How to Create a Resume With No Education
Get a Free Expert Review6 min read. Updated on March 18, 2020
Table of contents
Table of contents
Table of contents
Table of contents
It is possible to write a resume with no education that still gets interviews
You've found a job you know you're qualified for based on your skills and experience – but you don't have the right education or lack a specific degree. Essentially, you have a resume with no education relevant to the position. Should you pass over that job? Absolutely not!
Employers care more about what you can do than what school you went to. Show them you're qualified, capable, and ready to work – even without a degree.
Choose the right resume format when you have no education
If you need to create a resume with no formal or relevant education, use a hybrid resume format that combines the best parts of a chronological resume and a functional resume. Basically, allowing you to place an emphasis on your skills and achievements while also showing off your work experience in reverse order – the way hiring managers expect.
Here’s a brief sampling of what the layout looks like:
CAREER APTITUDES
Balance competing priorities across multiple, fast-moving projects
Communicate across functions to support continuous improvement efforts
Build team culture through 1:1 mentorship and junior staff development
SKILLS
Project management
Customer service
Inventory control
WORK EXPERIENCE
Warehouse Lead, Acme Corp – Chicago, IL | 2019–2024
Trained and supervised 12 team members
Cut processing time by 20% with system updates
EDUCATION
Completed OSHA Safety Training | 2023
Also, make sure to put your education section at the end of the resume so that the hiring manager will see how much you have to offer before they see that you don't necessarily meet all of their educational criteria. The goal? To have them find the first parts of your resume so impressive that your education won't matter.
Write a resume summary that shows your value
Right at the top of your resume with no education, you should include a professional summary (versus an objective statement). It’s your first opportunity to give the hiring manager a great first impression of you.
Briefly state the key experience and skills you possess that make you a great fit for the role. Try to match the job description as closely as possible, using the same keywords and phrases when possible.
Example:
Project coordinator with 5+ years experience leading cross-functional teams and managing logistics across overlapping deadlines. Known for improving workflows and mentoring junior staff to hit project goals faster.
The idea is to give a snapshot of what you’ve accomplished versus what you’ve studied. That’s what really counts.
Build a skills section that matches the job
When you’re writing a resume with no education, your skills section needs to do the heavy lifting. It’s critical that you use a balanced mix of hard and soft skills that are specifically tailored to the job you want.
Pro Tip: Think of your resume’s “Skills” section as the ‘Beat the Bots’ section.
Example:
If the job posting says they want someone who can “manage teams and streamline operations,” your skills section might look like this:
Team leadership
Workflow optimization
Inventory tracking systems
Conflict resolution
Time management
Hard skills show you can handle the tools, tech, and processes. Soft skills prove you can work well with others and stay organized under pressure.
Emphasize experience that proves you can do the job
When it comes to your professional experience, make every word count. Provide specific details about your experience doing the same job or similar jobs, including accomplishments such as:
Improving sales
Completing projects at or under budget
Successfully supervising a team or department
List the skills you have that match the job description and use language that shows off your industry knowledge.
Example:
Logistics Associate, River Supply Co. – Austin, TX | 2020–2024
Cut delivery errors by 25% after redesigning inventory flow
Trained 3 new team members who were promoted within 6 months
Managed daily operations for 500+ units with zero downtime
Help potential employers see that you would be an asset to their operation and that your lack of formal education or preferred education specific to that job won’t hold you back. You already have the tools to be a valuable employee; you just need to make sure you're highlighting them correctly.
Back up your skills with proof
Even if you’re writing a resume with no education, you can still show what you’ve accomplished. Use real examples that prove your value and insert those into every part of your resume – professional experience, education, or skills section.
You can also add additional sections like:
Publications: List any published materials that prove you're an expert in your area. These can include books, white papers, and blog posts.
Presentations: Describe any public speaking you've done in your field that you think would be important to a hiring manager. Along with proving your expertise, it shows that you are an effective communicator.
Awards: State any awards you've received for outstanding accomplishments or dedication in a similar job role or in the industry in general.
Pro Tip: Not all experience comes from paid jobs. You can also include freelance work, side gigs, internships, and volunteer roles. If it’s professionally relevant and shows you have what it takes to succeed – use it!
Free Resume Review
Ensure your resume aligns with what employers are actually searching for.
What to put in the Education section if you don’t have a degree
When creating a resume with no education, highlight the ways you've taken the initiative to learn and grow in your field rather than focusing on an incomplete or interrupted education.
List any job-related training you've completed, either through your own initiative or your company's direction. These can include
Apprenticeships
Conferences
Seminars
Online classes
Certification courses
Examples:
Google Career Certificate – IT Support, 2024
Completed OSHA Safety Training, 2023
Completed 60 credits toward A.A. in Business, 2019-2021
If you have worked on or are still working on any kind of educational program, show where you are in the process. For example:
COLLEGE (City, State) | Bachelor of Science [Major ] | Expected completion: MM/YYYY
COLLEGE (City, State) | Bachelor of Science [Major] | Completed [#] Credit Hours
You know what else counts? Company-led training and workshops. Be sure to include those too, just list them last under a “Professional Development” header.
Pro Tip: It’s okay to leave high school or college off your resume if you have more relevant training or experience to show.
How to write a resume with no high school education
If you never finished high school, you can still build a resume with no high school education that will get noticed. The bottom line is that you should simply skip listing anything related to high school at all if you didn’t finish.
Instead, focus on skills, experiences, certifications, and training. It is okay to list a GED, if that’s what you have.
Example:
Currently enrolled in GED program | Expected completion: Fall 2025
Completed Food Safety & Handling Certification | 2023
What if high school is your only education?
If high school is all you’ve completed, list it clearly and confidently. You don’t need to add your GPA or graduation year unless it’s required.
Example:
High School Diploma | Jefferson High School, Dallas, TX
If you’ve done any training, workshops, or certifications since then, include them too. That shows growth and that’s what employers care about most.
Your resume isn’t about what you’re missing
Creating a resume using these tips can help you get past the initial round of screenings and catch a hiring manager's attention since the spotlight will be on your assets and potential, rather than your education. From there, you can follow up with specific details during the interview.
While some employers may immediately reject you because you don't meet specific educational requirements, others will consider you a truly viable candidate because of your skills, experience, initiative, and past success. Those are the companies you can count on to value what you bring to them in the first place.
Need help making your resume stand out? Get a free resume review and find out how to improve your format, keywords, and content – even if you need a resume with no education.
This article was originally written by Lisa Tynan. It’s been updated by Marsha Hebert.
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