How should I write it? All education you list should be in reverse chronological order (most recent at the top and work your way back). It is essential to include the year of completion as a minimum, this provides the reader with some much needed context. You will also need to clearly identify your course and where you completed it. In some cases articulating what you are now qualified to do can be useful.

Should I list my education before or after my work experience? This will depend on several factors. Are you a new graduate? Does your course qualify you to work in your intended profession or is it simply advantageous to have studied? Are you experienced in your field? Let’s consider a teacher, if you have just graduated from an initial teacher education degree, listing your education first clearly demonstrates you are qualified for the position. However if you have been teaching for a year or two you might start to list your work experience before your education. You will need to assess what the hierarchy of information should be by considering what is more desirable or impressive in order to maintain their interest.

Do I include short courses and certificates in my education? This will be a little bit case by case but in general listing them separately under ‘additional training’ (or something like that) and adding it towards the end of your CV will ensure that you can maintain a clear hierarchy of information and keep things streamlined.

Clearly describing your education is essential to writing a good CV. Include all the key details that your reader needs to understand your educational history.

Next we will take a look at the fourth ‘e’, experience.