On a curriculum vitae, the education and training section is a must which will allow your potential employers to learn about your academic history and understand in which state of mind you see your past and future jobs.

Indeed, a candidate who applies to be an HR consultant in a company after studying in the social sciences and humanities will not have the same background as a candidate with a human resources degree for example. However, both of their profiles may be of interest to recruiters. Here are our tips for completing the 'education and training section of your CV.

Where should the 'Education & Training' section be placed?

There are two prime locations for the 'Education and Training' section on a CV:

• before the 'Professional experience' section.
• after the 'Professional experience' section.

In fact, and you will feel it yourself according to your affinities, it will depend on your prevalence in this field or not.

If you have extensive academic and educational training to your credit, then you will be tempted to highlight this section, and that's good since the first third of your CV must highlight you and demonstrate your particular skills: those that make you a unique candidate.

Also, if you have an interesting background to highlight from the 'Educational' point of view, write about it first on your CV, that is to say at the top of the latter, under the few lines that introduce you to the recruiters.

If, on the contrary, you are more comfortable in the professional sector than in the educational and training sector, then highlight your work experience, and place your 'Education and Training' section below it.

The importance of 'filling in' the 'Education and Training section is entirely dependent on the type of position you are targeting: if you are applying for a scholarship, then obviously, this section will be crucial; on the other hand, if you are trying to get the attention of a recruiter for a 'senior' position in the industry, then this section will have only limited interest in their eyes.

The Presentation

Here are some tips for writing the 'Education and Training' section of your CV:

• start with the highest degree: thesis, master or license, start with the one above the others in the hierarchy of your academic achievements;
• do not include the basic education that everyone has, such as secondary school certifications, for example;
• for high school students: show your enthusiasm and sense of responsibility; that's all that is needed in a high school student unless you apply for a university in which case, you will need to highlight your particular skills, achievements, and your study project;
• for students: link the 'Education and Training' section to your career objective, since you are still a student, the 'Education & Training' section is all that interests recruiters;
• if you are returning to school, have completed a VAE (Validation of Acquired Experiences), or have opted for additional training, do not hesitate to organize your educational achievements in such a way as to make your career plan/ambitions clearly visible to the recruiter;
• if you have worked towards obtaining a degree but have not obtained it, simply indicate the years of training during which you studied for it or your credits earned in the context of unsuccessful university education;
• choose to admit a 'failure' when you have participated in an unsuccessful course of training, for example, than to hide it, otherwise, you will have a 'hole' in your CV, which is much more questionable in the eyes of a recruiter than a misguided course of action;
• and finally, consider the presentation: Your CV is a showcase of yourself and your skills so make it as attractive as possible!