One of the most important things employers look for in candidates are job skills. Listing awards, honors, and recognitions that you received in previous positions is a great way to show that you’re talented and hardworking. But sometimes people choose to not list their achievements out of concern of appearing too arrogant. Neglect listing your awards, and the hiring manager can look past your resume in favor of a candidate he or she deems more competent.
Since your achievements should appear at the end of your document, learning how to list awards on a resume is crucial for ending it on a strong note. Fortunately, there are plenty of tips you can reference to learn how to master the art of displaying your awards. With a little guidance, you can craft an impressive resume to wow hiring managers.
How To List Awards on a Resume
Awards on a resume include professional recognitions such as “Highest Sales,” “Top Customer Service Agent,” or “Best Architectural Design.” If you’re still a student, you can list your GPA, volunteer work, or scholarships. To begin brainstorming and make the process easier, follow these simple tips.
1. Compile a relevant list of awards
You want the awards section of your resume to be as relevant as possible to the position you’re applying for. Think about the recognitions you received that have to do with selling a service, working with customers, or being a good team player. Read the job description of the position you’re interested in closely to determine the essential skills that the employer values.
2. List your awards chronologically
To make the awards section of your resume easy to read, begin with your most recent award. This shows the person reading the resume that you are continually striving to meets goals and succeed. You’ll want to have more recognitions from within the past few years than not. Awards that are too dated are not as relevant. For example, don’t include your win in the third-grade spelling bee, no matter how proud you might be of this achievement.
3. Include at least three awards
To flesh this section out, include at least three achievements. While it can be tricky learning how to list awards on a resume, it is essential for a polished document. If you have a lot of awards under your belt, don’t list more than seven. An awards section that is too long distracts from other parts of your resume. Remember, while this section is important, your employment history and skills sections are the true meat of your document.
Nonetheless, the awards you choose matter. If within the last five years, for example, you received a yearly “Best Salesman” plaque within your department and one “Top Industry Professional of 2016” award by a magazine, the latter is probably more valuable than the former. You might want to consider leaving off several of the minor recognitions in favor of a big award.
4. Be specific — include dates
Style the awards section of your resume by listing the month and year you received a recognition. Include the full name of the award and when you received it either underneath the name or after a dash. If you use the dash method, try to limit it to one line to make it visually appealing.
For an eye-catching statement, you can type the name of the award in bold or italics and the date in regular font. The date shouldn’t overshadow the name of the award. Ultimately, it’s the type of award that interests your potential employer the most.
5. Include the benefactor of your award
Employers would like to know where you got the award. Include the name of the company, organization, or publication that gave you the honor. Even if you made the source of your recognition clear earlier in your resume or cover letter, list it again in the awards section. This way, your resume remains easy to read and eliminates guesswork for the reader.
6. Don’t number or bullet your list
Creating a 1-2-3 or bulleted compilation is not how to list awards on a resume. These superfluous additions serve no purpose other than to distract the reader. Hiring managers know how to count and can surmise this information on their own.
Instead, stay classy and simply type out the information using appropriate fonts and spacing. Keep the font the same as the rest of the document. Use double spacing between awards for readability. For an extra punch, bold or italicize the name of the award.
7. List your awards at the end of your document
Typically, the awards section of your resume should appear last. Apart from letting a hiring manager know about important accomplishments, this also creates a final positive impression to tie up your document in a neat bow. After all, not everyone receives an award, especially if you were competing in a large organization with dozens of employees.
Not all candidates will include awards in their document. Thus, official recognitions under your belt are the icing on the cake of an already impressive resume. An excellent awards section can push a hiring manager to make a favorable decision if he or she was ambivalent about your qualifications.
8. Lump the same award together
If you received the same recognition more than once, there’s no need to list them separately. Instead, include the name of the award and the years separated by a comma.
A resume with too much fluff is less valuable. Since your document shouldn’t be longer than one page, making the most of the space you have is essential. Your awards section should be short yet packed with juicy details to make the best impression.
Awards on a Resume
Take a look at the following examples of awards listed on a resume. You can reference these examples to craft your document, no matter what position you’re applying for.
As you can see, there are several professional formats that display the necessary information in a clear and engaging way. This section of your resume should be the last part of your document. Make sure you are thorough, yet don’t surpass the one-page limit. Especially if you have a lot of experience, it may take time to sort through your recognitions and choose the most relevant awards. However, it is worth it if you want to maximize your chances of getting a position.
Keep in mind that an employer isn’t the only one who can give out awards. Volunteer organizations, local and internal news outlets and professional associations give out recognitions and seek to spotlight hardworking professionals. If you’re having trouble coming up with at least three awards, put in time at an independent organization to pump up your qualifications.
Awards for a Criminal Defense Attorney
Top 40 Under 40
National Institute for New York Lawyers
2013–2017
Top 100 New York Super Lawyer
New York Sun Magazine
April 2016
Best Cook County Attorney
Cook County Board Association
January 2015
Top 50 Criminal Defense Attorney
New York City Association of Latino-American Lawyers
June 2014
Best Brief Award
Harvard Law Mock Trial Competition
May 2014
Justin Anderson Award for Best Product Liability Petition
Harvard Law Mock Trial Competition
May 2014
Awards for a Software Programmer
Top Quarterly Salesman – April 2017
N.E.U Insurance
Highest Quarterly Client Satisfaction – February 2017
N.E.U Insurance
Best Python Project – May 2016
New York Professional Programmers Club
$500 Award
Best Volunteer – March 2016
Coding for Veterans
Awards for a Nursing Professional
Heart of Gold Award – January 2017
Awarded to the Most Compassionate Employee
St. Joseph Memorial Hospital
Audrey Johnson Award for Superior Contribution
To Children Welfare – January 2016
St. Joseph Memorial Hospital
National Edward Jones Award for Best
International Medical Volunteer – July 2015
Americorps
Awards for a Car Salesman
Salesman of the Year
December 2016
Five Star Fords
Salesman of the Month
January, February, April, 2016
September, November, December, 2015
Motor Works Honda
1st Place
August 2014
Marathon to Benefit Disabled Veterans
