Should education or work experience come first on my resume?

Put work experience first if you have relevant professional experience. Put education first if you are a student, a recent graduate, or your degree is the main qualification for the job.

Education first usually makes sense when:

• You graduated within the last year or two and have little work experience.
• You have just completed a degree that qualifies you for a new field.
• The job requires a specific degree, and your experience is limited.

Experience first usually makes sense when:

• You have two or more years of relevant work.
• Your achievements at work are stronger evidence than your studies.

As your career grows, education naturally moves down the page and becomes shorter. An experienced professional who just finished an MBA may still lead with experience and mention the MBA in the summary.