In today’s job market, it’s harder than ever to get the job you want. It is a fact that your work experience and skills are the most important sections of your resume.
But when your potential employer receives hundreds of applications for each position you need to enhance every section of your resume as much as possible. And a great way to improve your education section is by showing continuing education.
In this article, we are going to show you everything you need to know about that:
- What are continuing education classes?
- How continuing education can contribute to your career advancement?
- How to list continuing education on your resume?
And we are going to give you a great example to get you started. If you think your resume needs an overall improvement, check out our resume builder that will help you make a resume that beats luck!
But if you are ready to learn how to list continuing education on your resume, stick around.
What are continuing education classes?
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Simply put, continuing education classes are any kind of courses you can take in your adulthood, outside the formal education system.
A continuing education section on your resume may include:
- Certifications
- Workshops
- Seminars
- Any means of learning new skills relevant to a job.
Unlike student classes, continuing education classes focus deeply on specific topics. Often they teach skills that can’t be found in the formal education system and greatly augment your degree and major.
Typically, you would also find a measurement unit for these continuing education classes:
- CEU - Continuing Education Unit
- CEC - Continuing Education Credits
In most cases, these classes are completed voluntarily and are just a nice-to-have on your resume. However, some professionals are obligated to go through continuing education courses every once in a while. That’s because some professions require professional licenses and certifications that need to be renewed.
How continuing education can contribute to your career advancement?
If you are not required to take continuing education classes by your profession, it is entirely up to you.
No one would expect you to present additional certifications or courses you have completed. But it would certainly do no harm if you do. Showing off your continuing education on your resume can show your potential employer that you have an urge to improve yourself.
Employers love go-getters who are always improving their skills and knowledge, so if you have gone through continuing education, you would definitely want to list it. Continuing education classes can get you one step closer to your dream job.
They can even impact your salary, or the chances to be promoted sooner than expected. However, keep in mind to list only relevant continuing education. Your potential employer would only be interested in skills that can contribute to the company.
Last but not least, you shouldn’t hesitate to take continuing education courses, as they can actually be lots of fun. And once you have completed them, you are just one course better than your former self.
How to list continuing education on your resume?
Okay, now you understand what continuing education is and why it is good for you to list it on your resume. But how to list it properly?
For that, there are just a few simple steps that you need to follow, and you will be good to go. We are going to go through them one by one.
Pick the right placement
Location is always a key element in preparing your resume. You wouldn’t want an important aspect of your resume to be stuck at the bottom. That’s why, if possible, you should list your continuing education in your education section.
However, if you have lots of continuing education courses that you want to show, that would no longer be a good option. In that case, it would be better to create a separate continuing education section or professional development section.
A separate section can also be useful if you found that you need a two-page resume, and you need a section to fill a blank spot.
Keep it relative to the job position
You want your resume to present you in the best possible light. If you include anything irrelevant on your resume, it starts working against you. So make sure that whatever you list is relevant to the job position you are applying for.
If one of your continuing education courses is more relevant than all the rest that also have relevance to the job position, make sure you list that one first.
Otherwise, you need to use reverse-chronological order for them, like you would for the job position in your work experience section.
List all the important details
There are also a couple of important details to mention when you list your continuing education on your resume.
What you can list under each continuing education course is:
- Date awarded / Expiry date
- Awarding institutions
- Location (if applicable)
- Grade or score (if applicable)
- License/award number
Listing that extra information adds credibility to your resume and shows that you are legitimately qualified.
Example of listing continuing education on resume
Here's an example of how to structure and list continuing education on your resume:
Javascript Masterclass
[AWARDING INSTITUTION], 2021
NY, USA
95.8 / 100
[AWARD NUMBER]
UX/UI Seminar
[AWARDING INSTITUTION], 2020
NY, USA
5.9 / 6.0
[AWARD NUMBER]
Takeaways: how to list continuing education on resume
We are all done. Now you know how to list continuing education on your resume.
You are now ready to use your continuing education classes to get one step closer to the job you want. Don’t forget – pick the right placement for your continuing education, keep it relative, and don’t miss out on important details.
Make one that's truly you.
