Some Tips of Highlighting Education on Your Resume
There are two things that can draw an employer’s attention, your work experience and your education. But often the main question asked by job seekers is that where shall I put my education in the resume? Shall I place it before my work experience details or after? Here are some tips which will help you immensely. You can also look at a sample resume of your job type to see how others have gone about doing things.
Placing the Education Section Where it Belongs.
Remember placement of the education section will depend on job experience. If you are a fresher then you must place this section above your experience. The positions of education and experience reverse if you are experienced. If you have worked somewhere then the employer will definitely like to evaluate your skill sets first before scheming through your education.
You can highlight your qualifications in section that appears under ‘Objective’ and also under the "Education" section.
Listing the GPA
For freshers it is important that you mention the GPA and more so if it is higher than 3.0. You might consider entering a lower GPA if your program is challenging. Never forget to add your major GPA particularly if your overall GPA is lower than the major GPA.
Highlighting Honors
If you have excelled in honors that make it point to display your excellence in your resume to create a great impression on your employers.
Tips for Freshers
Resumes for students and fresh graduates must focus on academic achievements, presentations, projects and extracurricular activities. For instance:
Trinity College — Oxford, London
BA in Mass Communications, specialized in advertising, graduating December 2010
Senior Project: Presently handling mock ad campaigns for Coca-Cola (print/billboard/radio ads/TV/, direct-mail campaigns along with press releases).
Completed Course works: Advertising, Direct Mail and Telemarketing, Advertising Writing, Media Plans in Advertising, , Public Relations, Marketing and Advertising, Broadcasting
How to Mention Incomplete Courses
In your resume you can also mention educational programs that you have abandoned. Simply list the credits up till which you have completed or. For example:
College of Rhode Island – Rhode Island, New York
Completed 80 credits toward bachelors in history, 1985 to 1987
Tips for Experienced Professionals
If you have work experience there is no need to put minute details about your academic credentials. Just jot down a few details like degree, collage name, location, major and the date of completion. For example:
New York College – New York, USA
BS in Math, Minor in economics, June 1985
Providing High School Details
There is no need to include high school information or GED information if your college credits are high. However if you do not have credits to boast then you must mention your high school achievements.
What will you do if you have no degree?
You need not be worried if you do not have a degree. If you are enrolled in a program or if you are training for a specialized skill then you can mention then under the section for education. List your ongoing courses under a separate head called Professional Development. For Example
Professional Developments:
- Professional Management Program
- E-Commerce Solutions
- Selling the Dotcom Vision
- Launches in a Global Marketplace
- Relationship Selling
