The education section of your CV might seem straightforward, but how you present it can make a big difference especially when you are a recent graduate or in the process of a career switch. It gives employers insight into your academic history, technical skills, and sometimes even on your ability to follow through on long term goals (For example if you completed a masters/PhD).

What Makes a Good Education Section?

• Structured: Clearly lay out your qualifications in reverse chronological order (So starting with the most recent first). Include just the basic details like degree name, institution, and the completion date (Just the year is fine)
• Relevant: While a university degree is always relevant, a certification in food preparation may not be that relevant if you are applying for a software engineering role. Leave off unrelated qualifications that don't relate to the industry you are looking to break into.
• Tailored: If you are just starting your career, your education is likely to be the strongest signal of your potential so make sure it stands out for the role you are applying for.
• Concise: Unless that free online course is super relevant to the role you are applying for, leave it off.

What to Include (and How)

There are two formats we typically recommend for candidates.

For graduates we recommend filling out your education section a little more than you would later in your career. That's because you don't have the long work history to bulk out your resume, so playing up things like relevant papers, GPA, specific projects is important.

• Qualification: Full degree or certification name (e.g., Bachelor of Science in Computer Science)
• Institution: Name of the university, school, or training provider
• Completion Date: Month/Year (or "Expected" if still completing)
• Optional extras: GPA, honors, scholarships, relevant courses, thesis/project title

For professionals with 5+ years, you can keep things the same or make it more concise. We often recommend just a single line of

Qualification - School - Year

As your experience increases, which school you went to, what papers you did, and even what your GPA was becomes less and less relevant. So in turn, it takes up less space in your overall resume (Especially when you are trying to keep the size down).

Final Tips

• Be honest. Don't inflate this section more than you need to.
• Keep formatting clean and consistent. Recruiters should be able to scan this section in seconds.
• Don't make this section overkill if you have 10+ years of experience. The education section should only take up a small part of your CV unless it's directly relevant.
• A degree is always worth putting on your resume, even if not directly tied to your industry. A degree shows you can stick something out for 3+ years.
• Again, don't fill this section with every free online course you've done in your career.

Summary

A strong education section reinforces your qualifications without overpowering the rest of your CV. Whether you’re a grad or a seasoned professional, formatting your education properly shows attention to detail and can make your application more competitive.