Do You Put Current Education On Resume

What To List In Your Resumes Education Section

When its time to create or update your resume a lot of questions come to mind. The first question is what information do I need to share about my education?

Gathering the details of what you should include about your education is simple. Heres the information that hiring managers will want to know about your education on your resume.

• Degrees listed in chronological order

• High School, College, or University Name

• Educational Institution Location

• Major/Minor/Field of Study

• Honors: cum laude , magna laude, summa laude

• Awards or distinctions

• Scholarships

Things Not To Include In Your Resume And Why

When it comes to Resumes what NOT to include is almost as important as the information thats in there. Your Resume needs to give the recruiter a great first impression but it will probably be one of many received. Its therefore important to use the space and words wisely and ditch the unnecessary clutter.

Its never been more important to get your Resume and job application 100% right the first time. Since it will most likely be one of many received, you need to give yourself the best chance at getting noticed. As Resume Writers, we often get asked why certain information hasnt been included.

Heres a list of five things we avoid and why:

1.; Career Objective: Dont waste words stating what you want. Put yourself in the employers shoes. They need to understand immediately Whats in it for me? not what youre searching for in life. Instead of your own personal career objective, we suggest including a career overview that provides a snapshot of who you are, your relevant qualifications, skills and experience and the overall value you could bring to the role.

3.; Personal Information: It is not necessary to include age, height, weight, marital status, health, children, hobbies, religious, cultural or political associations so dont waste space by doing so.

How To List Completed Education

Recent Graduate If youve recently graduated, place your education section before or in line with your work experience. Your schooling is likely the most prominent piece of your resume, so it is acceptable to make this one of the first sections for employers to see. You can also include your attendance dates, any honors received and GPA if above 3.4. If you attended multiple schools, include the most prominent one where you were most involved. Heres an example:

University of Hawaii, 20112016Bachelor of Arts in PsychologyBusiness Essentials CertificateTerry Scholar

Experienced Professional If youve been in the workforce for several years, move your education section below your professional experience. Your interviewers will be more interested in what youve achieved in recent years rather than in your academic career. You can also remove more specific details of your education section like attendance dates and GPA if youd like. The more you can create interest around your work experience, the better. If you have advanced degrees like your masters or PhD, include those in rank order of level . In this example, the candidate included two diplomas:

Atlanta Graduate School of Management | Atlanta, GAMasters of Business Administration Masters of Science in Information Systems

University of Georgia | Athens, GABachelors of Accountancy

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Resume Education Section Template

To create a winning resume, you need to know how to write an effective education section and what information to include in it.

To make it easy, here is a template of what to include in the education section of your resume along with some examples below for different situations.

School or University

And here are two example resume objective statements that incorporate educational experience:

How To Put Down Your Education In Your Resume

Now that you have an idea of where to put your education section, lets start with the basics.

In terms of structuring your education section, the general practice is to follow a reverse chronological order: list your latest educational entry first, and then go backwards from there.;

Okay, but how far back should you go? Do you put your high school education in there as well?;

Usually, if you have a relevant university degree, its not advisable to waste precious space on your resume by listing your high school education.

Now that weve got all of that out of the way, we can show you a general template of how to write down your education. You list the following features in this particular order:

• Name of degree : e.g. B.A. English Language and Culture, Minor in Teaching*
• Name of educational institution: e.g. University of Groningen;
• Years attended: e.g. 2016 – 2019
• Location of the program : e.g. Groningen, the Netherlands
• GPA : e.g. 3,84. Keep in mind, though, that you only list education if its at an impressive scale . This shows determination and hard work on your part. If its lower, you might want to omit it altogether.
• Honors : e.g. Magna Cum Laude
• Courses that are relevant to the job : e.g. Modern Popular Literature track
• Exchange programs : e.g. Exchange Program in Oslo, Norway

* Possible ways to write down the same degree:

The full listing for this educational entry, then, is:

EDUCATION

B.A. English Language and Culture, Minor in Teaching

University of Groningen;

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Preparing For The Interview

Deciding how to present your online degree can be difficult. Your decision will depend on multiple factors what kind of degree you obtained, what school you attended, the industry you’d like to work in, and what kind of job you’re applying for. But once you’ve decided how you will present your online degree on your resume, it’s important to prepare for the next step in the application process: the interview itself. Below, you will find sample resumes and interview questions to help you practice explaining your education.

When You Land An Interview

You should also be prepared to;discuss your college courses;in your interview, when the time comes.

Its a good idea, if applicable, to prepare for the question of why you didnt complete your degree as well.

Remember to be honest and upfront, and cast your decision in the most flattering way possible, without placing blame or being negative.

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What’s The Purpose Of A Resume

If you are wondering whether you should include in your resume an MA degree you are still working on, or one you started working on some time ago and discontinued, it helps to think of a resume’s purpose.

Your resume should put your best foot forward by presenting a concise summary of skills you have and things that you have accomplished that may be of value to your employer. The idea is not to provide a minibiography but to help your employer understand why it is in her best interests to hire you for the available job.

You surely want to avoid claiming a degree you don’t have the news accounts of various high-profile individuals who have been caught out doing that make clear why that’s a terrible idea. So be sure, when you list your degree in progress that you make clear it is something you are working on or worked on some time ago but have not yet received_._

On the other hand, you are trying to put your best foot forward. If you are presently working on an MA, you have already gained knowledge and skills that can benefit your employer. Even if you started an MA sometime in the past and quit before earning the degree, the coursework you completed or the work you began on your thesis gives you a knowledge-and-skills advantage over another applicant without any graduate-student credentials at all_._ You should include that graduate work in your resume.

Certifications In A Dedicated Section On Your Resume

For listing more than two certifications, we recommend creating a dedicated section on your resume. A resume format with a dedicated section works great for listing all relevant certificates – required, recommended, and optional.

We recommend taking advantage of this especially if youâre a licensed lawyer, doctor, accountant, or a student seeking an entry-level position!

Be sure to list certificates in its own section in reverse-chronological order. To improve chances of appearing after an ATS scan, place the dedicated sections right underneath the experiences section.

This works wonders for candidates applying to industries such as Information Technology. Take a look at how this IT Specialist resume example lists certifications in an easily noticeable dedicated section.

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Tips For The Education Section Of Your Resume

Consider subsections. If you have a lot of information to include in the education section of your resume, consider breaking this section into subsections. The main section might include your schools and degrees, and then you can have other sections such as Awards and Honors, Certifications, and Professional Development. If you held a leadership role in a school-affiliated organization , you can list that below the Awards and Honors line.

Provide specifics . If the sub-college of your university is well known and relevant you can include that before you include your university name. For example, you could say School of Hospitality, XYZ College.

You can leave out your GPA. If you’re a student or recent graduate and your GPA wasnt great, but you have other accolades, just leave the GPA out and put something else, like XYZ Award Recipient. Once you’re out of school for a couple years, you should take your GPA out of your resume altogether.

You can leave out high school . Once you’ve been in college for a year or so , you can leave your high school degree and GPA out of your resume. However, you should mention your high school diploma if it is your highest degree.

Tell the truth. It’s very easy for an employer to confirm whether or not the education information in your resume is true or not. He or she can simply check your transcript. If you’re not happy with your GPA, leave it out, but dont make it up. Be honest.

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If You Have A Professional Qualification

Perhaps you havent been in education for a while, and have decided to brush up on your knowledge in an industry or learn something. In this case, you would benefit most from detailing your most recent educational qualification, and keeping the others brief.

If you arent that far removed from education, and it relates equally to the role, then place an equal amount of emphasis on each qualification.

If you took a course for the purpose of developing current skills and gaining a higher-level role in a career you already have experience in, then make sure previous work experience or related education is also adequately included. This enables the employer to see how youve grown and developed, and they will admire your dedication to the field.

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What To Include In The Education Section Of A Resume

What’s the best way to include your;education on your resume? In the education section of your resume, list the schools you attended, the degrees you attained, your GPA if you’re a student or a recent graduate, and any special awards and honors you earned.

You should tailor the education section of your resume to fit your circumstances, including whether or not you’re still a student, and the nature of any academic achievements you’ve accrued. By including the right information in the education section of your resume, you can impress your employer and secure an interview.

How To Format Education On A Resume

While people have different education backgrounds, employers expect that education on a resume be formatted in a readable way.

Follow these steps to format education on a resume:

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A Final Note: Grade Point Average

We should also address another common question that we encounter: do you need to include your grade point average? There are different schools of thought on this, so itâs really up to you. As a rule, however, most experts agree that itâs generally unwise to include anything less than the best GPAs. That typically means leaving it out unless itâs at least 3.5. In most instances, however, you wonât need to include that detail unless the job description requires a certain grade point average or youâre seeking a job at a major firm.

What Should I Include If I’ve Recently Graduated

Recent graduates will still need to include all of the details above, as well as the completion date of the degree. If you received a strong grade a first or a 2:1 you can include that as well. Lower-level qualifications can be omitted if they don’t add anything of value.

In this case, your education section may look like this:

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Strategy 2: Omit The Online Descriptor On Your Resume

Online students are held to the same rigorous standards as students at brick-and-mortar campuses, but some worry that the online descriptor may handicap them early in the job application process. These students simply list the name of the university or school they attended, omitting the term online from the education section of the resume.

Using this strategy can help you bypass the issues you may face as a graduate of an online degree program. Of course, you should be truthful if asked whether your degree was earned on campus or online; if you are asked this question, take the opportunity to explain the ways that online learning makes you a unique candidate.

Statistically speaking, it pays off to mention your online degree at some point during the application process. In 2011, 74.5% of college graduates were employed during the same year they graduated, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Their data shows that only 50% of those without a college degree are employed. Ultimately, it is usually best to be forthright with a potential employer during the application process. If you decide to omit your education from your resume, then you will want to prepare for interview questions regarding your academic performance.

If Youve Just Left University

As a recent graduate you should always focus on your degree, and include college and school level information with less detail.

If you have a large number of GCSEs, list the amount and the grades you got rather than each individual subject . This saves space and makes your CV clearer and easier to read.

Work experience should also come secondary to education at this stage. Structure your CV by including your degree information first, and then go on to include any jobs you may have held in the following section.

Including individual modules isnt absolutely necessary, but could increase your chances if the modules relate closely to the role youre applying for. If you dont have a lot of work experience, this is a good way to demonstrate your skills and ability to do the job.

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Multiple Degrees Or Certifications On A Resume

Some people have earned multiple degrees or certifications over their careers, leading to an education section that takes up valuable page real estate. If your education section is too long or confusing, youll fail the 6-second resume test.

No hiring manager is going to dig through your education section to see if you have the specific degree or certification theyre looking for. If you have multiple degrees, only list the one most relevant to the position or industry youre targeting.

How Often Should I Update My Cv’s Education Section

As your education is such an important part of the CV, it should be reviewed every time you update the document with a new job or course. Make sure that you still have the right amount of detail for your experience level and that irrelevant parts are removed. You should find yourself gradually moving from a long and detailed section to a one-liner as you progress from student to seasoned professional.

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Mistakes To Avoid When Listing Certifications On Your Resume

• Listing Old or expired certifications. Use these more of a talking point instead of taking precious resume space. For example, itâs better to mention that 4 year old Machine Learning certification to an employer in conversation. Always prioritize bullet points that you want to communicate in your resume.
• Only using Certification Acronyms – Make sure you actually fully list out the certification name at least once before abbreviating. This greatly improves your chances of passing an ATS scan.
• Including irrelevant certificates.

Where To Place Your Education Section

Either before or after your work experience section. It depends on your resume format and where you are in your career.

As with the rest of your resume, the rule of thumb is: always put the most important information first.

Are you a student or fresh graduate? Then remember: your education is still one of your biggest strengths. Naturally, you should play to your strengths and put your education section in a place where recruiters can immediately see it.

Place it near to the top of your resume; just below your resume objective/profile section.

Are you an experienced professional? Then you can place your education section anywhere on the page .

Just remember: you should always put the most important information first. At this point in your life, your education isnt nearly as important as it used to be. Because of that, it should probably find its place near the bottom of your resume.

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