Listing Awards On Your Resume To Impress Recruiters

Receiving an award from your company for the amazing contribution you made is a thing worth celebrating. A big business has over 500 heads, from which only a handful get recognized for their extraordinary performance.

The award you received from your boss for an outstanding sales performance may not have seemed such a big deal back then, but when you enter the job search once again, it will be a big asset to your resume.

But even the best awards may go unnoticed by a hiring manager if you don’t display them right on your resume. A recruiter only spends 6 seconds scanning your resume before they decide whether you are worthy of getting hired by them or not. If your awards are not given prominence, they will be shadowed by the other details on your resume.

However, you can’t just add every award to your resume and hope that it will impress an employer. Not every award will be relevant for all job titles. You should know how to prioritize your awards and frame them the right way to get the attention you deserve.

What kinds of awards can you include in a resume?

You can’t include high school debating awards in your resume when you are applying for a medical profession to impress a tough interviewer. There are several types of awards that get spotted when on resumes:

Industry-specific awards

These are the awards specific to your industry that a hiring manager would love to see on a resume. They have a prestigious aura about them and will help you land the right job easily. Be sure to include the awarding body, the title, and the year of the award, and add the number of other nominees for extra flair.

Academic awards

Educational awards are highly sought out because they mark how committed you were to your education. If you are applying for an entry-level position, these will be gold on your resume. department-based awards, best-in-class awards, scholarships, research projects, and dean's list and/or honor roll are some academic awards that will add value to your resume.

Company awards

Companies recognize the best-performing employees with company awards. Be specific when you add company awards to your resume to sound more impressive. Here are some common company awards that you could add to your resume:

• Employee of the month and/or year
• Top performer awards
• Leadership awards
• Peer-based awards

Extracurricular awards

These are the awards you wind for activities outside of your work environment or classroom. You may have participated in competitions and won awards. or maybe you are invested in a hobby that allows you to receive awards. Volunteering awards, arts and culture-based awards, military honors, athletic awards, and community awards are all impressive when put on a well-written resume.

Where should you mention awards on your resume?

Unless you create a specific “Awards and Accomplishments” section for your resume, the awards you’ve received can go in the education section or employment section. Here’s how you can mention your awards in each of these sections:

Education Section

Usually, academic awards go in the education section of a resume. Instead of placing the award right at the top, align it with the chronological order of your other educational information.

Employment Section

This is the best place to add your company or industry-specific awards. Mention your award below your position, company, and years of employment, and follow the chronological order when placing the award.

Awards Section

If you have a bunch of awards that must get the spotlight, simply have a dedicated awards section for your resume. You can place the awards section below the education section of your resume to ensure that it catches the recruiter’s attention.