As a recruiter, I’ve read hundreds of resumes in my time and one area that is almost always interesting is the section that discusses schooling, and specifically any degrees, diplomas, certifications or courses that a person has completed.
In the past month we’ve covered off issues related to having a university degree and also the difference between and MBA and EMBA but what about other scholastic achievements that you might have that may help your candidacy in a job search?
At the end of the day, it’s good to include scholastic achievements that will help your candidacy and are relevant to the job you’re applying for.
I’ve seen some resumes however that literally list every course the person has ever taken and this can be quite a turn off for me because it gets a bit much when you’re reading through a list of 20 or more courses, some of which aren’t even relevant for the job they’re applying for. So in that regard, use your discretion and include the important ones.
Honestly, I can’t ever recall when a hiring manager made any sort of mention about a specific course that a job candidate had listed in their resume so in many if not most cases, courses that you’ve taken may not amount to much in the eyes of a hiring manager and may just be wasting space in your resume.
A certification or some sort of designation that you had to write exams for or otherwise pass tends to add more value.
And of course a university degree or other designation (ie. P.Eng, MCSE, CNA, etc) tends to be even better still.
When it comes to courses, I’d be selective as to which ones I include in my resume. Relevant certifications are usually better to include especially if they involved passing a test(s) and are well-known in your industry or profession which can give you a leg up on your competitors for the same job.
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