If you're an entry-level candidate with little or no professional experience, your education should be presented immediately after the Qualifications Summary and/or skills area. The reasoning for this is that education is currently your most marketable asset. Here, you would include:
- GPA (if 3.5 or above)
- Awards/scholarships
- Dean's list
- Coursework relevant to job search
If you're a professional with five or more years of experience, Education should be listed last on your resume. GPAs, awards or scholarships, and mention of dean's lists are not generally provided in a professional or executive resume, except for those used for entrance into graduate school programs.
Resumes sent to admission directors for graduate school can list Education before Professional Experience or after, depending upon these factors:
- If you have just recently completed your bachelor's degree, it should be listed before Professional Experience.
- If you have real-world experience related to the graduate degree you are seeking, the Professional Experience should be listed first.
If you are distributing your resume within the U.S., high school education is not included. The only exception to this rule would be if you're applying for a job with the federal government. In that case, you would include high school data.
When distributing a resume outside the U.S., high school education is included.
Include all specialized training that is transferable to your new job target. If you have not attended college, definitely include all specialized training in your target field. Hiring managers generally prefer to see some post-secondary education.