Education and Skills

In the last article we focused on the work history portion of the resume including how much to include and how to describe it. In this last article of the series, we will discuss the final resume requirements: Education and Skills.

Many wonder whether what should come first – Education, Skills or Work History?  The general rule in resume writing is to lead with your most qualifying factor. Lead off with Experience when you’ve been in the workforce for at least one year. Since that will be the case for most of us, let’s proceed to discuss how the Education and Skills section of your resume should look and feel following Work History.

Tips for creating your Education and Skills Billboard

1. Education – Graduation Date. Always begin with your highest level of education first including the type of degree, major, and college name. It is not necessary to list the graduation date especially if you have been in the workforce a long time. You want the focus to be on the skills that you provide and the value that you bring to their organization.
2. Education – What to Include. New graduates give far more detail on course work than do graduates who’ve held at least one post-graduation job for one year or more. For most of us it isn’t necessary to list course work or grade point averages at all unless you graduated with high honors. You can omit high school or prep school if you have a college degree. If you have a vocational-technical school certificate or diploma that required less than a year to obtain, list your high school as well. Be sure to note continuing education, including seminars related to your work. Though varying levels of detail are required for different jobs, the education section is often the shortest portion of the resume. Try keeping it around 15–30 words. An important thing to keep in mind as you document your education is that employers often verify this information in a background check. If they come across information that’s different from what’s on your resume, this could hurt your chances of getting the job. If you have incomplete education, you can list any completed coursework in your education section, or leave it off altogether if it is not relevant to the position you are applying for.
3. Professional Development. If you fall short of the mark on the job’s educational requirements, try to compensate by expanding the continuing education section. This section is important even if you match the educational requirements. Give the list a name, such as Professional Development Highlights, and list every impressive course, seminar, workshop, and conference that you’ve attended. Sometimes these additions can compensate for a perceived skill gap. This is also a great way to show that you’ve stayed on top of new software, technologies or methodologies. There are a few reasons that you should not include a Professional Development section and they include: a) If it was only relevant in a past career, b) If it’s for an outdated skill or technology, or c) If you have a very large Skills or Certification section.
4. Certifications. Certifications can be listed separately or may be included in the Professional Development section. Guidelines for listing certifications is to include the full name of the certification, the issuing institution, and date earned.
5. Skills. Listing skills on your resume is important due to keyword searches conducted by recruiters and to give recruiters and hiring managers a thorough understanding of what you bring to the table. Skills listed may include competencies and soft skills, but should definitely include any and all technologies and methodologies you have used. Some will even provide a self-rated scale of proficiency to display their expertise.

Your resume is the only place where you get to prove that you have the necessary skills and qualifications employers want. Display them proudly and thoroughly. Remember that you only get about 7.4 seconds of the recruiter’s attention to your resume. Make those seconds count. They could change your life.