How To Put An Mba On Your Resume
Everyone wants to look impressive on their resume and grab the recruiters attention right from the start.
Trust me, I know. Ive been through this, too.
While putting a resume together, you have to do some editing. You already know that you should only include relevant information. The problem is that this is relative. And things become even trickier when it comes to high-level qualifications.
If you have a Master of Business Administration, youre probably wondering, How do you list an MBA on a resume? Should you do it in the first place? and all the accompanying questions.
You might not be sure if its relevant to your coveted position, or you might be worried it can come off as a bit well, braggy.
If youre asking yourself these questions, youre on the right track. But Im here to tell you exactly how to list an MBA on your resume and why thats a good idea.
And if youd like to learn more about preparing for a specific position, why not take a look at our vast library of resume examples? Youre bound to find what you need!
So, are you ready? Lets get right to it.
If Youre Currently Pursuing A Degree
If youre still enrolled in school and plan on graduating, list your expected graduation date alongside the name of the school and its location in the education section of your resume.
Heres an example of how to list an expected graduation date on a resume:
UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO AT DENVER Denver, COExpected graduation: June 2024
One way you can strengthen this section is by including any additional details that will demonstrate your relevant skills and qualifications to a hiring manager, such as academic achievements or relevant coursework.
Some examples of additions to include are:
- Major/specialization/certification
- Academic awards
- Scholarships
Including these will show a potential employer that youre disciplined and making the most out of your ongoing education.
Heres an example of how you can list achievements in your education section:
UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO AT DENVER Denver, COB.A. in CommunicationsGPA: 3.7/4.0, Deans List for 3 semesters
- Awarded the Sarah Parker Scholarship for academic excellence, 2019
Additionally, heres how to list coursework on your resume:
UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO AT DENVER Denver, COB.A. in Communications
Relevant coursework: Media Writing Skills, New Media Production and Management, Social Media for Social Change
Where Does The Education Section Go
Where among your resume sections you choose to put your education depends on where you are in your career. For instance, if youre a recent graduate with little to no experience, your education section is your best asset and should be put at the top of your resume .
On the other hand, if you have some professional experience, you should let that be the focus, opting to place your education section below Work Experience.
If youve recently gone back to school, you may want to put your education section at the very top. For example, veterans who went to school after transitioning out of the military are advised to put their education above their experience on a military-to-civilian resume.
However, if youve returned to school in preparation for a career change but are still looking to work in your current field, keep highlighting your past experience.
Ultimately, where you place your education section depends on how relevant your education is for the job position compared with the other experiences on your resume.
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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 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.
Keep your descriptions simple and concise
Correct: Use bullet points to separate bits of information to keep your resume easy to read or skim.
Kicks Two Cents: How To Make Your Education Section Stand Out
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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.
How To List Double Major On Resume :
Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge, MA – 2019Bachelor of Engineering, Double major in Computer Science and Mathematics
You can also list your degree first and then your college:
Bachelor of Arts, Double major in Psychology and SociologySouth Texas College, McAllen, TX – 2020
If you have a long career, you can abbreviate your education section as follows:
Columbia University, Bachelor of Arts, 2020 – Double Major in History and Geography
Step by step:
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Where To List Your Degree
A listing of your degrees goes in the education section of your resume. This resume section should be headed with the word Education. It typically follows the work experience section. Like your experience, education is listed in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent and working backward.
Should education always be listed after work experience? That depends. If your work preceded your education in time and is unrelated to your career, your education could take precedence. For example, imagine that you worked as a pizza delivery driver while in college. When applying to jobs after graduation, it would make sense to list your education first and this unrelated work experience after.
If youre a student or recent graduate applying for your first job, the education section takes on even greater importance. Learn how to create a convincing CV or resume without work experience.
How To Write An Education Section If You Never Graduated
If youre a college dropout, or if youre taking aleave of absence, this part is for you.
You should always include even unfinished education on your resume. Employment gaps always make hiring managers a bit suspicious.
Just because you dont have a degree yet, it doesnt mean you cant put it on your resume. All you have to do is emphasize that youre still working towards attaining it.
The same holds true if you dont plan on ever finishing your studies. After all, you put some effort into them. Even more importantly, you paid the tuition.
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Should You Mention An Incomplete Degree On Your Resume
We have worked with several executives who do not hold a college degree or who started a post-graduate degree and never completed it.
If you are in a similar position, rest assured that an incomplete degree is not a deal-breaker if you have relevant professional experience.
In this article, we explain how to present your incomplete degree in a way that builds your credibility while avoiding red flags.
We also provide an example of an effective way to do so.
How To Write An Education Section If Youre Changing Careers
True, your education is important. But its not as big of a selling point as your skills or professional experience. Because of that, you should probably put your skills and experience first. Its okay if you position your education section near the end of your resume.
If you feel like your education isnt related to the job youre applying to at all, write the name of the institution first. By doing so, you can first draw attention to the fact that you attended a prestigious university. It is only then that recruiters notice your somewhat unrelated degree.
But you need to impress the hiring manager with your education section anyway. Besides listing key information such as name of the institution, degree and dates, you should also consider including related accomplishments.
Think of any coursework related to your new career, student clubs and organizations where you gained transferable skills. You can also mention academic awards, even those that arent related to your new job. They can help you impress the hiring manager.
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Consider Adding Extra Information
If you dont have a lot of experience, you should try including relevant information for the position, such as your GPA, coursework, or extracurricular activities.
However, when it comes to including GPA, do it only if your grade is more than 3, if its less, better leave it off.
When writing extracurricular activities youre involved in, describe what you did, rather than what it was. For example, I planted 400 trees as part of the environmental club.
Include more information about your activities when you have the chance.
Simply listing that youre a member of many clubs/organizations doesnt mean much.
Another good way to demonstrate your expertise is by including your relevant coursework if you are still freshly graduated.
If youre applying for a job that emphasizes the importance of academic experience, like an internship or other education-focused position, it would be best to include a relevant coursework section on your resume.
If you have enough space, you could include them in a bullet list. This way it would be easier for the Recruiter to read.
Another way to write it is a separate section if you want to include more than just the names of the classes. A perfect way to tell the Recruiter what you have learned through your studies when they are related to the job you are applying to.
See more information on how to perfect the Education section on your resume, here.
How To List A Pending Degree On A Resume
You’ve completed your general and prerequisite courses along with those pertinent to your major. Finally, you see graduation and the beginning of a career on the horizon. The next phase is landing the post-graduation job. To get a jump on other graduates, sending a resume out before commencement is both proactive and practical. Potential employers may be impressed by your ambition and you will get a realistic sense of professional prospects and the actual work environment.
Check your graduation status. Make sure your college credits and degree requirements match your anticipated graduation date. Typically, colleges require students to apply for graduation. Once the application is made, advisers pour over transcripts looking for any outstanding issues that might preclude graduation.
Prepare your resume. In the education portion of your resume, after the name of your university or college, list your intended degree. If graduation is near, you may want to use the word “Pending” along with the commencement date. If graduation is further down the line, you may want to use the word “Expected” with the projected commencement date. Place a comma following the name of your college or university and before degree-related information. For example: Stanford University, Biochemistry, Pending, May 2012.
Tip
Warning
Do not be dishonest on your resume. A potential employer can easily validate your college enrollment and academic progress by checking your references.
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Students And New Grads
Students and new grads with little related work experience may use the education section as the centerpiece of their resumes, showcasing academic achievements, extracurricular activities, special projects, and courses. For example:
University of AlabamaTuscaloosa, AL B.A. in Advertising, 12/2019
- Team Project: Completed mock advertising campaign for Coca-Cola .
- Course Highlights: Strategic Thinking, Mechanics of Media Writing, Principles of Design, Media Management, Advertising Campaigns, Channel Planning
- Activities: UA AdTeam , Circle K Club , Center for Service and Leadership
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.
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Follow Your Major With A Minor Examples
EDUCATION
University of California, Berkeley California, MD
Bachelor of Arts: Major in Sociology, Minor in Psychology
Graduation year: June 2016
Loyola University Maryland Baltimore, MD
Bachelor of Arts: Major in Psychology, Minor in History
Graduation year: June 2020
GPA 3.6 / 3.8, Deans List for 7 semesters
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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Be Transparent About What You Studied
You shouldnt list Bachelor of Arts in English on your resume, for example, if you did not earn the degree.
Recruiters perceive such an approach to be misleading, which could significantly harm your chances of landing a job.
However, there is an easy way to approach this situation by adding coursework toward in front of the degree you were pursuing.
Can You Finish Masters In 1 Year
Yes, its possible to complete a masters program within the span of only 1 year. Typically, U.S. universities require students to complete 30 to 36 credit hours to get a masters degree. To complete a masters degree in 1 year, you will have to take more courses than a typical student will register in a semester.
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Create An Education Section
When including any relevant education information on a resume, contain all of it within a designated education section. All sections need a proper heading format so that titles stand out and employers can easily find whichever information they’re looking for. Any information pertaining to a major or a minor needs inclusion within this section.
Listing education either at the top or bottom of the resume is at your own discretion. Sections are often listed by importance or relevance. If your experience outweighs your educational accomplishments, list your experience first.
How To List A Major And Minor On Your Resume
Some students supplement their education with a minor specialization, and there’s a proper way to include it on a resume. Other students choose to double major or double minor, and their resumes become cluttered if they don’t know how to list them. If an employer can’t follow the information in your resume, they might pass it over.
In this article, we discuss when and how to include majors and minors in your resume, along with a series of steps and examples for properly formatting it.
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How To Include Your Expected Graduation Date On A Resume
Expected Graduation Date on a Resume | How-to, Template & Example
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When youre applying for your first job while youre still in school, you may wonder how to properly, clearly, and honestly display your expected graduation date on your resume. Not only do you want to impress hiring managers, but you also want to make sure that applicant tracking systems analyze your resume correctly to indicate you are close to finishing your degree work. In this article, learn a few simple steps that can help you properly include your expected graduation date on your resume.