Are you struggling to write a resume that properly reflects your abilities and gets noticed? It’s not just you, as hundreds of people apply for jobs daily and get passed by recruiters.
One of the crucial aspects of a successful application is including all the necessary sections of a resume. Resume awards and achievements are typical areas that recruiters scan.
If you’re unsure what’s worth including and how to write your accomplishments, you can easily follow these tips to fine-tune your resume.
Do You Put Awards on a Resume?
First, you may wonder if you should even include awards on resumes.
Yes, people generally put relevant awards or achievements on their resumes.
Depending on the resume type, some resumes may include larger awards sections than others. If you already have a page without this section, you may not need it.
Why Should You Put Awards on a Resume?
Awards are among the best things to put on a resume. They’re a quick, valuable section that shows off your past achievements, so don’t be humble.
Highlight Your Accomplishments
First, the awards section is the perfect place to write about any accomplishments you put hard work into earning. It’s a place to brag about winning contests or reaching the Dean’s list.
It’s your single shot to sell yourself for the position, so make the most of it by providing a rich highlight reel of your best moments.
Prove Your Skills
You earn awards and achievements through hard work and excelling at the subject. These brief descriptions show how you can realistically apply your skills to a situation.
Awards on resumes aren’t just a way to brag but a tangible way to prove your resilience and area skills.
Impress Hiring Managers
Finally, your awards section may help you impress the hiring managers. When deciding what to include on your resume, it helps to choose the most applicable options for the job listing.
What Awards Should You Include in Your Resume?
If you’re unsure what should go in the awards on resumes, here’s a breakdown of frequent accomplishments you may be able to list.
1. Scholarships
You can include scholarships on your resume. These awards usually prove academic achievement. If you put in a scholarship, ensure you write the name and who awarded it.
Sometimes you can include how you won the scholarship if it was through an essay or other project.
2. Academic Awards
One typical award people overlook is academic awards. Dean’s list or other achievements are worth listing, including any other scholarly achievements.
If you have a 3.0 GPA or above, you can also include that information in your awards on your resume.
3. Fellowships or Grants
Similarly to scholarships, it’s worth mentioning any fellowships or grants you’ve won. These can be particularly helpful because they can show research abilities and skills relevant to your field.
Occasionally, you can also expand on fellowships with full-time duties in the experience section.
4. Contest Wins
Contests might not seem worth mentioning in the awards on a resume, but some winning positions can be impressive.
If you choose to include details about the competition, ensure it applies to the job. For instance, nurses don’t need to include if they’ve won writing contests.
5. Awards Relevant to Your Career
You can also include any awards that are specific to your career. An example could be if you’ve won a title like the best salesperson.
Curating your resume to your job listing can be particularly beneficial when many job recruiters scan applications for resume buzz words.
Should You Explain Awards on Your Resume?
Awards on resumes can have varying levels of explanation. The crucial information to include is the official title of the award, who awarded it, when, and the level of recognition. The recognition level means if it was international, national, state, or specific to the industry.
If there’s space on the page, you can occasionally explain the criteria and why you won the award.
How Do You Present Awards on a Resume?
Choosing which awards to include on a resume is the first part of the process. Next is determining how to write and format them onto the page.
Where to Put Awards and Achievements in Resume
Usually, people include a specific awards and achievements section on their resume. This separate area fits best after the education and experience, and it may be one of the last pieces of your resume.
You can sometimes mention awards on resumes in the relevant category of where it originates. Like including a GPA with your education or a title won at a job.
How to List Your Awards on a Resume
You can list your awards on your resume however you prefer. It’s best to list them in importance or level of achievement, or you can choose to arrange them according to how relevant they are to the position.
How to Include Awards and Achievements in Resume for Students
Students may find awards on resumes particularly beneficial, as they may lack other experiences. It’s also a helpful way to bulk out a resume.
For formatting, you can place the awards and achievements section directly under education if there is no experience. Take the opportunity to flesh out the achievements with more detailed information about responsibilities or other necessary work.
What to Put Instead of Awards on Resume
You may not have awards to include on your resume, or you’re not interested in this section. Instead, you can choose a few equivalent ways to show your successes.
You can also include references.
1. Certifications
Certifications can be crucial to include on your resume. Around 25% of workers have certificates or licenses, and they can help improve your chance of qualifying for a position.
2. Professional Achievements
You could have professional achievements that are worth noting that didn’t receive official recognition.
For instance, increasing sales, finding solutions to problems, or creating and implementing essential procedures could all be professional achievements.
3. Personal Successes
Some personal successes are worth mentioning on your resume, especially if they demonstrate leadership or other relevant skills. You can list achievements like learning a language, starting businesses, or growing social media accounts.
4. Volunteering Achievements
Finally, volunteering achievements are usually welcome on resumes. Include any information about your volunteer experiences or particular successes at organizing or participating in events.
Frequently Asked Questions
Awards on resumes are a complicated topic, so here’s some more information to answer any leftover questions.
Is it possible to list fake awards on a resume?
Some people may exaggerate their resume, but it’s usually ineffective. Outright lying about fake awards will not work because recruiters who check to verify the information will quickly discover the truth.
How many types of awards are there?
There’s no easy way to quantify how many awards there are, but you can expect a few basic categories for awards and achievements.
Usually, awards are in academics, scholarships, grants or fellowships, contests, career-related organizations, or from personal successes.
Wrapping Up
Overall, awards on resumes are a standard section that highlights your accomplishments. Don’t overlook any of your small achievements, and write about your skills in quantifiable, tangible ways.
When you include awards that apply to the job listing, you significantly improve your chances of getting the job. You can also use the space to talk about personal successes or other certifications.
If you still have questions about awards on resumes, feel free to comment below and reach out.
