hand, and it would look something like this:

High School Diploma

Chapel Hill High School

2017 - 2021

Courses: AP Science, Mathematics, Advanced Chemistry

If you’re still in high school, you can disclose it in your resume by writing down your expected graduation year or otherwise specifying that you’re currently still there.

2021 - Present

#2. General Education Development

If you were homeschooled or haven’t graduated high school, the previous example won’t apply to you.

But if you still received a General Education Development certificate, you can mention that in your resume in the following way:

GED Diploma

Durham Literacy Center

Just like with high school education, you can include the location of your school or GED center, as well as any relevant courses, if you have enough space.

#3. Associate Degree

If you went to a community college or opted for a vocational program, you can list it in your education section the same as any other undergraduate degree.

Associate degrees are typically cheaper and take less time than a bachelor’s degree. They tend to be focused on specific occupations and place more emphasis on daily job functions. Other than that, they follow the same formatting as any other educational entry.

Let’s look at some real-life examples of different types of degrees at this level.

First, an Associate of Arts degree:

AA in Business Designation

Community College of Denver

2015 - 2016

Summa Cum Laude

Next, here’s how you would list an ongoing Associate’s of Applied Science degree:

AAS in Medical Assisting

2018 - Present

Some associate degrees are what’s known as “transfer degrees.” Here, the long-term goal is to transfer into a bachelor’s degree program.

Similarly, if you’ve completed accredited courses at a community college that can go towards a degree, you can list them under your education section, like this:

Medical Assisting Certificate

30 credits completed

#4. Certificates

Certificates can be included on your resume, either as part of the education section or in a dedicated section.

Unlike broad academic degrees, certificates can show specialized expertise and commitment to professional development. They tend to demonstrate more focused, essential skills that are directly applicable to a particular job or industry.

Treat these entries the same as any other: list the name of the certificate, the institution or organization that issued it, and the year you obtained it.

Here’s an example of how to list a professional certificate in an education section:

Certified Public Accountant (CPA)

American Institute of CPAs

And here’s how they would look in a separate section:

CERTIFICATES

Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) - National Academy of Sports Medicine, 2020
Certified Nutrition Coach - American Nutrition Association, 2023

But there are also other certificates you could list , such as after specialized software courses:

Maya Autodesk: Advanced 3D & Animation Udemy, 2022
Creation of Pixel Art Scenes for Video Games Domestika, 2023

#5. Undergraduate Degree

There are different ways to list a bachelor’s degree.

Let’s take a look at three different cases for a candidate with an engineering degree.

First, if you’ve graduated from university and received the degree, list it according to the following template:

B.Sc. Mechanical Engine ering

University of California, Berkeley

2002 - 2006

If you obtained a double major, you would write it down as:

B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering and Civil Engineering

If you have two or more majors, keep in mind that you should list the major that’s most relevant to the job you are applying to.

For example, if you majored in Applied Languages and International Relations, you should focus on the languages for a job as a translator.

Lastly, if you’re still attending college, just omit the finishing year when filling in your education section and add “Present” instead, like so:

But there are also different ways you can specify that you’re still studying. Instead of “Present,” you could write:

2021 - Current
Expected Graduation: 2024
2021 - 2024 (expected graduation)
2021 - In progress
To Be Completed: 2024

#6. Graduate and Postgraduate Degrees

Graduate-level education is, in general, more detailed since it requires participating in a more focused area of research on top of your graduate-level work.

At this level, you probably contributed to the field with a dissertation of your own, which you should include in your resume.

Here’s an example:

Ph.D. in Brain and Cognitive Sciences

University of Rochester

Dissertation: Imaging, Computational Analysis, & Neural Representations in Young Children

Graduate and postgraduate education often includes scholarships , fellowships, or outside funding involved, which you might want to include in addition to all the general information about your degree.

Here are some real-life examples:

MBA in Business Administration

University of Maine

Avangrid Scholarship
Magna Cum Laude

When it comes to honors and awards, there are different ways you can list them to save space on your resume. Here’s an example that mentions them but leaves more space for the dissertation title:

MSc. in Information Systems

WU Vienna University of Economics & Business

Salutatorian, Summa Cum Laude

2015 - 2017

Dissertation: Leveraging User-Generated Content for Advertising Purposes Through Information Systems

And if you’re still studying, don’t forget to check out our student resume templates to get started on your job hunt.

#7. Unfinished Education

Even if you didn’t graduate from university, you can still mention it in your education section. Just be strategic about it.

If you have several years of relevant coursework from a degree program that relates to the job you're applying for, it can show that you’re knowledgeable even without the final credential.

B.Sc. in Civil Engineering

34 credits completed

2018 - 2019

However, if you only have basic courses or your degree isn’t relevant to the role, you might be better off skipping it altogether. There’s no need to draw attention to an unfinished degree if it won’t help you impress the hiring manager.

Need more examples? Check out our 90+ resume examples for different professions .

Do you still wonder something about education on a resume? Check out the answers to the most frequently asked questions here:

#1. How Do You Put Your Degree on a CV?

Adding your degree to your CV is pretty much the same as adding it to your resume.

List your degrees in reverse chronological order, with the most recent degree on top. Always include the essential information, such as the degree name, your major, the name of the university, and the years you attended. If relevant, you can include your GPA, thesis title, study abroad experiences, and academic honors.

#2. How Do You Write Down Your Bachelor’s Degree?

There are different ways that a bachelor's degree can be written down on your resume. Usually, there’s no need to spell out the full degree name, so there are ways you can abbreviate it for your resume. These include:

BA (Bachelor of Arts) BS (Bachelor of Science) BBA (Bachelor of Business Administration) BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing)

Just use the specific abbreviation that matches your degree type. (E.g.: BSc Computer Science, BA History, BBA Economics, etc. )

#3. What If I Have an Education Gap or Took Time Off from Studies?

Treat any gaps in your education the same as you would treat an employment gap . Be upfront with the hiring manager and list the start and end dates to account for the time of the gap on your resume.

Use your cover letter to briefly explain the gap without going into too much detail. Hiring managers are understanding, and reasons like health, family, or professional experience are all common to justify education gaps.

#4. How Far Back Should I Go When Listing My Education History?

Generally, you only need to list basic information about your education if you graduated a long time ago. Your work experience and more recent achievements will have a lot more weight than details about your time in college 14 years ago.

For most professionals, listing just your highest degree is more than enough. However, an academic CV for scientific or research-heavy roles might need a more comprehensive educational background.

Key Takeaways

Congratulations! You’ve made it to the end of our article!

We’re confident you’re an expert on how to list education on a resume by now, but before we part ways, let’s quickly wrap up our main points:

Your education section belongs after your work experience section, though there are some exceptions.
If you don’t have any work experience, recently earned a relevant degree, or if you’re applying for a research-oriented position or in academia, the education section should be listed first.
When listing your educational entries, use a reverse chronological order. Start with the most recent degree you have and go backward from there.
If you have some sort of higher education, there’s no need to list your high school education.
Unless your GPA is exceptional, don’t list it. It might undermine your resume otherwise.
There are different ways to list your education, depending on the type of school you went to and what you want to highlight. Scroll back up if you want to see some examples.

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Career Blog

What to Include in the Education Section: Resume Writing 101

In a job market where every little detail counts, a well-crafted resume can mean the difference between landing your dream job and receiving another rejection letter. One section that can often make or break a resume is the education section. In this article, we will discuss the definition of the education section, the importance of a strong education section, and the purpose of this article.

Definition of Education Section in a Resume

The education section is a required section of a resume that provides a brief overview of an applicant’s educational background. This section typically includes the name of the school, the degree earned or in progress, the field of study, and the graduation date or expected graduation date.

Importance of a Strong Education Section

The education section is an essential aspect of a resume, as it provides the employer with insight into an applicant’s qualifications and potential fit for the position. A strong education section can help demonstrate an applicant’s skills, knowledge, and training in a particular field, which can help set them apart from other candidates.

This article will provide valuable insight into what to include in the education section of a resume, helping you create a strong and effective resume that will make a lasting impression on potential employers.

Basic Tips for Writing a Strong Education Section

When it comes to crafting a compelling resume, the education section plays a crucial role in signaling your level of achievement and qualifications. A well-written education section can highlight your educational attainment, experience, and valuable skills that can make you stand out from other applicants. Here are some basic tips for writing an effective education section.

A. Order of the Education Section

The order of your education section should be listed in reverse chronological order. Your most recent educational accomplishment should be listed first, followed by the rest of your degrees and certificates. Doing so makes it easier for potential employers to see at a glance how far you’ve come in your academic career, and helps them get a better sense of your skills and experience.

B. Education Section Format

When formatting your education section, you want to make sure that it’s easy to read and clear. Consider using bullet points or a table to organize your accomplishments. This can help make it easier for potential employers to quickly scan your education section and understand the value that you bring to the table.

C. How to List the Degree

Your degree should be listed after your name, in a separate line. You should include the degree abbreviation (e.g., B.A., B.S., M.A., M.B.A.) and write it in title case with no periods. If you have multiple degrees, list them in reverse chronological order.

D. How to List the Institution

After listing your degree, you should list the name of the institution where you earned it. This should be followed by the school’s location (e.g., city, state). If you have attended multiple institutions, list them in reverse chronological order.

E. How to List the Location

When listing the location of your educational institution, you should include the city and state (or country, if outside the US). This helps provide context for your educational background and can help potential employers understand your credentials better.

F. How to List the Graduation Date

The graduation date should be included after the name of the institution. It should indicate the month and year that you graduated. For example, “May 2021” or “December 2019”.

By following these tips and guidelines for incorporating your educational background into your resume, you’ll be well on your way to crafting a strong education section that will make you stand out to potential employers.

Details to Include in the Education Section

Your education section is an important part of your resume because it provides the reader with a clear understanding of your academic background and qualifications. Here are some important details to include in your education section:

The degree you obtained is the most important detail to include in your education section. It tells the reader what level of education you have achieved. For example, a Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree, or PhD.

Your major is also an important element to include. It tells the reader what field you have studied and what your expertise is in. Be sure to spell out the full name of your major.

If you have a minor, it’s a good idea to include it in your education section. A minor demonstrates additional expertise and skills that you have in a particular area.

D. Concentration

If you have a concentration within your major, be sure to include it in your education section. A concentration shows your competency in a specific area within your field of study.

E. Certificate Programs

If you have obtained any professional or industry-specific certificates, it’s a good idea to include them in your education section. This shows that you have taken the initiative to continue your education and expand your skill set.

F. Study Abroad Programs

If you have studied abroad, be sure to highlight this in your education section. Studying abroad demonstrates cultural competence, adaptability, and an ability to thrive in new and challenging environments.

G. Relevant Coursework

If you have taken coursework that is relevant to the job you are applying for, be sure to include it in your education section. This demonstrates to the reader that you have a deep understanding of the skills and knowledge required for the position.

The education section of your resume is important because it provides the reader with a comprehensive understanding of your academic background and qualifications. Be sure to include as many relevant details as possible, including your degree, major, minor, concentration, certificate programs, study abroad experiences, and relevant coursework.

Additional Information to Consider Adding to the Education Section

When it comes to creating your resume, the education section is an important aspect to consider. It’s important to provide as much relevant information as possible to showcase your academic achievements and experience. Here are some additional details you may want to consider adding to your education section:

A. Academic Honors and Awards

Highlight any academic honors or awards you have received throughout your academic journey. These serve as a testament to your hard work, dedication, and academic excellence. Be sure to include any scholarships, fellowships, or grants you’ve received as well. Examples may include:

Dean’s List
National Merit Scholarship
Phi Beta Kappa

Your GPA is a reflection of your academic performance and is something employers may take a close look at. It’s important to include your GPA in your resume if it’s above 3.0. However, if your GPA is lower, it’s better to leave it out.

C. Class Rank

If you have a high class rank or have been in the top percentage of your graduating class, it may be worth including in your education section. This shows that you’ve performed well academically and can stand out among other job candidates.

D. Relevant Extracurricular Activities

Including relevant extracurricular activities to your education section can show that you’ve been actively involved outside of your academic studies. Make sure to only include activities that are relevant to the job you’re applying for. Examples may include:

Leadership roles in clubs or organizations
Volunteering experience
Internships or part-time jobs in relevant fields

1. Examples

President of the Student Government Association
Volunteered with a local non-profit organization for three years
Completed a summer internship at a marketing agency

E. Relevant Projects and Research

If you’ve completed any relevant projects or research during your academic studies, it may be worth including in your education section. This can demonstrate your skills and expertise in a specific area. Examples may include:

Work on a research project in your major
Completed a capstone project related to your field
Conducted research on the effects of social media in marketing for my thesis project
Completed a website design project for a local business as part of my capstone course

Including additional information in your education section can greatly enhance your resume and showcase your academic achievements, skills and experiences. Be sure to highlight your most relevant accomplishments and use examples to support your claims.

Resume Examples with Strong Education Sections

When it comes to writing an impactful education section on your resume, it’s important to consider your individual circumstances. Here are three examples of strong education sections tailored to different situations:

A. Example 1: Recent Graduate with Relevant Internships

Bachelor of Science in Marketing, XYZ University, Graduated May 2020

Relevant Coursework:

Marketing Research
Consumer Behavior
Digital Marketing
Social Media Marketing

Experience:

Marketing Intern, ABC Company, January 2019-May 2020
Social Media Intern, DEF Agency, June-August 2018

By highlighting relevant coursework and internships, this recent graduate showcases their practical experience alongside their academic achievements.

B. Example 2: Career Switcher with New Degree

Master of Arts in Teaching, XYZ University, Graduated December 2019
Bachelor of Science in Marketing, ABC University, Graduated May 2014
Curriculum Development
Classroom Management
Educational Psychology
Special Education
Marketing Manager, QRS Company, May 2014-December 2018
Elementary School Teacher, XYZ School District, January 2020-Present

In this example, the candidate’s education section reflects their transition from marketing to teaching. By including both their new degree and their previous degree, the candidate demonstrates their commitment to education as well as their prior professional experience.

C. Example 3: Student with Limited Experience

Bachelor of Science in Finance, XYZ University, Expected Graduation May 2022
Corporate Finance
Financial Accounting
Investment Banking
Financial Modeling
Treasurer, Finance Club, September 2020-Present

This example highlights a student’s education section with limited experience. By including their relevant coursework and leadership position within a finance club, the candidate demonstrates their interests and skills in the finance industry.

No matter your situation, crafting a compelling education section can be a powerful tool in your job search. Use these examples as inspiration to tailor your own education section to showcase your unique qualifications and experiences.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in the Education Section

When it comes to writing the education section of your resume, there are some common mistakes that you should avoid. These include:

A. Overstating Accomplishments

While it’s important to highlight your achievements, it’s also important to be honest and accurate about them. Overstating or exaggerating your accomplishments can backfire, as it may be discovered during background checks or references. Be truthful in your accomplishments and provide specific examples to back them up.

B. Listing Complete Contact Information for Schools

While it’s important to include the name and location of your schools, listing complete contact information such as phone numbers, emails, and websites is not necessary. This information can take up valuable space on your resume and is not relevant to the reader.

C. Listing Only High School Education

Unless you have just graduated from high school or it is very relevant to the job, listing only high school education can make it seem like you have not made any educational accomplishments since then. Include any post-secondary education, certificates, or training programs that you have completed.

D. Inconsistent Formatting

Consistency is key when it comes to formatting your resume. Make sure that you use the same style, font, and layout throughout your education section. This will help to make your resume look more organized and professional.

E. Including Irrelevant Education

Only include education that is relevant to the job you are applying for. Including irrelevant education can make it seem like you are padding your resume or do not understand the requirements of the job. Focus on emphasizing the education that will make you the best candidate for the role.

By avoiding these common mistakes, you can ensure that your education section showcases your accomplishments and qualifications in the best possible light.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Education Section

When it comes to crafting a winning resume, the education section can be a crucial part of the puzzle. However, there are some common concerns and questions that job seekers often have when it comes to this section. In this section, we’ll explore some of the most frequently asked questions about the education section of a resume.

A. What if I didn’t Finish My Degree?

If you didn’t finish your degree program, you may be worried about how this will look on your resume. However, the truth is that this isn’t a deal breaker. You can still include the education you do have, even if you didn’t complete the program.

Here are some tips for including unfinished education on your resume:

List the degree you were pursuing and the institution where you were enrolled
State the dates you attended
If you were close to finishing, you may want to consider adding in the number of credits you completed

B. What if I have a Non-Traditional Education Background?

If you have a non-traditional education background, such as attending a trade school, completing an apprenticeship, or pursuing self-directed learning, you may be unsure of how to include this on your resume. However, these experiences can be valuable and should be included.

Here are some tips for showcasing a non-traditional education background on your resume:

Focus on the skills and knowledge you gained through your non-traditional education
Highlight any relevant certifications or licenses you earned
Consider including relevant coursework or projects that demonstrate your knowledge and abilities

C. Should I Include My GPA?

Whether or not to include your GPA on your resume depends on several factors, including the industry you’re in and the stage of your career. In some industries, such as finance or accounting, GPA may be more important. However, in many cases, it’s not necessary to include your GPA.

Here are some tips for deciding whether or not to include your GPA on your resume:

If your GPA is strong and relevant to the job you’re applying for, it can be a positive addition
If your GPA is low, it may be better to leave it off
If you have significant work experience or accomplishments, your GPA may be less important

D. Should I Include My High School Education?

In most cases, it’s not necessary to include high school education on your resume, particularly if you have completed college or other post-secondary education. However, there may be some situations where including this information is appropriate.

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The Education Section on the Resume

How to list your studies and where to include them.

Certified Professional Resume Writer

The education section on a resume can sometimes be the shortest part but is still a vital addition and required by nearly all employers .

Although it may sometimes seem that the education section on a resume is the simplest part, it still needs proper care and attention. Each jobseeker is different and needs to adapt their whole resume, including the education section, to their personal profile as well as remembering to tailor their resume to the position available .

Failure to adapt your education segment to the position can be costly. In 18% of cases , employers will just throw out your file without any further thought if it doesn’t match their needs .

To learn how to write a good education section on a resume , you must first consider what level of professional work experience and academia the candidate has in order to decide how and where to include the education section .

It is additionally important to bear in mind the resume format the candidate has chosen to use in case it uses a certain structure as standard.

Just like other resume sections, such as the work experience section or core competencies, the education section is one of the key parts a potential employer will look for, simply to get an understanding of the expertise and background of the candidate.

Also, if this part includes other courses or training sessions in which the candidate has participated, the hiring manager will see more of what interests the jobseeker in his or her professional career.

The following guide will help you complete the education section on your resume with the relevant information so a potential employer can see your academic interests and areas of knowledge.

Experience or Education: What to put first

Which section should go first on a resume – work experience or education? Read on for advice on how to organize your resume sections.

Depending on your personal situation you may want to list first your education section or the work experience part on your resume . It could also depend on the position you’re interested in or the skills you have gained from different roles in your professional and academic career.

If you have recently graduated or are still studying, it is highly likely that you will have a short professional work history in your desired field or that most of your achievements have come from your academic experience and therefore will benefit more from a resume with the education section before the work experience section .
On the other hand, if you have been working for several years , even if you are deciding to change careers, you would most likely benefit from a resume with emphasis on the work experience section as this is where your recent expertise will have developed including any transferable skills.

For those jobseekers who are unsure of which section should be highlighted and therefore come first, it is possible that using an online resume creator or resume template could help them to build a suitable resume for their ideal job .

Also, it is possible that choosing a resume format will help you decide on which section should have more precedence in your resume.

List your education on your resume

When it comes to writing the education section for your resume it’s important that you maintain a certain structure in order for it to be easily found by hiring managers.

Similarly to the work experience section, you should always write your academic achievements, diplomas and degrees in reverse chronological order , beginning with the most recent and going backwards, i.e. naming a Masters degree before the Bachelors.

If you attended college and obtained a BA or BSc, it is not advisable to include your previous education or high school degree information. The ACCU claims 95% of hiring managers will giving hiring preference to your college degree. Therefore it’s best to focus just on this headline academic achievement.

In the case that you attended college and did not finish a degree program, you can indicate the amount of credits that you finished.

Within the resume education section , you should always list the course name, institution where you completed the degree program or training and the type such as:

BA English Literature, College of William and Mary, VA

It is not obligatory to include the graduation date or your grade.

Tips for writing your education in your resume

The following expert tips are very practical for jobseekers learning how to write an education section for a resume. Read them carefully and get the most out of them.

For each entry in the education section of your resume, it is only advisable to include your GPA if it is superior to 3.0 .
You can include the modules studied, projects and coursework completed and any thesis topics you produced throughout each course, describing any relevant and important factors .
It is especially important to mention any awards, honors or scholarships you may have been granted.
If you are writing an student resume you may also find it beneficial to include societies or clubs of which you were a member, especially if you held a position of responsibility in any association where you learnt skills which can be transferred to the workplace. This can also apply to entry-level resume candidates and for recent graduate resumes .
As a general rule the education section on a resume can be longer for jobseekers with little to no professional experience whereas it will only include the basic information for candidates with professional resumes for example, as they will be more focused on other areas.
Amplifying your education section on your resume can have a positive effect by providing evidence that the candidate is achievement or goal-oriented.
Remember to include any educational or extracurricular activities that could prove you are equipped to deal with the pressures of a working environment .

If your career has taken a different path from your degree subject, organize your education section by relevance of courses and training.

Remember that you must always tailor your resume for your audience , employing keywords taken from the job description which can be included in either your degree program or training courses or in individual project descriptions.

If you’re still unsure of how to write the education section for a resume or you need a little more help putting it together or inspiration for what to include in a resume education section , you can try using an online resume maker which will offer practical tips and examples for completing your resume.

ResumeCoach is a resume builder that provides online guidance for jobseekers to create their resume with advice from career experts and real-life practical examples.

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Education sections vary tremendously on résumés—sometimes they are only a couple lines while other times they span half a page. What's the best way for you to approach yours? The resource below contains a number of options.

What is an education section?

An education section highlights your relevant schooling and academic training. If you have substantial work experience, this section may be very brief, simply listing the information below. If you are a currently enrolled college student or a recent graduate, however, you may want to build this section substantially.

The education section usually includes information about:

Schools you have attended such as universities and 4-year colleges, junior and community colleges, as well as professional and technical schools (rarely high schools, unless somehow relevant)
Location of schools
Date of graduation, actual or anticipated
Degree(s) earned
Grade point average (GPA) if over 3.0.

Why write an education section?

To persuade employers your educational background will help you do your job more effectively
To provide evidence of your qualifications
To foreground your areas of expertise

Where should you place this section?

Education sections, like experience sections, are usually placed in the middle of a résumé, somewhere between the objective statement and the honors and activities section.

If your educational background is your strongest qualification or may help your résumé "stand out," then you'll probably want to put it near the top. Especially if you are a recent graduate, this section may be a major focus for recruiters. On the other hand, if your experience sections are stronger, then you'll probably want to move your education section below them.

How to build your education section

If you have the space on your résumé and/or if your educational background is particularly relevant, you may want to expand this section by including some of the content listed below as it applies to your experiences and career goals.

Purdue University , West Lafayette, IN. Candidate for B.A. in English, GPA 3.2. Focus: Professional Writing; Pre-Law. Expected to graduate in May 2008

NOTE: If you have enough information, you may wish to turn some of your content into subsections or even into separate sections. For example, if you know several relevant computer technologies, you might want to list them under the heading "Computer Proficiency" rather than tuck them under your Education section.

Generally, you want to include your overall GPA, and even your in-major GPA and minor GPA. But if your GPA is below 3.0, you may not want to include it.

Major/minor grade point average (GPA)

Major GPA: 2.9/4.0
Minor GPA: 3.1/4.0

Major and minor areas of study, concentrations, emphases or specializations

Minor: Management Information Systems
Concentration: Professional Writing
Emphasis in Individual and Family Development

Special projects

Special Course Project, Business Writing: determined feasibility of upgrading communication technologies in local business
Thesis: "Diversity Training in the Workplace"

Relevant coursework

Structured Programming Client/Server Computing
Object Oriented Programming
Local Area Networks

Familiar computer applications

E-mail, tele- and video-conferencing
Windows: Microsoft Office, XP, Vista
Macintosh OS X
Dreamweaver

Continuing education courses, programs, training units, etc.

Diversity or Management Training
Crisis Management

Academic honors or graduated with distinction

Summa Cum Laude - "with highest honor"
Magna Cum Laude - "with great honor"
Cum Laude - "with honor"

Check with your university or college to see what the requirements are for these distinctions.

B.S. in Aviation Technology (provided 100% of funding)
Master's Thesis research 100% funded by university

Certifications

First Aid Certification
Teacher Certification

Questions to ask

What institutions, programs, schools, etc. have you attended?
What educational training beyond traditional schooling and coursework have you had, if any?

About the company or organization

What can you expect the company to know about your degree program, coursework, training background, etc.? What might you need to describe or elaborate?
What non-traditional educational experiences would the company want to know about?

Tailoring for your audience

To improve the effectiveness of your education section, you will want to know what content will be most valued by the company hiring. You can get a good sense for which of educational qualifications are most relevant by analyzing job ads and company literature as part of your job search.

You may tailor your education section in three main ways:

1. Select and include only your most relevant educational content: Based on your career goals and the qualifications called for in job ads, you may choose to include or omit certain kinds of information. For example, if you earned a degree in a very specialized field (one employers may need to know more about) or have taken specific courses directly relevant to the position, then you'll want to include a listing of coursework. However, if your degree is self-explanatory and employers likely will know your more specific credentials, then you may omit this section.

2. Emphasize content through placement and design: Since the eye is drawn to section headings and the uppermost portion of sections, you may choose to put your most impressive and relevant educational experiences in either (1) their own sections/subsections, or (2) near the top of a section. For instance, if you have substantial computer skills or have undertaken a special project, you may choose to put this information in its own section rather than simply list it beneath "Education."

3. List most relevant schooling first: While you may wish to use reverse chronological order (most recent schooling first), you also have the option of placing your most relevant educational experiences first.

Click on the link at the top of this resource for a sample resume.

For more information, please see the Interactive Résumé .

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How To Write A Resume In 7 Steps (With Examples)

How To Write A Resume
Resume Skills Section
Resume Objective Section
Career Objective Section
Resume Reference Section
Resume Summary Section
Resume Summary Example
Resume Interests Section
Address On Resume
Relevant Work Experience
Anticipated Graduation Date On Resume
Education Section On Resume
Contact Information On Resume
Statement Of Qualifications
How To List Publications On Resume
Accomplishments On Resumes
Awards On Resume
Dean's List On Resume
Study Abroad On Resume

Resumes are still the most important document in your job search . Generating a professional and interesting resume isn’t easy, but there is a standard set of guidelines that you can follow. As hiring managers usually only spend a short time looking over each resume, you want to make sure that yours has a reason for them to keep reading.

If you’re looking to write a resume, rewrite a resume you already have, or are just curious about resume format, then you’ve come to the right place. This article will go through the steps to writing an excellent resume, as well as offering examples for what sections of the resume should look like.

Key Takeaways:

A resume is a short document that details your professional history in a way that tailors your experience and skill set for the particular job you’re applying for.

Resumes follow a few standard formatting practices, which hiring managers and recruiters expect to see.

Highlighting your work experience, skills, and educational background with relevant keywords can help you get past applicant tracking systems and into more interviews.

How to write a resume

Writing a resume involves using the proper formatting, writing an introduction, and adding your work experience and education. Stuffing your entire professional life into a single page resume can feel overwhelming, but remember that you’re distilling the relevant parts of your professional experience in order to catch the eye of the recruiter .

Formatting your resume. To start, use a word processor such as Microsoft Word or Google docs. Standard resume formatting calls for:

1 inch margins

10-12 point font

A professional, commonly-used font

Additionally, there are three resume formats that are commonly used. Most people should stick with a chronological resume format , but the combination resume format and functional resume format can be effective for more advanced workers or those who have significant gaps in their resume.

Write a resume header . It doesn’t matter if you have the best resume in the world if the hiring manager can’t contact you. Every single resume should include the following contact information:

Your full name. First and last.

Your phone number. Use a personal phone number, and make sure your voicemail is set up properly.

Your email address. Nothing inappropriate — [email protected] is a safe choice.

Location. City, State, Zip Code is fine, but you can include your full mailing address if you think it’s appropriate.

Your social media (optional). LinkedIn is the obvious one you’d want to include, but make sure your profile looks good. If you have an online portfolio , either on a personal blog/website or on a site like Journo Portfolio , feel free to include that here as well.

Your job title. Also optional, but can be useful for applicant tracking systems.

Resume introduction. You have four options for your resume introduction: a resume objective, summary statement, resume profile, or qualifications summary. For most job-seekers, a resume summary statement is the best choice. Regardless of which resume introduction you choose, avoid first-person pronouns (I/me/my).

Resume objective. A resume objective is the goal of your resume. Since the objective of every resume is to land a job, this is not the most original or impressive opener you can have.

On the other hand, it’s a good choice for an entry-level applicant or someone who is changing career paths . This should be a 1-3 sentence summary of why you’re motivated to get the position you’re applying for.

Who should use a resume objective: Entry-level applicants, career-changers, and recent college graduates.

Resume summary. This is the best opener for most job-seekers. As the name suggests, a resume summary highlights the most salient aspects of your resume.

It should include your current position, how many years of experience you have, some of your biggest achievements, and possibly your career goals. This should be a 1-3 sentence spiel and should include some quantifiable experiences.

Who should use a resume summary: Most job seekers; anyone with quantifiable accomplishments to emphasize and a broad range of skills.

Qualifications summary. A bullet point list (4-6 points is the sweet spot) of your qualifications for the position. It’s best used by applicants going for jobs that require a fixed skill set. It’s not a great choice for entry-level applicants who lack quantifiable achievements.

You’ll notice that a qualifications summary takes up more space than a resume objective or summary, but it can actually save the hiring manager time if you provide a bunch of valuable information right off the top.

Who should use a qualifications summary: Those applying to a job with requirements for certain skills and job-seekers who have a lot of experience in their industry and/or field.

Resume profile. A resume profile is similar to a resume summary, but goes into more detail about your accomplishments at your current or former job, while also telling the reader about your career goals. Think of a resume profile as a section that pulls all the best parts of your work experience section into one place.

Who should use a resume profile: Anyone with significant accomplishments under their belt, expertise in a niche field, or applying to a job in the same industry that they have lots of experience in.

Resume headline. Resume headlines aren’t necessary, but you can include one alongside any of the four types of resume introduction listed above. A resume headline comes between your contact information and the resume introduction of your choice.

Headlines can be used by entry-level applicants and experienced job-seekers alike. The important point is that your headline should be short and to the point. Additionally, you should use title case when writing your resume headline (capitalize words as you would for a book title).

Who should use a resume headline: Any job-seeker who wants to showcase their experience or unique value right off the bat.

Work experience. Your work experience section is the place to let hiring managers know that you have relevant experience that would allow you to handle the job you’re applying for.

If you’re using the chronological resume format, your work experience section would come after your resume summary/objective. In a funcitonal reumse, it would follow your skills section. Either way, work experience should be listed in reverse-chronological order (most recent experience at the top).

When listing your work experience, you should include all of the following information:

Job title. Start by stating the position you held at the company. These are easy cue for the hiring manager to look at and determine whether your past positions would help you succeed at their company.

Company Info. Include the name of the employer, the location where you worked, and perhaps a brief description of the company, if it isn’t a well-known name.

Dates Employed: Use the mm/yyyy format if you want to be sure that most applicant tracking systems (ATS) will pick it up. Whatever format you use for dates, be consistent, or your resume will look sloppy.

Job Description. Don’t just list your job’s responsibilities; hiring managers and recruiters already have an idea of your duties based on the job title. Instead, list your most important and impressive responsibilities/achievements at the job with bullet points. Determine which of these are most relevant for your new role based on the job description.

Ideally, each bullet should be no longer than a single line. However, two lines is acceptable, if used sparingly.

Always start with a strong action verb, followed by a quantifiable achievement and a specific duty. For example: “Developed ad campaigns for clients, increasing sales by an average of 27%.” Each job title should include 3-5 bullet points.

The order that you include this information can be changed around, as long as you are consistent throughout your resume. However, the bullet points detailing your job’s achievements should always be the last item for each entry.

It’s important that you tailor your resume’s work experience section to the job you’re applying for. We recommend reading the job description carefully and highlighting the action verbs in one color and the skills, adjectives, and job-specific nouns in a different color.

Educational background. In almost all cases, your education section should come after your professional history. If you’re a recent college graduate with limited work experience, you may choose to put your educational achievements first.

Like the section on your professional history, educational experiences should come in reverse-chronological order, with your highest level of education at the top. If you have a college degree, you don’t need to add any information about your high school experience. If you didn’t finish college, it’s okay to give a list of what credits you did complete.

Each educational experience can be listed in the following format:

Degree/Program Name College/University Name Dates attended

You don’t need to add anything else, especially if your resume is already impressive enough. But if you’re struggling to fill up the page, or you feel that aspects of your educational experience will help make you a standout, you may consider also including:

Minor. If you think it rounds out your not-exactly-relevant-to-the-job major nicely.

GPA. Only if it was 3.5 or higher. Otherwise, it’s not going to do you any favors to include this.

Honors. Dean’s List, Cum Laude, etc.

Achievements. If you wrote a killer thesis/dissertation that showcases intimate knowledge relevant to the job to which you’re applying, you can include its title and a very brief description.

Extracurricular activities. Only include if they’re relevant. For example, if you’re applying for a management position and you were president of your student government.

Certifications/Licenses. If the job you’re applying for requires/likes to see certain certifications or licenses that you have, you may include them in this section as well.

Skills section. Your impressive skills should be scattered logistically throughout your professional history section, but you should also include a section solely dedicated to highlighting your skill set . Skills can be broken down into two categories:

Hard skills are skills you learn through training and indicate expertise with a technical ability or job-specific responsibility.

Soft skills are your personality traits, interpersonal abilities, and intangible qualities that make you more effective at your job.

Your resume should have a healthy mix of hard and soft skills, as both are essential to job performance. However, since soft skills are harder to prove in the context of a resume, we recommend leaning more toward hard skills. Additionally, whenever you list a soft skill, make sure that it has a correlating item in your work experience section.

For example, if you say you are skilled in collaboration, you should mention a time when a team project was a major success somewhere in your work experience section.

Optional sections. If you still have space left or there’s more you want to show off that doesn’t quite fit in any of the above sections, you may consider adding an additional section covering one or more of the below categories:

Language . Being bilingual is always impressive, and can be included on a resume for any company. Highlight this more if your position involves liaising with international distributors and/or clients. Don’t lie about your proficiency level.

It may be best to not mention it if you’re not particularly proficient speaker . Such as if you took courses in school, or haven’t really managed to gain fluency. It can end up looking like an attempt to inflate your credentials, which you want to avoid.

Volunteer experience . Always a good thing to include. It shows you’re a team player who behaves in a way that promotes the greater good, without thought of personal gain. Especially good for entry-level candidates and those applying for jobs at a non-profit. If you have gaps in your work history, you can also consider including volunteer experiences in your work history section instead.

Personal projects. A personal blog, published works, or a portfolio of your past projects are all good things to include. They show you take initiative, enjoy and take pride in your work, and that you can handle the responsibilities of the job, if relevant.

Certifications/licenses. If you didn’t include these in your education section, this is another good place to list relevant certifications or licenses that you have.

Interests . This is largely just a space filler if your resume is light in other areas. However, if your hobbies are directly related to the job that you’re applying for, it’s not a bad idea to include them. And it might draw a recruiter’s attention if you end up sharing some of the same interests as they do.

If you have several seemingly random items that are valuable, but don’t warrant creating a whole separate section for, you can also make a section called “Additional Experience.” Here you can include all of the above categories in one place. Just make sure that each item is clear and easy for readers to understand.

Resume samples

Now that we have a good idea of how to write a resume, let’s take a look at some example resumes:

Jack Pilgrim Washington , DC 14015 – (555) 444-3333 – [email protected] – www.linkedin.com/jpilgrim Resume Summary Graphic designer with 3+ years of experience creating and implementing promotional materials and social media graphics. Worked with sales and marketing teams to increase inbound calls by 23% YoY through compelling digital media. Adept at planning, managing, and prioritizing multiple deadlines at once, and thrives in fast-paced work environment. Work Experience Creative Designs | Washington, DC Lead Graphic Designer | June 2018-Present Worked with sales and marketing teams to create landing pages, sales proposals, and supporting media elements to drive sales by over $250,000 per quarter Trained, managed, and mentored team of 4 junior designers to fulfill 40+ project orders on a weekly basis Conducted UX research through surveys, usability testing, and data analysis to plan content marketing strategy, driving organic search traffic by 12% Presented proposals, results, and status updates to set of 4-7 clients, ensuring customer satisfaction at or above 95% for 3 years straight Happy Place | Alexandria, VA Junior Graphic Designer | July 2016-May 2018 Translated client needs and branding strategies into design and content strategy, increasing client retention by 22% Reduced project turnaround time by 8% by Utilizing web-based ticket system for completing and archiving finalized pieces Posted digital artwork to network IPTV using web interface to produce high-end info-graphics and other materials Happy Place | Alexandria, VA Marketing Intern | September 2015-July 2016 Assisted marketing team with data collection, analysis, and presentation using Google Analytics Drew up storyboards for new marketing campaigns alongside sales team, increasing brand awareness through social media Wrote 500-1000 word articles to pair with graphical elements on page, leading to a 40% boost in engagement on company website Education Savannah College of Art and Design | Savannah, Georgia May 2016 Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design Skills Adobe Creative Suite Typography HTML/CSS WordPress Collaboration Organization

Allison Neederly Chicago, Illinois , 60007 | (333) 222-1111 | [email protected] | www.linkedin.com/allison.neederly Resume Summary Dedicated customer service representative with 4+ years experience resolving customers’ needs in-person, online, and over the phone. Top achiever at XYZ Inc. with a 100% customer satisfaction rate for Q1 of 2020. Friendly personable, and knowledgable about company’s products and services. Relevant Skills Customer Service Responded to upwards of 200 customer queries daily with XYZ Inc., reducing the average wait time by 56% and increasing customer satisfaction rates by 13% Ability to resolve conflict and create a positive atmosphere for shopping for both new and existing customers through technical proficiency Expert product knowledge and communication skills, and experience training and mentoring new customer service staff Web Chat and Phone Skilled in 3 web chat platforms for helping online customers resolve their queries quickly and accurately Achieved fastest call resolution rate at XYZ Inc., with an average resolution time of under 5 minutes per customer Performed outbound calls for customer satisfaction surveys, as well as writing web-based surveys for 10,000+ customers Troubleshooting Detailed product knowledge allowed for customer technical issues to be resolved at rate within top 5% of all customer service associates at XYZ Inc. Created manual for step-by-step directions for troubleshooting that was implemented for team of 100+ customer service reps Positive attitude took average tech-related negative response from 1/5 stars to 4/5 stars, increasing trust in brands and services Work Experience XYZ Inc. | Philadelphia, PA Customer Service Associate New Look Global | Burlington, VT Junior Customer Service Representative L.L. Bean | Burlington, VT Sales Associate Education University of Vermont | Burlington, VT May 2012 Bachelor of Arts in Humanities

Priya Laghari New York, NY | (222) 111-0000 | [email protected] | www.priyabizdev.com Resume Profile Strategy Development: Grew John Deere’s international sales by 13% by tapping into undeserved countries in Southeast Asia Management: Oversaw a team of managers representing marketing, sales, and product teams. Streamlined collaborative, cross-functional communications through agile and scrum management system CRM: Developed, customized, and implemented new customer relationship management database for accounts totaling over $10M in value Work Experience Business Development Manager 01/2015-Present Microsoft | Redmond, WA Developed product strategies and roadmap for Google AdWords, increasing inbound traffic by 26% YoY Reduced time training on new software by 50% for new and existing employees by implement e-learning programs Spearheaded digital marketing campaign worth $1M that saw a return of 200% in first year by qualifying leads earlier in the sales funnel Regional Sales Manager 11/2012-01/2015 Big Things Inc. | St. Louis, MO Managed territory encompassing 29 regional locations with an annual revenue of approx. $55M Worked with C-level executives to plan business strategies, resulting in 20% reduction in overhead costs Increased client retention by 12% in first year by implementing a CRM approach based on account profiling and elevating levels of relationship selling Account Manager 02/2009-11/2012 Solutions Corp. | Chicago, IL Implemented and developed CRM strategic plans, increasing retention of long-term clients by 22% Maintained 50+ accounts totaling over $35M in value Generated leads through one-on-one consultation via phone inquiries, online check-ins, and meeting office walk-ins Relevant Skills CRM: Proficient with Salesforce, Zoho, and HubSpot; some experience with Keap. Used various CRM software over a decade to successfully manage customer relations and quick to adapt to new software and tools that aid in quality of customer experience. Salesmanship: Negotiated and closed over several deals worth $1M+ and skilled in upselling and cross-selling. Adept at working closely with marketing and product teams to maximize the efficiency of the sales funnel for both inbound and outbound traffic. Presentation: Represented Microsoft Northwest Region at quarterly board meetings, ensuring all stakeholders were kept abreast of new developments and opportunities. Also deliver monthly presentations to big clients and vendors to maintain positive relationship. Data analytics. Expert at integrating data from various analytics platforms, including Google, Microsoft Power BI, and SAP BusinessObjects Education Colgate University | May 2008 MBA Fordham University | May 2006 Bachelor’s Degree in Business

For more resume examples and templates:

Resume examples by job

Google docs resume template

Resume templates

Resume builder

Resume Headers Samples:

Tip : Never put your contact info in the header of your document; some applicant tracking systems might miss it.

For more on how to write a resume header:

Resume Header

Resume Titles

Resume introduction examples

Entry-Level Resume Objective.

Recent graduate with a bachelor’s in Marketing from the University of Virginia seeking an entry-level role in content marketing. Excellent copywriter with 2+ years experience editing content as a member of the UVa Writing Center.

Career Change Resume Objective.

Eager to apply 7+ years of experience with customer success management to make successful outbound B2B calls, deliver customized business solutions to new and existing customers, and provide expert product knowledge in the role of Account Manager for XYZ Inc.

Example Resume Summary Statement.

Accountant with over 8 years of experience in the medical industry. Adept at advising on management of cash deficits, reconciling departmental accounts, and creating new accounts and codes. Coordinated invoice preparation system for ABC that reduced contractor overhead by 19% YoY.

English teacher with a love of language and 6 years of experience teaching high school students. Developed new curriculum that boosted freshman reading comprehension scores by 12% and created after school book club for AP Lit class, resulting in 100% of participating students achieving a 5 on the AP Lit test.

Example Qualifications Summary.

Executive assistant with 5+ years experience helping maintain efficiency in an office of 25 employees Communicated directly with internal and external stakeholders, helping Senior Vice President manage projects worth $5M+ Proactively managed office schedules, identifying and prioritizing changes to ensure client satisfaction Recognized in a company of 500 for “Outstanding Achiever” in May 2019

Example Resume Profile.

Detail-oriented IT Specialist with 4 years of experience overseeing and improving the infrastructure of IT systems. Adept at building and running troubleshooting systems and testing services. Decreased security risk by 47% through continual optimization, while also improving the speed of client portal by 22%. Excellent communicator both internally and for client-facing discussions. Achieved 98%+ customer satisfaction ratings through weekly and monthly check-ins with accounts valued cumulatively at $500,000.

Entry-Level Resume Headline.

Bilingual College Graduate with 80 WPM Typing Speed and Tutoring Experience

Experienced Resume Headline.

Business Development Specialist with 6+ Years Experience Scaling Start-Up Tech Teams

For more on resume introductions:

Resume objective statement

Resume summary statement

Resume summary statement examples

Qualifications summary

Sample resume work experience sections

Work Experience XYZ Industries | Seattle, WA Marketing Associate | May 2019-Present Delivered weekly presentations to client-base to communicate brand messaging, increasing client retention by 11% Served as liaison between marketing and product teams, resulting in projects finishing 2 weeks early, on average Leveraged Excel skills to create and maintain spreadsheet to track consumer insights, emergent trends, and inform decisions of marketing team through competitive analysis Managed team of 5 contractors to juggle multiple priority projects simultaneously, never missing a deadline Initiated an affiliate referral program that PR team went on to turn into a revenue-generating stream valued at $30,000 annually ABC Corp | Seattle, WA Marketing Intern | September 2018-May 2019 Developed, maintained, and processed 20+ digital consent forms and distributor forms Worked collaboratively with a team of 10 marketing professionals, closely aligning our goals with the PR team Provided data analysis using Google Analytics and performed keyword research to increase blog traffic by 56% over six months Answered up to 50 customer queries by phone and email each week

For more on building the perfect resume work experience section:

Resume work experience section

First resume (no experience)

Examples Of Education Resume Sections

Graduated recently from a 4-year program.

Western Illinois University | Macomb, Illinois May 2020 Bachelor of Arts in Sociology | Minor in Psychology 3.95 GPA magna cum laude Dean’s List all semesters

Two degrees.

Fordham University | Bronx, New York April 2016 Master of Chemical Engineering Stony Brook University | Stony Brook, New York April 2014 Bachelor of Science in Chemistry

Anticipated graduation date (not yet graduated).

DePaul Univeristy | Chicago, Illinois Bachelor of Arts in History – Degree anticipated May 2021 Current GPA: 3.8

Older job seeker (graduated 10+ years ago).

University of Chicago | Chicago, Illinois Bachelor of Business Administration

High school graduate (no college degree).

Johnston High School 2016-2020 Head of Computer Club

More on crafting the perfect resume education section:

Education resume section

GPA on resume

Dean’s list

Magna cum laude

Examples Of Skills For Resume

Examples of hard skills include:

Examples of soft skills include:

Here’s more information on how to incorporate skills into your resume:

Resume skills section

Hard skills

Soft skills

Top skills for professionals

Skills-based resume

Resume writing FAQ

What is a resume?

A resume is a one to two-page document that focuses on professional experience, past achievements, education and certifications, and specific skills tailored to the job you’re applying for.

Almost every job application requires a resume, and hiring managers use them as a first impression in determining which applicants get a shot at an interview.

Whether you’re fresh out of college or have 30 years of professional experience, this guide should help craft a resume that stands out from the crowd and get you one step closer to landing your dream job.

What is the format for writing a good resume?

Most people will want to use a chronological or reverse-chronological resume format. This format is compatible with most applicant tracking systems (ATS) and is easy for employers to read. Additionally it helps highlight your experience, which helps prove your qualifications.

How far back should a resume go?

A resume should go back no further than 10 to 15 years. However, it is important that all your information is relevant. Therefore, do not include job experience that is irrelevant to your application, even if it’s fewer than 10 years old. Save that information for later discussions.

Should you personalize your resume for each job?

Yes, you should personalize your resume for each job you apply to. Many recruiters use ATS now, which will search for keywords in a resume and reject those that don’t have them. That means that the skills you choose to highlight as well as your opening, such as your resume summary, should be altered to suit each job you apply to.

You don’t need to rewrite the entire resume for each job, but it does show attention to detail and initiative to make sure that your resume is customized. It also makes it more likely that you’ll get past the first step of the process.

State of New York Department of Labor – Resumes, Cover Letters and Job Applications

Harvard University – Create a Resume/CV or Cover Letter

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Matthew Zane is the lead editor of Zippia's How To Get A Job Guides. He is a teacher, writer, and world-traveler that wants to help people at every stage of the career life cycle. He completed his masters in American Literature from Trinity College Dublin and BA in English from the University of Connecticut.

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The Must-Haves When Writing Your Education On Your Resume [For 2024]
Resume Examples Of Education
Resume Education Section Writing Guide and Examples
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Resume Education Section Writing Guide
Education Resume Examples + Tips

VIDEO

How to Write a Resume: Mastering Resume Writing Strategies Tips, Tricks, & Shortcuts from Students
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COMMENTS

How To List Education on a Resume (With Examples)
Listing your education on a resume should be strategic and concise. It's essential to highlight the most relevant and recent educational experiences that align with the job requirements. Focus on providing key details such as the degree earned, institution name and graduation year. Emphasize any honors, scholarships or academic achievements ...
Resume Education Section Writing Guide and Examples
Here's an example of a resume with the education section featured near the top: If you have more than a couple of years of relevant work experience, list your education below your work experience section. For most jobs, your education is less relevant to your ability to do the job than your hands-on work experience.
How to List Education on a Resume in 2024 (With Examples & Tips)
In general, there is some basic information that should be included within the education section of a resume: The name of the school — "e.g. Georgia Institute of Technology". The location of the school. Your degree ( high-school diploma, GED, associate's degree, bachelor's degree, etc.)
How to List Education on a Resume [+ Examples]
The education section is just one part of a successful resume. Find out how to write a job-winning resume in our guide: How to Make a Resume in 2024. 2. Select Relevant Info for Your Resume Education Section. For the most part, the education section of your resume is the easiest to write. Follow the tips below for a perfect resume education ...
How to List Education on Resume in 2024 [Tips & Examples]
Add the degree earned if you completed it. Include the school name, city, and state. List the program or major if the schooling is yet unfinished. Add extras to make the education section soar, such as honors, awards, relevant coursework, and minors. Use a second educational entry if the first one is unfinished.
How to Write the Resume Education Section
The following are the components that should be included in the education section of a resume: The name of the school you attended. The state and city of the school you attended. The diploma or degree you received. The area of study you focused on while in school. The year you graduated or the year you expect to graduate if still in school.
How to List Education on Your Resume (with Examples)
University, college, or institution. Add some context to your education by listing the university, college, or institution where you went to school. This is especially important if you attended a well-respected program in your field, because it will make you seem all the more impressive. 4. Years attended.
How to List Education on a Resume: Tips, Examples, and More
4. Keep your formatting consistent. While there are many different ways to format the contents of your education, consistency between each is key. Once you decide on a format, stick with it for your entire resume. 5. Keep it concise. In many cases, the education section should be one of the shortest on your resume.
How to List Education on a Resume in 2024 + Examples
Overall, the process of listing your education is always the same. You'll list each school you attended in reverse-chronological (most recent first) order. You need these details in each entry: The degree or certificate earned. Name of the school that you attended. The city/state location of the school.
How to List Education on a Resume: 30 Examples & Tips
In today's competitive job market, having a strong education section on your resume can be a game-changer. Highlighting your educational achievements not only demonstrates your knowledge and expertise but also showcases your commitment and dedication towards personal growth and career development. The ultimate purpose of this article is to guide job seekers in presenting their education ...
How to List Education on Your Resume [Examples 2024]
In terms of a layout, a resume's education section includes: Name of the institution. Degree. School location. Date of graduation. GPA (only when over 3.0) When wondering how to list education on resume: Start with your highest qualification and work your way back in reverse-chronological order.
Resume Education Section Writing: Complete Guide for 2024
Here are some tips to consider when writing your resume Education section: Use the correct section heading: Education or Relevant Education. List your most recent education at the top. Include your degree (s), major, institution name, and graduation date.
How to List Education on a Resume [13+ Real-Life Examples]
Use a (Free) Resume Template 16 Examples of Education on a Resume #1. High School Education #2. General Education Development #3. Associate Degree #4. Certificates #5. Undergraduate Degree #6. Graduate and Postgraduate Degrees #7. Unfinished Education FAQs Key Takeaways. Share this article.
Education Resume Examples and Writing Tips
3. Use strong teaching action verbs. When you write your work experience section, remember to use action verbs that emphasize your skills as a teacher.. Action verbs are more interesting than the standard "Responsible for …" that job seekers use all the time on their resumes. Instead, starting each bullet point with an action verb gives your experience section more weight and focuses on ...
Resume Education Section: How to List Education on a Resume
This resume example illustrates how a student with no prior experience formatted their resume. Let's look at the 4 sections this student listed in their Education section: 1. GPA (If above 3.0) "GPA: 3.6/4.0" (*Including the "4.0" shows employers what GPA scale your school uses) 2.
How to Format Your Resume Education Section
4) Indicate college credits earned even if you didn't get a degree. If you attended college but weren't able to graduate, you should still include an education section on your resume. You can simply list the number of credits you earned. For example: Bachelor of Arts: Theater, Shakespearean, 2016-2017.
What to Include in the Education Section: Resume Writing 101
In a job market where every little detail counts, a well-crafted resume can mean the difference between landing your dream job and receiving another rejection letter. One section that can often make or break a resume is the education section. In this article, we will discuss the definition of the education section, the importance of a strong education section, and the purpose of this article ...
How to Write a Résumé's Education Section (with Examples)
Need help writing your résumé? Our experts will help you transform your résumé into a job-winning document. See our résumé services. Tips for writing your education section. When writing about your educational background on your résumé, there are some important things to keep in mind. Here are our top tips: 1. List your highest ...
Tips on Writing the Education Section of Your Resume
If you earned multiple degrees from the same school, though, put the school name first, once, and then enter your degrees as an indented list below: Temple University. Master of Science (MS) - Chemistry. Bachelor of Science (BS) - Chemistry. Conversely, if you attended multiple schools through the course of completing one degree, put the ...
The Education Section on the Resume
Experience or Education: What to put first; List your education on your resume; Tips for writing your education in your resume; The education section on a resume can sometimes be the shortest part but is still a vital addition and required by nearly all employers.. Although it may sometimes seem that the education section on a resume is the simplest part, it still needs proper care and attention.
Education Section
The education section usually includes information about: Schools you have attended such as universities and 4-year colleges, junior and community colleges, as well as professional and technical schools (rarely high schools, unless somehow relevant) Location of schools. Date of graduation, actual or anticipated. Degree (s) earned.
How To Write A Resume In 7 Steps (With Examples)
You have four options for your resume introduction: a resume objective, summary statement, resume profile, or qualifications summary. For most job-seekers, a resume summary statement is the best choice. Regardless of which resume introduction you choose, avoid first-person pronouns (I/me/my). Resume objective.