How to Write Qualifications on a CV

A good CV contains basic information that tells you why you are the best person for a particular job. One of them is your education level, as most companies need specific certification for specific jobs.

Having an education section in your resume is necessary because hiring managers expect to know at least a minimum description of where you have studied. The section informs employers of your knowledge and skills, thus facilitating their judgment of your eligibility for the job.

While others may downplay the importance of listing education on a resume, it can actually make you stand out among other applicants. Here, in this article, we will discuss the best ways to structure the education section of your resume and cover all your questions on how to include academic qualifications effectively.

Create a Dedicated Section –

It is one of the key resume sections. It gives the recruiter an insight into your educational background and its alignment with the specified job requirements.

Creating a discrete section and naming it “Qualification,” “Certifications,” or “Professional” gives you the best chance of clearly showcasing your qualifications.

List in Reverse Chronological Order –

Start your qualifications listing with your newest entries. Using this approach enables viewers to find your newest achievements first because it deploys standard CV arrangement

Example.

Education:

• Master of business administration /London business school/ London (2020)
• CPA: Associate Member/ certified Practicing Accountant / Melbourne, AUS (2016)

Include Essential Details –

For each qualification provide the following information.

• Qualifications Name: Specify the exact title of the certificate or the degree.
• Awarding body: The award institute should be noted down as the entity that grants the qualification.
• Completion date: The precise date of qualifications achievement needs to be identified

This clarity offers employers a concise understanding of your educational and professional background.

Highlight Relevant Certifications –

Target certificate which matches the goals related to your industry sector or the job you seek. A CV that displays an appropriate qualification reveals your match for the position while meeting the employer’s criteria.

• Do a bit of research on the target industry and company.
• Showcase your qualifications in such a way that highlights the qualification most relevant to the job.
• List them in reverse chronological order starting from recent to oldest.

Example: If you have a certification to teach physics but are applying for a Finance job, there is no reason to include it in your CV.

Mention In-Progress Qualifications –

List your ongoing education path with an expected finish date such as ‘expected completion 2025’  professional development remains to be top priority because it’s noted on your resume.

Formats

Use name of the awarding body, your qualification level and subject, date of completion.

Example: CIPD, Level 5 Certificate in Human Resource Management, Date of Completion: 10th September 2025.

Some courses do not have a fixed end date, making it difficult to determine exactly when you will complete them. However, you can provide an estimated completion date. Format would be

Awarding body name, Level of qualification in Subject, completion date by Month, Year.

Example: AAT, Professional Diploma in Accounting, due to be finished in December 2025

If you have just started a course and do not have much of an indication of when you will finish. Format would be

Name of awarding body, qualification level and subject, expected to complete by Year.

Example: CIM, level 4 professional certificate in professional marketing expect to be complete in 2025.

your course is broken down into separately assessed modules, try listing the ones that you have completed. This will help employers know the skills and knowledge you have already achieved.

Use Bullet Points for Clarity –

Border your qualifications in bullet points for better readability in your content. Your credentials become easily accessible through a simple and well-arranged format.

As In Advice

• Relate to the job.
• Be brief.
• Be specific.
• List in order of importance.
• Use simple bullet points.
• Use interesting action verbs.

Avoid Unnecessary Details –

Eliminate certification which has become obsolete or no longer related to your application because they fail to improve its quality. Recruiter reviews hundreds of CV daily, so keep your CV concise, avoid any unnecessary details. Your CV should stay focused on the qualifications that are essential to the target position.

• Prioritise things that can increase your chances of getting hired.
• Read the job requirements and remove all unnecessary certificates.

Showcase Key Achievements –

Include honours all along with any distinction and special recognitions you received for your qualifications. The dedication of your qualifications along with the demonstration of their superiority serves to set you apart from other applicants.

Backing up your achievements with clear results helps potential employers see the value you bring to their team. This approach makes your resume stand out by highlighting what you have accomplished, how effectively you did it, and the positive impact you made.

• Education: Your achievements during your time at university can make you stand out from candidates with a similar education and no professional experience Maintained a 3.8 GPA while working and studying full-time.
• Volunteer Experience: Taught elementary mathematics as a volunteer at Saint Jude’s orphanage and improved student performance by 60% over one semester

Include Expiry Dates (If Applicable) –

When a certificate or license needs renewals keep their expiration dates available for view. Your declaration of certificate validity date provides employers with assurance about your recent credentials.

Maintain Consistent Formatting –

Uniformity in front font type along with size and spacing in the CV must be maintained throughout all sections. Bold term that represents qualification title creates instant recognition in CVs which assist recruiters during their review process.

Tips

• Font: Headings must be a bit bigger to be distinguishable, generally between 14 and 16 points, and body text should be maintained between 10 and 12 points for legibility
• Bold: bolding terms like qualification titles give you a well-structured and neat look.
• Alignment: Check that all headings and text are consistently aligned (left-aligned or justified).

Sample Qualification’s Section:

Qualifications

• Project Management Professional (PMP) Project Management Institute, June 2023.
• Advanced Certified ScrumMaster(A-CSM) Scrum Alliance, March 2022.
• AWS Certified Architect-Associate Amazon Web Services, January 2021
• Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate Coursera Expected completion: December 2025

Conclusion: Our CV writers at CV Folks suggests that, when carefully selecting the information to include in your ‘Qualification’ section, you can greatly increase the effectiveness of your CV. You will also come across as a qualified and organised candidate who can fulfil the expectations of future employers.