Last week, when I was sitting with my buddy Kati, one of the CPRWs on Pongo’s awesome Customer Support team, we got to talking about the questions that come up over and over as people are building their resumes. She mentioned that a lot of people have trouble deciding the best way to spell, capitalize, and punctuate their degree. For instance, is it Bachelor or bachelor's? I decided it was high time to answer that question (and a few other, related ones) here on the blog.
Q. What's the proper way to spell out a college degree on your resume?
- Spell out the full name of the degree and concentration.
- Capitalize the first letters of the main words (but not the word in or of).
- DO NOT add an "s" or an apostrophe.
Examples: Associate of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Master of Social Work, Doctor of Philosophy
Q: Where do I put my major?
A: The major goes right after the degree. (e.g., Bachelor of Science in Finance).
Q: How come I often see it with an apostrophe-s at the end?
A: When you're referring to an academic degree in general, that's the way it's written. For example: "My friend has an associate's degree, and she hopes to get a bachelor's in a couple years."
Q: Is it OK to abbreviate?
A. Not really. On a resume, it's better to spell it out. However, if you choose to abbreviate, make sure you do it correctly and consistently.
RELATED LINKS
7 Resume Writing Tips for Your Education Section
Should I Put My GPA on My Resume?
Do Employers Put Too Much Emphasis on a College Degree?
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