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Highlights

1. "Honors" reflect academic or professional achievements showcasing your excellence in specific areas.
2. Include honors in the Education or Awards section, depending on relevance and career stage.
3. Choose relevant honors to match the job role, such as academic, professional, or military distinctions.
4. Prioritize honors based on resume purpose and balance them with details of work experience.
5. Format honors clearly and consistently to ensure they stand out on your resume.

In today’s competitive job market, your resume needs to grab attention. Adding honors and awards can give you the extra boost to land an interview.

Your degrees and work experience are important, but employers often sift through dozens of resumes daily. To stand out, you need more than just the basics.

Listing awards and honors on your resume can make all the difference.

So, this guide will show you what does it mean by honors on resume, where to include them, and how to present them to strengthen your application.

What Does It Mean By Honors On Resume?

"Honors" on a resume refers to academic or professional achievements highlighting your excellence in a particular area. These are typically distinctions or awards you’ve received during your education or career. Including honors on your resume demonstrates your dedication, hard work, and ability to excel, making you stand out to potential employers.

Examples of honors might include:

1. Dean’s List
2. Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, or Summa Cum Laude
3. Scholarships or Fellowships
4. Professional Awards or Recognitions
5. Membership in Honor Societies (e.g., Phi Beta Kappa)

These are usually listed in your resume's Education section or a dedicated Awards and Honors section.

When to Include Honors on Your Resume?

Listing academic honors on your resume depends on your situation. If you’re just starting and don’t have much work experience, including academic honors, it can be a great way to show your intelligence, dedication, and hard work. These honors can help highlight your qualifications when job experience is limited.

For those with several years of work experience, academic honors don’t need their section. Instead, you can briefly mention graduation honors, like cum laude, in the education section without taking up too much space. At this stage, hiring managers care more about your work experience than achievements from your school days.

3 Types of Honors to Include on Your Resume

Adding awards to your resume is a great way to showcase your skills and accomplishments. The awards you include should match the role you’re applying for. For instance:

1. Management positions: Highlight awards that show leadership and communication skills.
2. Technical roles: Focus on achievements that demonstrate industry-specific expertise.

Here are three types of awards you can list on your resume, along with examples for each:

1. Academic Honors

Academic awards reflect your dedication, work ethic, and ability to excel. They show that you aim to go above and beyond expectations. Examples include:

1. High GPA
2. Honor society membership
3. Scholarships
4. Dean’s List recognition
5. Departmental awards
6. Fellowships or grants
7. Degree-specific distinctions like cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude

2. Professional Honors

Professional awards demonstrate your value in the workplace and industry. They show you’ve made a notable impact. Examples include:

1. Employee of the Month
2. Leadership or team achievement awards
3. Industry-wide recognition
4. Association or trade organization honors
5. Acknowledgments in trade publications

3. Military Honors

If you’ve served in the military, your awards highlight leadership, discipline, and commitment skills transferable to many roles. Examples include:

1. Personal decorations for bravery or service
2. Awards from military academies
3. Service medals or ribbons

How to List Honors and Activities on Resume?

Including honors on your resume can help highlight your achievements. How you list them depends on the type of honors, the purpose of your resume, and your work experience. Follow these steps to organize your honors effectively:

1. Identify Your Honors

Honors can include academic achievements like cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude, merit-based scholarships, or awards. Decide which honors are relevant.

1. Graduation honors go under the Education section with your degree.
2. Scholarships and awards can have their section labeled Honors.

2. Understand Your Resume’s Purpose

Think about why you’re creating your resume:

1. Applying to graduate school? Highlight academic honors prominently.
2. Looking for your first job? Focus on your education and honors.
3. Experienced professional? Prioritize work history over academic honors.

3. Review Your Work Experience

Determine how much space you need for your job experience.

1. If you have a lot of work history, give less space to honors and education.
2. Only include jobs and honors that are relevant to the role.

4. Add Honors to Your Resume

Use this guide based on your situation:

1. For graduate school: Create a section for Honors and list scholarships and awards prominently.
2. For entry-level jobs (little experience): Use an Honors section to fill space and highlight achievements.
3. For entry-level jobs (with experience): Include honors only if there’s space. Focus on work experience.
4. For experienced professionals: Add honors only if they’re relevant to the job. Employers care more about your career history.

5. Format Your Resume Consistently

1. Align text evenly and use the same font, size, and style (bold, italics) throughout.
2. If your resume is longer than one or two pages, remove less relevant details.

To make your resume stand out, use our best resume builder. 

How To List National Merit Scholar On Your Resume?

To list a National Merit Scholar award on your resume effectively, follow these steps:

1. Choose the Right Section

1. Education: List it here if you're a recent graduate or student since it relates to academic achievements.
2. Awards & Honors: Create a dedicated section for awards if you have multiple recognitions.
3. Skills or Certifications: If relevant, you can include it in a related section.

2. Format it Clearly

Use a concise format to make it stand out:

1. Award Title: National Merit Scholar
2. Organization: National Merit Scholarship Corporation
3. Date Received: Include the year you received the award.
4. Brief Context (optional): If space allows, explain its significance, such as "awarded to top 1% of PSAT takers nationwide."

Example in Resume

Education Section:

[Your School Name] — [City, State]

Bachelor of Science in Biology | Graduating May 2025

1. National Merit Scholar (2024)

Awards Section:

Awards & Honors

1. National Merit Scholar (2024)
2. Recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation for scoring in the top 1% on the PSAT.

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Summary

Knowing what does it mean by honors on resume can help you present your achievements effectively. Whether it's academic, professional, or military honors, including them correctly can make your resume stand out. Remember to choose honors that fit the job you're applying for and highlight your skills and dedication. A well-organized resume with relevant honors can leave a strong impression on potential employers.