Make your honors and accomplishments really stand out with a well-written resume awards section. Understand which awards you should include and the best ways to include them.
Reviewed by Certified Professional Resume Writer Updated on August 9, 2023 Written by Resume and Cover Letter Experts
When looking for a first job, many students find that their resume gets lost in a pile and barely gets considered. Especially when there are countless other applicants with similar qualifications and skills.
Listing honors and awards on your resume can give you the edge you need to reach the interview stage and beyond.
In the following guide you’ll find out:
There are also resume awards section examples and our easy-to-use resume builder to help you create your own honors section in minutes.
If you have the space on your resume and the achievements are relevant to your professional profile and the job offer, then it’s recommended to list your accomplishments.
That includes any awards and honors.
To understand the importance of adding awards to a resume, it’s key to remember that hiring managers receive dozens if not hundreds of resumes for potentially just one vacancy. This means the successful candidate needs to find a way of making their resume stand out!
Here are some specific reasons your award section can help you do just that:
Don’t hold back if you have various awards in a certain field, or you’ve achieved something special in a previously-held position similar to the vacancy. Humility has littleplace on your resume!
When considering what awards to add to your resume, it’s essential to focus on recognitions that highlight your skills, experiences, and accomplishments relevant to the job you’re applying for.
Here are a few types of awards that can help enhance your resume:
A major key to listing awards on a resume is the relevance to the position. Always align your awards with the requirements of the job you are applying for to demonstrate your suitability and stand out as a candidate.
Additionally, provide context for each award to highlight why it’s significant and how it showcases your potential value to the prospective employer.
You may have been recognized at one time or another during your college or even high school career, and now you’re wondering “Should I put National Honor Society on my resume?”, or if your other academic achievements are worth mentioning.
Here is a list of common awards that you can place on your resume if you have them:
If you have any of these awards or even a certificate relevant to the job you plan on applying for don’t hesitate to include them to your resume.
If you’ve decided that an honors and awards section will add value to your resume, you should create a separate resume section to make your accomplishments stand out.
If you have lots of work experience, it is advisable to include any professional awards on your resume to highlight the fact your work was recognized for its excellence in a certain field.
The accomplishments that you choose to add to your resume must be relevant to the job vacancy you’re applying to or relate in some way to the industry or specific company.
When it comes to listing awards on a resume you should remember to include the details of when and where it was awarded to you, such as the date and the school, college or enterprise.
When listing awards on your resume, the goal is to provide the reader with enough context to understand its relevance and significance.
The information you include about each award plays a crucial role in this. Here is what you should mention:
By providing this information you can support your skills section and paint a clearer picture of your capabilities for the hiring manager
Your resume is one of the most important tools you have at your disposal during a job hunt. It’s the first point of contact for potential employers, and it is what they’ll use to decide whether or not to give you an interview.
Therefore, knowing how to write a good resume is crucial. You need to tailor it to the job at hand to show how you will add value to your potential employer’s organization. Putting Honors and Awards on your resume can do this, but only if you use the right ones.
Should I include honors and awards on my resume? The answer to this question depends on a few considerations. The main aspect to consider is whether or not the achievement is relevant for the position you’re applying to.
If you are a student, it is definitely worth including Honors and Awards on a resume because you are likely to have limited work experience and you will need to fill space.
Honors and Awards on a resume can highlight skills which are valuable to many employers. The same applies if you have limited work experience or are writing an entry-level resume.
Your personal statement can show that you have self-belief, your Awards and Honors section on your resume can prove you have the ability. They can also be verified during the background check.
When not to include Honors and Awards on a resume? In most cases resumes shouldn’t be longer than 2 pages. Space on your resume is highly valuable. If you are not a student and have lots of relevant work experience, you will probably have filled a lot of the available space already. If so, consider whether it’s worth including this section or not against other areas of the resume.
Every item on your resume should highlight why you are the best candidate for the job, so only write a resume with Honors and Awards if the achievements are directly relevant.
On a professional resume it can be useful to include professional awards, if they are relevant to the position you’re applying for, as they act as an easy reference for your ability.
For example, if you’re applying for a job in accounting at the age of 30, don’t include an award you won at school for creative writing.
Or if you won an award for Best Young Web Designer, and you are applying for a job as a web designer, it will clearly look good and help make your resume stand out.
Deciding where to place an Awards and Honors section will depend on the resume format. However, no matter how impressive this section is, it should not be the main focus of your resume.
So, where do you put awards on a resume?
Any awards and acknowledgements that you choose to add to your resume should be prominent, but your experience and qualifications are the main selling points. You could put it directly below or next to your Experience or Qualifications section.
Your resume tells your story, and demonstrates why you are the right person for a position. The Awards and Honors section should accompany your Qualifications and Experience, adding extra value to your resume.
As a tip, reviewing awards examples for your resume can also give you the inspiration and ideas needed to come up with the perfect structure for your section.
Like any other part of your resume, it will be critical for you to first examine how to list honors on your resume correctly. That way you’ll have a clear idea of how this information should be presented.
Check out the following example of a resume awards section:
Example of awards on a resume Copy to clipboardSalesperson of the Year, ABC Company, 2023
Magna Cum Laude, XYZ University, 2021
Dean’s List, XYZ University, 2020-2021
It’s also important to note, that for an academic achievement, you should not mention your GPA unless it is over 3.5.
Depending on your professional profile, including a specific resume section dedicated to honors and awards could be just what you need to stand out in the application process.
To ensure these details are included, don’t forget to use a resume template to ensure that you don’t leave any critical information out.
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