Resume With no College Degree Example + Writing Tips

No degree? No problems. History knows plenty of highly successful college dropouts who banked on practical experience over formal credentials. Besides, enrolling in a university isn’t the only way to obtain a quality education — you’ve got online courses, professional certification programs, and coaching programs! 

Employers also increasingly recognize that screening out applicants based on their degree doesn’t work in their favor. Almost half of US companies have already eliminated (or plan to remove) degree requirements for most positions. Among them are large employers like Walmart, IBM, and Dell Technologies among others. 

Yet, you’re still required to provide a coherent resume as part of the job application. So do you best address your lack of a degree in a resume?

This post provides several working resumes without college degree examples, alongside actionable writing and formatting tips for each section.

Resume With no College Degree: Example (Word)

Download resume example (.docx)

No College Degree Resume Example (plain text)

Sample Resume Without College Degree But Credits

Pro Tip: How to Put Education on a Resume Without a Degree

When it comes to listing education on a resume without a degree, several scenarios are possible. 

First, you may have an unfinished degree. You’re still either pursuing it or decided that formal education isn’t for you. In this case, here’s how to style your education entry on a resume: 

An alternative scenario is that you’ve never even gone to college or a trade school (which is fine!). But it doesn’t mean the education section on your resume has to be blank. 

In place of a formal degree, you can mention the following:

• Professional certifications and licenses: List all the credentials you have obtained to develop your skill set. Make sure to add the year and validity status if applicable. 

• Professional training and courses: Create a curated list of programs, workshops, or masterclasses (online and in-person) that you’ve completed to show your competencies. 

• On-the-job training: Mention relevant training your former employer(s) have administered. 

Here’s how a sample education section on a resume may look like in this case:

How to Have a Great Resume Without a College Degree

For hiring managers, degrees are often a quick proof point of the candidate’s competency. Your goal is to emphasize your qualifications through other means: On-the-job experiences, skills, and work accomplishments. Focus on showing what you can do in practice, rather than just stating that you know the “theory”. Below are step-by-step tips for writing a resume without a college degree. 

Open With a Compelling Resume Summary

Open your resume with a succinct and memorable resume summary pitching the value you can bring to the company. Think of it as a quick “punch line” that immediately grabs attention and brands you as an experienced and promising candidate.

Here are a few tips to help you brainstorm a solid summary statement:

• Attempt to write it after the work experience section.
• Create a quick list of 3-5 top achievements in your career based on what you wrote in the experience section.
• Re-read the job posting once again to determine which ones will be the most relevant to the employer.
• Don’t pitch what you “can do”. Instead, tell what you have already accomplished.
• Avoid vague, generic statements like these will make you sound like every other candidate applying for the job.

Read more about writing and styling a winning resume header. 

Keep The Focus On Your Accomplishments And Experience

In the chronological resume format, the “Work Experience” section comes first. Thus, you’ll have plenty of room to make a solid impression before the HR scans to the bottom education part. Make this section the focal point of your resume. Speak to your accomplishments at every position you have held, quantifying them with relevant numbers whenever possible. 

Showcase that you have solid hard and soft skills, highly relevant to the role. Prove that you are a solid performer that can bring a tangible impact to the new organization. Here’s a quick template you can use for that:

Position Name 

Employer 

Dates of employment 

• List key skills and the results they helped achieve for the company
• Quantify your impact with numbers if possible to add extra weight 
• Describe your growth and extra skills/experiences you’ve acquired. 

Emphasize Alternative Education And Courses

Today formal education can be easily replaced with alternative training, offered by e-learning providers and MOOCs. Prestigious universities like Harvard, Stanford, Yale, and others offer free online courses and issue certificates of completion. Moreover, there are plenty of niche credentials you can obtain to complement your work experience and demonstrate that you have an up-to-date, hands-on skill set.  

Add these to your education section to make it more authoritative. Also, you can list all the professional training you have obtained on the job, plus add masterclasses, conferences, industry certifications, and so on. 

Finally, you can also list hobbies and interests if these are relevant to the job and help demonstrate your skill sets. For example, saying that you’re an avid marathon runner can strengthen your profile as a potential personal trainer. 

Edit Your Resume for Impact 

Once you are done with the initial writing, change gears for a while and then sit down to review your resume once again. Specifically, look for any gaps or vagueness that may leave the employer wondering about your expertise.

Sprinkle in additional power words and keywords (taken from the job description) to better articulate your competencies. Beef up your accomplishments and duties and re-check the texts for any grammar and formatting mistakes.

Pro tip: Use our free resume builder to create a well-formatted resume 2X faster. The app automatically guides you through each section and then generates a recruiter-friendly resume in Word or PDF format in one click. 

Final Tip: Apply Even If Your Feel Underqualified

A lot of job posts come with specific education requirements in terms of BA/MA. Don’t skip on these if you feel that you are otherwise a strong fit. A lot of employers prefer candidates with strong hands-on experience to those with a less diverse background, but the said degree.

Thus, emphasize your skills and career progression to showcase what results you can drive for this particular company. The best way to do so is by writing a strong resume summary/career statement and placing a stronger accent on your skills.