Honors and Awards Section on a Resume
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.
When looking for a first job, many students find that their resume gets lost in a pile and barely gets considered. This is especially true when there are countless other applicants with similar qualifications and skills.
In the following guide, you’ll find out:
- The difference between awards and honors
- Where awards should go on a resume
- How to put honors on your resume
- Which awards you should list
- Tips for including them on your resume
There are also resume awards section examples and our easy-to-use AI resume builder to help you create your own honors section in minutes.
Award vs Honors
While both awards and honors recognize achievement, they differ in several key aspects. The following highlights the main characteristics that distinguish awards from honors:
Awards
- Recognize specific achievements or accomplishments
- Often include monetary prizes, plaques, or certificates
- Can be based on performance criteria, contests, or reviews
- Tend to have specific requirements and application processes
- Examples: “Employee of the Month,” “Best Paper Award”
Honors
- Acknowledge exemplary performance in a broader context
- Typically no tangible rewards beyond recognition
- Usually conferred based on academic or professional standing
- Often involve inclusion in a distinguished group or society
- Examples: “Dean’s List,” “Magna Cum Laude,” “Phi Beta Kappa”
Example of Honors and Awards 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:
Salesperson of the Year, ABC Company, 2023
- Awarded for exceeding annual sales targets by over 25%.
Magna Cum Laude, VirginiaXYZ University, 2021
- Graduated with high honors in recognition of academic excellence.
Dean’s List, VirginiaXYZ University, 2020-2021
- Recognized for maintaining a GPA of 3.8 or above for all terms.
Types of Honors and Awards to Include on a 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:
- Industry-specific: These are awards that are specific to your field of work or study. For instance, a “Salesperson of the Year” award would be highly relevant when applying for a sales role.
- Academic: Plenty of college awards on a resume look great and can illustrate your dedication and commitment to your field of study.
- Leadership: Any recognition for leadership, such as “Employee of the Month” showcases your ability to lead a team, which is a valuable trait in many roles.
- Community Service: Awards that showcase your commitment to the community and can be particularly relevant for roles in the non-profit sector or roles that value community engagement.
- Creative: If you are in a creative field, awards from competitions, festivals, or shows can illustrate your creative abilities.
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.
Different academic awards you can list
You may have been recognized at one time or another during college, and now you’re wondering, “Should I put National Honor Society on my resume?” or if you should add summa cum laude on your resume.
Here is a list of common awards that you can place on your resume if you have them:
- Summa Cum Laude
- Manga Cum Laude
- Honor Society
- Dean’s List
- Presidential Volunteer Service Award
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 in your resume.
How To Write Honors and Awards on Your Resume
When listing awards on your resume, the goal is to provide the reader with enough context to understand their relevance and significance.
The information you include about each award plays a crucial role in this. Here is what you should mention:
- Award title: Begin with the formal name of the award. This should be the official title as given by the awarding body. The title alone can often indicate the award’s prestige, nature, and relevance to your field.
- Awarding organization: Include the name of the institution, organization, or body that presented the award.
- Date of award: Add the date (typically the year) you received the award. This gives employers a sense of your career timeline and recent achievements.
- Reason for the award: Briefly describe why you received the award. This can highlight specific achievements, skills, or qualities that the award recognized.
- Competition level: Mention the scale of the competition (local, regional, national, or international). This can indicate the level of expertise or skill required to win.
- Significance in the industry: If the award is reputable in your industry, briefly explain its importance.
By providing this information you can support your skills section and paint a clearer picture of your capabilities for the hiring manager
Tips for Building Your Honors and Awards Section
As discussed, including a dedicated resume Honors and Awards section on your resume could be just what you need to stand out. Read through the following tips to effectively organize this section.
Academic honors
- Honor societies: List any academic honor societies you were part of during college. Include the society’s name and a brief description of its significance.
- Dean’s list or cum laude: Mention achievements such as the Dean’s List or graduating with honors like Magna Cum Laude, providing context about what these honors entail.
Professional awards
- Industry-specific recognitions: Include any awards relevant to your field, such as “Salesperson of the Year.” Explain the criteria and significance of the award to highlight your professional excellence.
- Professional society involvement: If you have been involved in professional societies, mention any awards or recognitions received, especially if they relate to the job you’re applying for.
Guidelines for including awards
- Relevance: Focus on awards that are directly relevant to the job you are applying for. Avoid listing high school honors unless you are a recent graduate creating a high school student resume.
- Description: Provide a brief explanation for each award. Include details about the scope, significance, and purpose of the accomplishment to ensure potential employers understand its value.
Avoiding common pitfalls
- High school honors: Generally, do not include high school honors unless they are exceptionally relevant or you have recently graduated.
- Unnecessary information: Avoid cluttering your resume with awards that do not pertain to the position or industry you’re targeting.
Carefully select which honors and awards to include and provide clear descriptions to present your achievements and enhance your resume’s impact effectively.
Key Takeaways
Strategically featuring honors and awards on your resume can significantly boost your chances of landing an interview. Remember the following points:
- Strategic placement: Position prominently without overshadowing experience
- Relevance: Include only job-related or skill-showcasing awards
- Quality focus: Highlight significant achievements over minor accolades
- Clear explanations: Briefly describe each award’s significance
Thoughtfully incorporate these elements to create a resume that not only tells your professional story but also highlights your exceptional achievements.
Go for it!
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FAQs
Including awards and honors on your resume can significantly boost your chances for these reasons:
- Differentiation: With numerous applicants for each position, awards help you stand out from the crowd.
- Validation: Honors demonstrate external recognition of your skills and achievements.
- Relevance: Include awards that are relevant to your professional profile and the job you’re applying for.
- Impressive at any stage: Whether you’re a recent graduate or an industry veteran, awards showcase your excellence.
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.
You could also place your awards in your experience or education section, for example, if you choose to place a summa cum laude or a magna cum laude on your resume.
If you are a student, it is definitely worth including an Honors and Awards section on a resume because you’re likely to have limited work experience, and you will need to fill space.
Honors and awards on a resume can highlight skills that are valuable to many employers. The same applies if you have limited work experience or are writing an entry-level resume.
On a professional resume, it can be useful to include professional awards, but only if they are relevant to the position you’re applying for, as they act as an easy reference for your ability.
Your personal statement can show that you have self-belief, and your resume’s Awards and Honors section can prove that you have the ability. These can also be verified during the background check.
If you are not a student and have extensive relevant work experience, you will likely have filled much of the available space already. If so, consider whether it’s worth including this section or not against other areas of the resume.
You should also avoid adding awards or honors if they are not relevant to the job you are applying for.