Résumé Help: Too Much Education?
In today’s example, it is not that the candidate has too much education. The issue is that she has too much information in the education section of her résumé. She has included some unnecessary or outdated information that we need to strike. She has some items shown under the heading of education that would be better if labeled as professional development. Why is this important? As a reader glances over the résumé, they may not read every single line. In this long list, the reader may miss the most compelling education. When I read the list what caught my eye was “Benjamin Franklin High School.” Probably not the strongest achievement! The only time to show high school on a résumé is if the candidate is a recent high school graduate without further education or experience. In the case of this candidate, high school was almost 40 years ago.
A common mistake is for candidates to lump everything together. There are at least three types of categories we can separate; they include the following:
- Education (Reserved for college and trade school degrees.)
- Professional Development (Many types of professional training relevant to one’s career goal.)
- Industry Certifications (Industry-recognized certifications or credentials. This does not include certificates of course completion.)
If training is in very basic business or supervisory and the candidate has demonstrated excellence in those skills through accomplishments, the candidate does not need to show these courses. However, an entry-level candidate without strong experience should show the coursework to fill that experience gap.
As a candidate gains work experience and as career goals evolve or change, a candidate may choose to show different aspects of their education. Over time, some education or training will no longer be relevant and can be eliminated. Be sure to only showcase the education that supports your career goal. Secondly, take time to properly categorize your education and training. If you want to read more about the education section of a résumé, follow this link to the article, The Proper Way to Submit Education on a Résumé.
To see additional résumé suggestions that will help you as you create your own résumé, please click on the image below.
If you would like a résumé critique, please contact Debra Wheatman at debra@careersdonewrite.com or visit us at http://careersdonewrite.com. The Résumé Help blog appears weekly on Mondays.
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