Dropping Degrees from Resume

Henry is a unique client seeking a position within the federal government.  This client has a bachelor's degree and THREE (yes, three!) master's degrees.  Yesterday, Henry said to me, "I have had people advising me to drop some of the degrees from my resume. What is your advice in that respect?"

I have a long answer to this question! (Did you expect a short, sweet answer?!)

Primarily, you should never see your resume as a static document.  An effective resume is fluid, it is ever changing.  A successful resume is a marketing tool with the goal to land an interview!  If your resume is tailored to the job to which you're applying - all the more likely you will snag that interview.  If your resume is gridlocked and you send the exact same resume to every job opening, you may not be getting the results you feel you deserve.  A professional resume consultant can help you customize your resume based on each job you want to pursue.

In Henry's specific case, we developed his resume specifically for federal application.  The differences between a federal resume and a corporate resume are vast.  You would never send a corporate resume in response to a federal job opening and you would never, ever want to send your federal resume to a corporate HR director!  We are dealing with two entirely different species here!  Many of my federal clients also consult with me to develop a corporate resume simultaneously.  My simple answer for Henry was for federal application, list all your degrees.  The feds want to know everything about you!


However, if Henry (or anyone else with multiple degrees) is developing his corporate resume, my advice will vary depending upon the specific situation.  I may recommend dropping the two master's degrees that are least relevant to the job to which he is applying. From a marketing standpoint, you do not want to appear overqualified by an advanced education nor do you want to intimidate the hiring manager.

When crafting a resume for federal job openings, you need to know exactly how to package it and what information must be included.  During the development of a corporate resume, knowing how to market just the right skills, abilities, and knowledge for that job is as important (if not more) as the professional history and education listed.  Resume writing is an art and a science - don't leave your career up to chance - make the investment of consulting a professional resume and career strategist to help you stand out from the competition!

Ramsey Penegar is an executive career strategist and resume consultant, certified as a professional resume writer by the Professional Association of Resume Writers. She has developed over 1,000 resumes for executives all over the United States and for international clients as well. With more than 15 years experience in marketing and sales, she has the skills to build effective job search marketing campaigns and attention-getting resumes for a wide-variety of industries and personal career situations.  Contact Ramsey today to discuss your career strategy and resume needs!