How to List Continuing Education on a Resume [Examples Guide]

How to List Continuing Education on a Resume [Examples Guide] Its no secret:The strength of your resume depends on your experience and skills.ButIt would be a lie to say that the other sections dont count at all. Because they do.More than that:Including certain extra sections in your resume can easily earn you extra points.Like continuing education, for example.This article will show you:What continuing education is.How to list professional development on a resume.Examples of continuing education on a resume.Want to save time and have your resume ready in 5 minutes? Try our resume builder. Its fast and easy to use. Plus, youll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ resume templates and create your resume here.Sample resume made with our builderSee more templates and create your resume here.One of our users, Nikos, had this to say:[I used] a nice template I found on Zety. My resume is now one page long, not three. With the same stuff.Create your resume nowLearn how to make the most of your education on a resume with our guides:How to Make a ResumeWhat to Include in a ResumeHow to Put Your Education on a ResumeCum Laude on a ResumeHow to List a Degree on a ResumeHow to Put Dean's List on a ResumeAre you looking for a dedicated resume writing guide? Weve got you covered:Accounting ResumeEngineering ResumeMedical ResumeNursing ResumeAttorney ResumeParalegal ResumeTeacher Resume1Continuing Education. What Is This?First things firstWhat is continuing education?The term continuing education is commonly used in the US and Canada to refer to any kind of adult education that happens after leaving the formal education system.In other words, continuing education refers to any courses you take and/or certifications you acquire once you start your professional life.In fact, professional development is another word for continuing education on a resume.NowFor some professions, listing continuing education on a resume is a nice-to-have.For example, an online marketer could easily add a search engine marketing certification to their resume, but its not obligatory. You can be great at SEM without any certification.Some professions, however, are under an obligation to earn continuing education units (CEUs) or continuing education credits (CECs) to maintain their professional licenses and stay employable, for example:AccountantsEngineersHealth care professionalsLegal professionsPilotsTeachersThe representatives of these professions should list continuing education on a resume.Pro Tip: When making your resume use resume action words to impress the recruiters and go past the ATS scan.2How to List Professional Development on a ResumeIts a good idea to create a dedicated continuing education resume section.You can label it professional development, training and development, certifications, licenses, or simply continuing education on a resume.There are no specific rules on what your resumes continuing education includes.SoIts a good section to put professional certifications or online courses on a resume, alon gside any other forms of professional learning and development programs or courses youve taken.Truth be told:Once you create a continuing education resume section, the only dilemma you may face would concern where to put this section on your resume.The rule of thumb is that the more experience you have the higher up your experience section should end up on your resume.The education resume section should only top your resume if youre making an entry-level resume, or a student resume.In all other cases, place your education section as well as continuing education on a resume below the experience section.And one more thingDont treat the professional development resume section as a dumping ground for all the courses youve ever taken.Focus on whats relevant to the position youre after, and tailor your resume to the job offer.Also, once you pick out the things to include in your continuing education on a resume sort the items either by relevance or date.Put your most relevant courses/lice nses up top. Or, list the most recent courses first.In general, the reverse-chronological resume format is your safest bet.Pro Tip: You can also mention continuing education in your cover letter. Learn how to write a cover letter that every recruiter will read from beginning to end.3How to List Continuing Education on a Resume ExamplesFinallyTake a look at some examples of how to list continuing education on a resume:AccountingCertificationsCFACISEngineeringLicenseLicensed California Professional EngineerNursingLicenses and CertificationsRegistered Nurse (Licence #1234567ACLSBCLSCCRNCPRLegal professions (Attorney)Professional developmentMember in good standing of the Florida State BarLabor Law and Labor Arbitration Conference 2018SpeakerPilotLearning and DevelopmentFlight time (total): 8,534ATP CertificateASEL CertificationFAA Class 1 MedicalPro Tip: Format your resume consistently, and use professional-looking, readable resume fonts.Depending on your professional background and job requirements, youll want to put different things under the heading professional development on your resume.As a matter of fact, you may opt for including other resume sections or choosing a different kind of resume, such as combination resume, or functional resume.Key TakeawaysHeres a quick rundown of all you need to know about how to list continuing education on resume:You can say that professional development is another word for continuing education on a resume.For some professions (e.g. marketers) adding continuing education on a resume is optional.Certain jobs (e.g. pilots, attorneys, nurses) are under an obligation to earn continuing education credits to stay employable and be able to pursue their careers.Either way, including continuing education on a resume, can boost your chances of landing a job.Use a separate resume section to list continuing education on your resume.Make sure the courses, licenses, or training you put there is relevant to the position youre applying for. 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