The educational qualification in the resume and other contents like work experience and additional credentials of the education section resume seem simple at first glimpse, but much more goes into it.
E.g., Do you present your school degrees before work experience if you are still in school and have worked a bit?
Figuring this out is essential because precision and certainty are what most employers look out for in resumes. In addition, there are various factors upon which your education qualifications resume, such as age, career success, circumstance, etc.
In this article, you will get all the help you need to figure out how to write education details in your resume appropriately and add the credentials required for the job wherever necessary to stand out from the other applicants.
What to include in the Education section of the Resume:
- Name of your school
- Location of the same
- Graduation/PG degree obtained
- Your field of study
- Year of Graduation/PG (if applicable)
- Your GPA (only if applicable)
- Other credentials which will enhance your resume, honours of academic recognition, coursework, activities, or other accomplishments obtained during education
It’s crucial to format your educational and work experience (if any) to match the wants of the work you’re applying for.
For example, a fresh graduate will wish to include more details about their education prominently on the resume and also add work credentials (if any) in a slightly short manner.
Revolutionarily, A person who has years of experience in the workforce and is willing to change their job will like to highlight their professional experience and keep the educational section to a minimum because the interviewers will be more interested in the work they have done in their previous employment.
Method To Properly Mention Your Education In Your Resume
Now that we have a basic idea of what will be written, depending on the circumstances, let us look deeper into it more precisely.
Regarding framing your education qualification in your resume, the usual practice is to follow a reverse chronology, i.e., list your latest educational degree at the top and then go backwards from there.
But if you have a relevant graduate degree and opt for the job, you must mention your high school education in detail.
You can list something similar, and it gets the job done:
- Name of the degree (Major to Minor): E.g. B.A. Finance Human Resource Development and Marketing, Minor in Leadership
- Name of the University: e.g. BHU, Varanasi
- Years Attended: e.g. 2017-2020
- Location of the problem (if required): e.g. Varanasi, India
- GPA (only if applicable) : Only include the score, if it’s higher than the usual 3.5. This will showcase your hard work and determination, but you might want to avoid it if it’s lower.
- Other credentials which will enhance the portfolio (if required)
What Do Employers Look For In The Education Section Of Your Resume
Each recruiter focuses upon different things in your education which depends upon the job you’re applying for. At an entry-level job, the employer looks at your education degree but if it is a higher position, the recruiter focuses upon your business and marketing training, like an MBA or PGDM.
There are certain professions like finance, business management or healthcare where specific certifications are required for getting the aspired position.
In that case, your possible employer would expect the right credentials before your other experiences, so it is apt to place your educational qualifications in resume just below your professional summary.
And the most important thing to remember is honesty. Because your potential employers might do a background check before you receive your offer letter and in case they find any differences between your resume and the information they gather, there are chances that this could hamper your chances of getting that job.
What to avoid:
- Oversharing of your educational qualifications in your resume, unless it’s a CV (Curriculum Vitae). Keep it short and precise.
- Avoid fake data or exaggeration. Not all employers or hiring managers have a double-check on the applicants’ background; some still do, and dishonesty and embarrassment can cost you the job in the long run. So, avoid it at all costs.
Ways to List Complete Education in Resume
Fresh Graduate
As mentioned earlier, it is recommended to present your recent educational qualifications in resume first. If you are a recent graduate, your schoolwork would be the essential part of your resume; the employer would want to give more time to this. You can mention your attendance percentage, other minors or honors, requisite job credentials, and GPA only above 3.4. These will enhance your educational qualification in resume and if you have attended multiple schools during your graduate years, highlight the ones you have heard for the most part.
Experienced Professional
If you have completed your graduation and have been in the workforce for 4-5 years now, mention your educational qualification in your resume.
The interviewer will be keener in knowing more about your projects and experiences in your previous jobs, so it is suggested to highlight all the projects you were a part of in your previous job. You can also cut down your academic details like your attendance, honours and GPA.
And if you have studied your masters while you were at your previous job, mention that to showcase your determination and the skill to balance two things at once and mention the bachelor’s degree after the master degree.
For example:
- Oxademy Business school | Mumbai India
- Masters in Management and Strategic Leadership
- Banaras Hindu University | Varanasi India
- Bachelors in Business and Management
- Bachelors in Finance
Ways to List Incomplete Education In the Educational Section of Resume
In-progress Education
If you have not yet completed your graduation, you can still mention the work you have done and mention the academic year in which you are expected to graduate.
The hiring managers will be interested in knowing about your education as well as any other specific coursework relevant to the job. Place your educational qualifications in resume just below your basic details.
Be certain to include the following information
- Name of the institution
- Degree
- Expected year of graduation
If required, include additional information
- Honours or other academic achievements
- Relevant coursework
- Extracurricular achievements or other job requisites
- GPA, if only it is above 3.4
For Example:
Amity University| Ghaziabad India
Expected Diploma, 2023 (GPA 3.7)
National Honour Society, Secretariat
Chess club, Organiser
Incomplete Education
If you have dropped out and your degree is incomplete, you can still list your coursework in your educational qualification in your resume.
You can highlight this section with certificates and other professional development achievements. You can also have a separate section highlighting your educational qualifications in your resume relevant to the said job.
This is important because the employers will know about your resume’s academic qualifications, which directly impacts the job.
For Example:
Amity University | Ghaziabad India
Professional development: Online coursework in photography, Advanced Photography. Photography in Wildlife.
Writing Educational Qualification in Resume if You Are Changing Careers
Though education is essential, since you have already accomplished a little more than a graduate or a master’s degree, It is better to give those special skills and professional expertise the limelight and mention your educational background in a sentence or two.
But if your education is not related to the job you are aspiring for, draw attention to the Institution you have graduated from to exhibit the fact that you have attended the most prestigious one.
But if you want to have the extra edge to impress your employer, think about the coursework you have achieved that is related to your new career. You can mention your academic and non-academic awards here.
For example, If you are a Business Major and have worked as a Business Analyst and now want to get into teaching, you can create a CV based on your teaching interests where you opted for your minor in teaching and personality development and other school clubs you were in which required skills like organising, communicating, critical thinking etc.
Types of Resume formats and choose what is right for you:
1. Reverse-Chronology
As mentioned, prominence is given to the tasks or degrees you recently obtained. So could you do it from the recent to the oldest?
2. Functional
In this type, the education section may take the upper hand if you have more educational credentials suiting the job than you have work experience related to the same. But, again, this is because this area heavily focuses on your skills.
3. Hybrid
This is applicable when you have more relevant work experience than the educational qualifications in your resume, but if you still want to highlight or enhance your skill section. This also depends on how high the credentials are and should be brief.
4. Curriculum Vitae
CV means different things in different parts of the world. For example, in Europe, a CV is an equivalent resume. Still, in the US and most parts of the world, a CV is a detailed educational section including your characteristically explained educational experience, publication, and pretty much every other detail of your scholarly career, and no party should be spared.
While deciding the content of your educational qualification in your resume, key factors to remember are honesty, transparency and being strategic. And while you get to the interview, plan to discuss your background. Be open to any discussion or constructive criticism thrown your way.
In your resume, give a more detailed explanation about your educational qualifications because your hiring manager may ask you to. So please be prepared to answer this and any additional follow-up queries based on your qualifications and skills.
Unless you cast a detailed, longer-form resume, such as a CV (Curriculum Vitae), you must provide a clear, educational diary including your experience, publications, and more. The educational qualification in your resume is a summary of your academic credentials and achievements.
The education section may be more extended if one is a fresh graduate with limited work experience. Irrespective of your circumstances, you should always avoid deceptive writing and proofread your resume once before attending an interview to get the work done.
Tips for Educational Qualification in Resume for Freshers
1. Schedule and Proofread with a fresh mind
Proofreading needs time and a pleasant mind to spot errors, which is impossible with a tired or stressed mind. So if you have created a resume at night, proofread it first thing in the morning.2
2. Check your font
A clear font also plays a role; use a neat, easily readable yet stylish font for a lucid representation. Some fonts which fall under this category are Calibri, Cambria, Garamond, and Helvetica. Overly cursive or modern fonts are not recommended because they look shabby for a professional meeting.3
3. Be Conscientious
Once you write your CV or resume while proofreading, you must be very sure of the content and the grammar and spelling. Use a spell-check whenever necessary, and in case of doubt in sentence formation or anything related, ask for guidance.
4. Check hyperlinks
Click on the links you have included in your resume (articles, emails, etc.) to ensure they work.
5. Double-check basic information
This part is easy to overlook, so double-checking wouldn’t hurt.
Some frequently asked questions about educational qualifications and it’s section in their resume:
FAQ’s on Listing Educational Qualifications in a Resume
Q1. How long should the education section of my resume be?
A1. The education section should be as long as necessary to convey your qualifications clearly. For recent graduates, it may be more detailed, but for those with extensive work experience, keep it concise.
Q2. Should I specialize my educational qualifications in my resume or keep them general?
A2. Specialize your qualifications to match the job you’re applying for by highlighting relevant courses, projects, and honours.
Q3. What resume format should I choose?
A3. Choose a format based on your career stage: reverse-chronology for most, functional if emphasizing skills, hybrid for a mix, and CV for academic or research positions.
Q4. What are resume keywords, and why should I use them?
A4. Resume keywords are job-specific terms that help your resume pass through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and get noticed by recruiters.
Q5. Why are ATS keywords important in a resume?
A5. ATS keywords are important because they ensure your resume is flagged as relevant by automated systems used by many companies.
Q6. How do I make my education qualifications on my resume stand out while keeping it concise?
A6. Use bullet points, focus on relevant achievements, keep descriptions brief, and tailor the information to the job.
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