While your entire resume can be seen as a collection of professional achievements, there are some that truly shine—your awards. These recognitions highlight the milestones when your skills and dedication set you apart, proving that your work has made a meaningful impact.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to choose the most relevant awards for your resume, format them effectively, and position them strategically to catch a recruiter’s eye. But even if you don’t have any formal awards, don’t worry—we’ll also cover alternative ways to show your successes.
By presenting the awards on your resume in the right way, you’ll build a document that tells the unique story of how you got this far. Our Resume Builder has a dedicated Awards section, which can easily give your application the edge it deserves.
Let’s turn your document into a celebration of your professional journey!
Key takeaways
- Awards add credibility and showcase your accomplishments effectively.
- If you don’t have awards, include testimonials, publications, or speaking engagements in your application materials
- Prioritize relevant academic, professional, or industry awards to align with your target role.
- Format awards with the respective name, awarding body, date, and a clear description.
- Depending on the context, add your awards to a dedicated section, the education, or the experience sections of your resume.
- Volunteer work, certifications, and projects can be excellent alternatives to awards.
What are awards on a resume?
In a broad sense, awards usually refer to acknowledgments that you received for exceptional performance. On your resume, these are formal recognitions related to your professional life. Think Employee of the Month or industry-specific accolades.
Of course, academic achievements—such as scholarships, honors, or other distinctions—can also be included if they’re relevant to the position you’re pursuing.
The purpose of awards on a resume is to show recruiters you’ve gone above and beyond in your career. And what’s more, your achievements have actually been recognized by employers, institutions, or peers. This gives your application credibility and an edge not everyone has.
Why include awards on your resume?
Having been recognized for wins looks impressive on your resume, but why does it matter? For one, it builds credibility. When a reputable organization, employer, or academic institution acknowledges your work, it sends a strong signal of trust and authority.
Moreover, including awards that align with the job you’re pursuing assures recruiters that you have the skills and experiences they’re looking for—positioning you as a perfect fit for the role.
PRO TIP
Don’t include irrelevant or outdated awards. Focus on those that align with the job you're applying for.
What’s not considered an accomplishment?
Simply doing your job isn’t considered an accomplishment—even if it feels like one sometimes!
Being punctual, maintaining a positive attitude, or fulfilling basic responsibilities like graduating from high school or college are important qualities—but they’re expected, not exceptional.
When you list routine responsibilities as accomplishments on your resume, it can send the wrong message to recruiters—that you expect recognition for everyday tasks rather than for real achievements. Instead, focus on the moments where you made a tangible impact or received formal recognition.
What awards to put on a resume?
When deciding which awards to feature on your resume, prioritize those that are relevant to the job you’re targeting and demonstrate your standout skills.
Here are some examples of awards you can put on your resume:
Academic awards
These could feature things such as Dean’s List, honors, scholarships, or distinctions, which demonstrate your dedication and performance during your studies.
However, these are most relevant if you’re a recent graduate. If your college awards are older and you now have significant work experience, focus instead on professional or industry awards that align better with your current career stage.
Professional awards
These are the most valuable recognitions. Highlighting achievements like Employee of the Month or top sales awards underscore your commitment and results in a work setting.
Industry awards
Given by professional bodies or competitions, these demonstrate that your contributions are recognized by peers or leaders in your field, which can boost your credibility.
Community awards
Think volunteering, civic honors, community service, being an Eagle Scout. These reflect your initiative, empathy, and willingness to cooperate and help—qualities often valued by employers.
Personal achievements
If they’re relevant, accomplishments in sports or arts can provide examples of teamwork, perseverance, or creativity.
Military awards
Honors earned during military service—such as commendations, medals, or leadership distinctions—powerfully illustrate your dedication, discipline, and leadership. These awards often highlight qualities highly valued in civilian roles, such as resilience, teamwork, and adaptability.
Where to place awards on your resume
Where you place awards on your resume depends on the type of award and how it fits with the rest of your experience.
Here are the most common options:
In a dedicated awards section
If you have multiple awards—especially from different areas of your life—a dedicated resume awards section is often the best option. This helps highlight your achievements clearly and ensures they don’t get lost among other details.
Here’s an awards section for a marketing specialist resume formatted with the Enhancv Builder:
How to format the awards section
When formatting the awards section, be sure to mention:
- the name of the award;
- the awarding organization;
- the date received;
- a brief description of why you received it.
By the way, you could use resume icons to visually discern your achievements.
For example:
Top Salesperson, XYZ Corporation, June 2023 — Recognized for exceeding sales targets by 20%.
Whenever possible, quantify your achievements by including numbers or metrics to show the impact of your award. This helps recruiters understand the significance of your recognition and how it relates to your performance.
PRO TIP
Avoid vague descriptions like “Won an award for sales.” Instead, be specific—describe what you accomplished and how it was recognized.
Clear, detailed descriptions make a stronger impression and demonstrate your value to potential employers.
In the education section
For academic achievements, like scholarships, Dean’s List honors, or fellowships, consider placing them in the education section. This keeps them tied to your educational background and shows how they contributed to your overall academic success.
Here’s an education section of an IT specialist formatted with our app:
09/2015 - 05/2019 
- •Dean’s List, 2016–2019 — Recognized for maintaining a GPA above 3.7 throughout all semesters.
- •Outstanding IT Project Award, 2018 — Honored for leading a team project that developed a cloud-based inventory system, later adopted by the university’s tech services department.
- •Academic Scholarship Recipient, 2015–2019 — Awarded annually for academic excellence and leadership potential.
In the experience section
If an award is directly linked to a specific job, such as Employee of the Month or a sales performance award, it’s often most effective to include it in the work experience section. This context helps employers see how your contributions were recognized in a real-world setting.
Here’s an experience section from a teacher’s resume formatted with our builder:
08/2017 - 06/2023 - •Teacher of the Year Award, 2021 — Recognized for exceptional dedication, innovative teaching strategies, and outstanding student engagement.
- •Led a school-wide literacy initiative that increased reading proficiency by 20% in two years.
- •Implemented a new project-based learning curriculum that improved critical thinking skills and fostered collaboration among students.
- •Advisor to the Student Council, organizing community service events and leadership workshops that contributed to a positive school culture.
In your cover letter
Not every award fits neatly into the resume’s bullet-point format—some achievements deserve a deeper explanation. That’s where your cover letter comes in.
If you’ve received an award that’s particularly meaningful or requires additional context, mention it in your cover letter. Use a sentence or two to describe what the award represents, why it’s relevant, and how it demonstrates your skills or dedication.
If you don’t want to spend too much time thinking about formatting, just use the Enhancv Resume Builder.
Here’s a resume we created with a dedicated awards section–it literally took minutes to polish.
Bonus: If you’re not sure how to frame your achievements, Enhancv’s AI Assistant is integrated right into the app to help refine your resume language and make your accomplishments shine.
Awards depending on your level
Awards aren’t reserved for the more experienced candidates. one-size-fits-all—how you use them on a resume depends on your career stage and the industry you’re in. For example, students and recent graduates might emphasize academic awards, scholarships, or even high school achievements to showcase potential.
Mid-level professionals often highlight awards earned in the workplace—like Employee of the Month or team-based achievements that show growth, leadership, or collaboration.
At the executive or C-level, awards often focus on industry recognitions, leadership accolades, or company-wide performance milestones that demonstrate strategic impact and influence.
Some professions—such as healthcare, academia, sales, or creative fields—naturally lend themselves to including awards, as recognition for excellence is a strong signal of value. For other fields, like technical support or administration, awards may be rarer but can still add credibility.
What to replace awards with on a resume?
If you don’t have official awards to show on your resume, don’t worry. The awards section can be filled with other achievements that demonstrate your skills, dedication, and impact.
Here are some powerful alternatives to consider:
References or testimonials
References from respected colleagues, supervisors, or mentors are a great way to demonstrate your value—without sounding like you’re bragging.
A short, relevant testimonial about your contribution to a project or your impact in a role can be a powerful addition.
Publications
Published work can be a fantastic addition, showing your expertise and communication skills. List publications in bullet points, including the title, where it was published (journal, magazine, website), and the publication year.
Hobbies
Including hobbies on a resume can be tricky, but it can also add a personal touch—if done strategically. If the job description uses a friendly or conversational tone, you might consider sharing hobbies that align with the company’s culture or the role you’re applying for.
For example, if you’re applying for a marketing role at a creative agency known for its collaborative culture, mentioning your interest in photography or blogging can demonstrate your creative side and help you connect with the team.
Licences, certifications
Licenses and certifications demonstrate your commitment to professional development. They can even serve as an eye-catching resume heading.
Include the certification name, issuing organization, date earned, and—if applicable—the license or serial number, so recruiters can verify it.
Similarly, completed projects (like large-scale IT implementations or design portfolios) can effectively demonstrate your impact and skills.
Sometimes, you might feel a little shy or unsure about whether your awards are worth mentioning. Chances are, you can almost always frame them in a way that’s meaningful and works for your resume.
Gabi’s take
Frequently asked questions about awards on a resume
Still wondering about a thing or two? Check our FAQ section below.
Should I include old awards?
You can include older awards if they’re still relevant to the job you’re applying for, if they demonstrate important achievements, or if they’re by an organization that’s well-known and still gives the award today. However, prioritize more recent awards that reflect your current expertise and capabilities.
If an award is outdated and doesn’t connect to the role, it might be better to leave it out and focus on fresher accomplishments.
Do awards help with ATS?
Yes, awards can help with ATS, especially if you include relevant keywords from the job description in the award’s title or description. Clearly formatted awards make it easier for the ATS to parse and match your resume to the job posting, and you can count on your resume being ATS-friendly if you build it with the Enhancv app.
Conclusion
Think of your resume as a trophy case—it’s where you present the moments that define your career. Even if you don’t have formal awards, you can fill that space with shining achievements, glowing testimonials, and relevant experiences that prove your value.
Build a resume that proudly displays your unique journey and leaves recruiters eager to learn more!
Make one that's truly you.
