How To List Your High School Education On A Resume
If you never went to college, your resumes education section is going to be pretty straightforward. All you have to do is list the name of your high school, its location and the dates. Theres no reason to complicate it any further.
That is, unless youre less than three years out of high school. Then you can add anything that shows off your skills and achievements.
- Add achievements. Include awards, extracurricular activities, honors, clubs and organizations you joined during high school.
- Stay relevant. Only include information that pertains to a specific job opening. Keep an open mind and remember that transferable skills can make a huge difference too.
Feel free to include details about any projects or clubs you joined while at school. Focus on including specific examples to demonstrate your motivation and initiative.
Did you write for high school newspapers and published 16 articles? Then it deserves a mention in your education section!
The bottom line is simple: Look for anything that helps you show your enthusiasm and work ethic.
Think of clubs, organizations, extracurricular activities or even volunteer work. All of these can count as a major achievements if you dont have any other experiences yet.
You Didn’t Attend Or Finish College
If you didn’t go to college and the jobs you’re applying for specifically list a high school diploma or equivalent as one of the job requirements, be sure to include that accomplishment on your resume.
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.
Writing The Education Section Of A Resume
Here are the common guidelines to follow when listingeducation on a resume:
Of course, these guidelines dont apply to all situations. Illdiscuss all of these in more detail in the succeeding sections:
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Why Do You Want To Work For Them
Employers want to hire talent who will be excited to work for them, so when you respond expressing your interest in the company and the business, make sure it’s backed up with information. You don’t just want to say a blank statement like: I like the company and its culture. Offer details on it like: “I’ve seen how the company has maintained its competitiveness with the product launch of X, Y, and Z and infiltrated new markets like Asia and Europe. I believe in the company’s approach and that it will be a long-standing leader in the industry, and I’m passionate about the product and the company’s mission, so I’d like to be part of it. I believe I can add value with my previous experience and success in”
This latter response informs the employer more on why you want to work with them and how you can bring value to them. Of course, you will have to do some research ahead of time on the company and business to be able to provide such a response.
How To Write In A Resume That You Currently Go To School
When you apply for a job in a certain industry, you want prospective employers to know that you are knowledgeable in that field because of your academic studies. Even when applying for an unrelated job, you want your resume to show that you are a well-educated and hard worker. So, how can you communicate your education if you do not actually have a degree yet? If you currently go to school, you can cite your educational information just like you would after graduation specify the expected date of your graduation. Because it is a future date, employers will know you have not graduated yet.
Write the title of your degree and your major or field of study. If you are in high school, skip this step.
Write the date, month and day of your expected graduation. You can write this immediately after your degree, separated by a comma, or you can write it on the next line.
Write the full name of your school on the next line.
Tip
You can list your school first and your degree second, if you prefer either way is acceptable. You can also specify how long you have been attending school separate from the expected graduation date the same way you would list how long you worked at a particular job. For example, you could write: “Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy: Fall 2007 – Present. Expected date of graduation: May 2011.”
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Skills To Pay The Bills
When you’re building your skills section it can be tempting to list any and every skill you know. You’ll have to resist his temptation.
Before a human reviews your resume, an automated system called an Applicant Tracking System will score your resume based on whether or not it includes the “right” keywords. These filters are largely screening for specific skills.
Doesn’t this mean that you should include as many skills as you can to beat the ATS? Unfortunately, after the ATS a human will look at your resume.
Nothing is a bigger red flag to a hiring manager than a candidate with a laundry list of skills! You’re much better off focusing on 3-5 skills you’re an expert in than including 8-10 skills you kind-of-know.
As a rule of thumb: if you wouldn’t be comfortable being interviewed on a given skill, don’t include it on your resume.
Avoid These Resume Mistakes
- Never exaggerate dates on your resume to extend the duration of your last job:Stretching dates to cover a gap is lying on a resume, and that is never a good option, Ditta warns.
- Dont feel forced to use a traditional resume format: A purely chronological resume may not be the best resume format for those who have been unemployed for a number of years. Instead, explore the advantages of a combination resume, Rose suggests. This type of resume allows you to emphasize key skills while downplaying employment gaps.
- Dont sell yourself short:The most common mistake I see unemployed professionals make on their resumes is minimizing their contributions, Ditta says. Ive worked with clients who have raised significant amounts of money for nonprofit organizations, for example, but when asked about this, they reply that they were only a volunteer. The fact is that they achieved it, and therefore, they should take credit for it.
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Organizing Multiple Degrees On A Resume
When organizing the different schools you attended, list them in reverse chronological order. In other words, the highest degree earned should be at the top. For example, your masters degree should be listed above your bachelors degree.
Have you attended college? If so, you dont need to list your high school degree. Your high school information should only be included if you are still attending high school or college. If youve graduated from college, the higher degree can take the place of your high school degree on your resume.
Dont Be Overly Cutesy
Most of us have stuff in our past that wed like to disguise on our resumes. If it happens that your Achilles heel falls in the education section, be strategic, of course, but not cheesy or dishonest. It probably wont end well. If you feel your education section is a little light, load this section with continuing education and professional coursework.
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Strategy : 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.
How To List College Education On Your Resume
How you include education on your resume depends on when or if you have graduated. If you’re a college student or recent graduate, your college education is typically listed at the top of your resume. When you have work experience, the education section of your resume is listed below your employment history.
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Explaining Gaps On Their Resume
Anytime you leave the workforce, there’s a chance you’ll have to address that gap on your resume when you finally decide to return to work. For 40% of parents looking to return to the workforce after the COVID-19 pandemic, explaining gaps on their resume was a top concern, rounding out the three biggest concerns they have in regards to their job search after being out of the workforce for a stretch of time.
What you can do: Optimize your and learn the right way to explain gaps on your resume. Also, if asked about gaps on your resume in an interview, don’t try to overexplain anything. A short, concise explanation will clear things up without making it seem like you’re hiding something.
If you’re a parent trying to return to work after the COVID-19 pandemic, you probably have at least one of the concerns mentioned above. Whether you’re worried about explaining gaps on your resume, finding a job with adequate pay, or finding the right job opportunities, there are ways to work around these job search challenges. Focus on what you can control in your job search, and you’ll be sure to successfully return the workforce sooner than you think.
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Struggling to find the right job?
Get Busy During Your Unemployment
If you cant think of a single resume-worthy activity or pursuit to show how youve used your time off, then you need to get busy. I coach my clients that unemployment is not vacation time, says Kathy Sweeney, president of resume-writing firm The Write Resume. If they havent been involved in some sort of activity, I implore them to investigate options to gain further experience.
Many activities can provide compelling resume content. For example, volunteering tutoring coaching sports learning a new computer program studying a foreign language or pursuing temporary, freelance or contract work can show current experience on the resume.
For example, a stay-at-home parent can highlight her accomplishments as a volunteer like this: Won board approval to establish a community parent/child playgroup at the town hall. Led grassroots group to raise $47,500 annually and opened new revenue stream for county.
Sweeney tells her clients that experience is experience, regardless of whether it is paid or volunteer. If a client is enrolled in school, for example, I will make that a full-time job on the resume. Ill include information on the certificate or degree program as well as any quantifiable results, such as grades or instructor praise.
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How To Write An Education Section If Youre An Experienced Professional
Once you become an experienced professional, your education section takes a back seat to your professional experience.
Your interviews will revolve about your work experience and professional achievements rather than your academic career.
Which means that you can get away with simply listing your degrees in reverse-chronological order and leave it at that.
You can remove more specific details about your education such as GPA, extracurricular activities or related coursework. Or even the attendance dates.
Get Professional Resume Advice
Today, the formal education is losing its importance. Even the top tech giants like Google are willing to hire someone without a college degree. If you still have concerns about reflecting something on a resume effectively, our experts can help. Send us your resume, and one of our resume creators will review it and give recommendations on what should be improved. The writer will cover content, writing style, keywords, design, and more.
Are you serious about landing a new job as soon as possible and are willing to pay expert to write my resume for me? We also offer affordable resume writing services and 20% off for all new clients. Contact us on support chat to request your discount code.
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Should You Include Unfinished College On Resume
You put unfinished college on a resume if it directly applies to the job that you re seeking, if it explains a work gap on your resume, or if you re still in the process of attaining a degree. Put the information about your unfinished college experience at the bottom of your resume, in the Education section.
You’re Still Pursuing A College Degree
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, and you don’t have a lot of relevant work experience to market on your resume.
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Option : List College Location And Details
There are a few different ways to include the fact that you attended college.
You can simply list the college and location:
Macanster CollegeCleveland, OH
You can also provide more detail. Include the years attended, the number of credits completed, and your GPA if it is very strong :
Unionville University, 2015 – 2017Completed 42 credits, GPA 3.8
You can mention the focus of your studies, if it is related to your employment objective, and the number of credits completed in that discipline:
Hannaford College, 2016 – 2018Completed 36 credits, including 16 credits in business.
How Do You Explain College Without A Degree Interview
If the employer pushes you to explain your lack of a degree, be completely honest. If you couldnt afford the tuition to attend college and had to go to work instead, tell your employer. That could very well demonstrate that you are a hard-working individual, which is always a plus as far as your employer is concerned.
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You Recently Graduated From College
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.
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. This is because you most likely have limited professional experience and 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.
If You’re Still In College
Some positions, such as registered nurse, have a degree requirement. Because of state licensing laws, an employer cannot hire you until you’ve graduated. However, degree requirements for many positions can be flexible. Depending on your other qualifications, an employer may hire you without a degree if your anticipated graduation date is near and you’ve completed coursework that’s relevant to the job.
There are several ways to list your highest educational attainment if you are still in college. A high school diploma is assumed, so you don’t have to list it. Here are some examples:
- BA in Communications – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign – GPA 3.75
- Associate in General Studies, Bishop State Community College, Mobile, AL. Graduating May 2o22
- BS in Mathematics and Biology – University of California, Davis – Anticipated graduation: December 2022
References
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How To List Education On A Resume
Education is one of a few key sections employers look for on resumes. This information will inform interviewers of your background, which can be a helpful way to understand more about your fit for the role. If your education is particularly relevant to the position or includes any credentials that are required for the job, this section may quickly set you apart from other candidates.
1. Name and contact information2. Summary or objectivec. Description of role and achievement4. Education5. Skills6. Optional
You have several options when it comes to choosing where and how you list education on your resume. You can identify the best place to put your education on your resume by carefully reading job descriptions. This will often help you understand whether certain levels of education are essential, nice-to-have or unnecessary for each role.
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