7 Dos & Don’ts of Listing Education on Resume in 2022

7 Dos & Don'ts of Listing Education on Resume in 2022

Every brilliant resume has one core purpose – to answer the employer’s question, whether you’re a perfect fit for the team? To help your CV answer this question, you have to ensure that it highlights all your best qualities. The key is to highlight the details that a particular employer might be looking into when studying your application. Typically, the education section is among these critical details that must be included.

Although not all jobs require having a specific degree, this doesn’t mean that you should say nothing about it on your CV. On the contrary, listing your education can give you a competitive advantage. But only if done right.

Not sure where to start? We have you covered with the help of Skill hub you definitely will succeed! In this article, we will tell you about the key resume dos and don’ts that will help you figure out the best way to list education on resume. Let’s dive in!

Dos

1. Find the Perfect Placement

A good resume should be incredibly well-structured. Every section included in it has a specific purpose. Thus, their placement in your document plays a huge role in your success.

If you are not sure where to put this section, there are basically two main options that you have. If you are a recent grad with no (or very less) professional experience, you may want to keep your education section before the work experience part. However, if you are already an experienced professional, it might be much wiser to state your experience first.

The idea behind this is simple – prioritize the sections according to the value and relevance to the job opening.

2. Read the Job Description

One of the most important resume-writing principles is reading the job description. Experts always stress the importance of aligning your CV with the needs and requirements of each particular employer. And the same applies to separate parts of your resume too.

Before writing your education section, be sure to study the job description. Try to grasp the core needs of the potential employer and use this knowledge to make the best impression and gain a competitive advantage.

3. Put GPAs Only When They Actually Matter

Being one of the must-have resume sections, the education part inevitably drives lots of attention of recruiters. Thus, you really don’t want this part to include anything that can put you in the bad light in front of recruiters and potential employers. This applies to your GPA as well.

Although it is a common practice to state your GPA in the education section, it is important to understand that it’s not always that important. Namely, it’s definitely not worth doing so if your GPA is low.

On the other side, if it’s required by the job description, you might still need to mention your GPA, regardless of how high or low it is.

4. Know When It’s Right to Mention High School

Typically, you will not see any mentions of a high school degree on a resume of an experienced, established professional. This is mostly due to the fact that completing a high school program doesn’t seem very impressive if you have acquired a college or university degree afterward.

Then, when is it a good idea to mention high school? First of all, you can mention it if that’s the highest level of degree that you have. If you are currently in the process of gaining a higher degree, showcase some of your past academic accomplishments, like a high-school diploma.

Don’ts

5. Overly Stress One Entry

Some people don’t stop after gaining a BA degree and then pursue a MA or even a Ph.D. degree. Such job seekers will have to put two or more entries in their education section – one per each facility that they’ve attended. And that’s where it is important to make all these entries look well-balanced.

To do this, you should stick to the same structure for every entry. So, if you do mention your GPA for one of the entries, don’t avoid mentioning it for the rest ones.

6. Forget About Bullet Points 

Many people tend to state their highest degree level, and that’s it. Those who do so don’t really recognize the huge power of the education section and the opportunities it offers.

Before you make this mistake, let us tell you one thing. The education section of your resume is one more chance to highlight your accomplishments and vital skills. Thus, don’t hesitate to put additional bullet points under every entry to show employers what makes you a perfect candidate for them.

7. Lie

Lastly, though this should go without saying, we want to highlight how important it is not to lie in your education section! Don’t tell about accomplishments and extracurriculars that aren’t yours. Also, do never round your GPA up. More info you can find at top-resume-reviews.com. Eventually, all these lies can come out. And that’s when you can face plenty of problems.

So, these are the most basic dos and don’ts of crafting a perfect education section for your resume. Use this article as your guide to success!