Showcasing Education On Your Resume

Education is almost always one of the most basic requirements on a job description. You worked hard for your education ... now it’s time for your education to work hard for you.

In this article, we offer a few tips to leverage your education on a resume. But first:

What if I don’t have a degree but I do have years of experience that certainly qualify me for the job? How do I handle that on a resume?

This occurs more often than you might think. In this case, we recommend creating an “Education” and/or “Training” section anyway. In that section, you can articulate any coursework you have taken, training that you have been involved in, or certifications that you have received.

If you do not have any training, coursework, or certifications then it would be best to not draw attention to the fact that you lack these requirements. Therefore, we’d recommend removing the “Education” section from the resume.  

How do I articulate and format the name of the degree appropriately? 

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) search for specific key words and phrases. As a result, it is important to articulate the name of your degree in the same way it is found on the job description. More often than not, the name of the degree is spelled out instead of abbreviated. I.E “Bachelor of Science” instead of “B.S.” or even “Bachelor’s”

Formatting can also play a role. You want to be sure that the name of the degree can be easily discerned without much effort.

Here is an example of how we (at Promoted) articulate and format education:

Bachelor of Science in Human Development | Arizona State University | Tempe, AZ                   May 2017

Or

Master’s Degree in Political Science | Stanford University | Palo Alto, CA               Anticipated: May 2023 

Where should my education be located on my resume?

Where should you place your education on your resume? Towards the top? At the bottom? The answer to this question is simple. It depends on your experience. The rule of thumb that we follow here at Promoted is that if you have five or more years of experience post education then it would be appropriate to locate your education towards the bottom.

You might ask yourself, “What qualifies me for the job the best?”

Is it your schooling? Is it your direct experience? The answer to that question can help you determine the best place for your education.

Should I mention relevant coursework?

If the courses you have taken add value to your resume in the form of a direct connection to the job description then it would be appropriate to showcase them. If not, we would recommend that you leave them off.

What about my GPA? Is that important to mention?

If you are applying to medical school, law school, or some engineering programs, a GPA will likely be required. Therefore, it will be important to show this on your resume.

However, here is our recommendation for most jobs:

One question: Are you proud of your GPA? If so, show it! If not, leave it off.

Most hiring managers in business, tech, and operations will not ask about a GPA. Therefore, there is no need to show your GPA on a resume unless you feel like this will create a positive emotion for the person reading it.

Our general rule of thumb:

3.70 or above = showcase this on the resume

3.60 or lower = we recommend leaving it off