Should I still include my courses taken in my resume? [Archive]

eddie269

10-06-2005, 03:12 AM

Now that I've worked at Wells Fargo officially since June (about 5 months), should I still include my courses taken in college on my resume? I am applying for new marketing/media jobs (entry level positions of course) and when I sent out my new revised resume, I cut out the courses taken section. In its place, I just put in my Wells Fargo experience, which filled in the extra space.

Since I am technically still looking for entry level work in a different field, would it be better to include my courses taken or let it go since I am technically "experienced" now.

winneythepooh7

10-06-2005, 06:25 AM

I think you should let it go.

lilyflower

10-06-2005, 09:58 AM

I'm of the belief that you remove college courses once you have any sort of industry experience. I'm also of the belief that you remove college honors and GPAs after a year.

Then again, my resume is close to 2 pages these days with my lab skills section so that could very well be why :)

Tayl405

10-06-2005, 10:10 AM

I never had college courses or GPAs on my resume. If there was anything relevant to that job I put it in the cover letter or discussed it in the interview.

ut_bill

10-06-2005, 10:31 AM

I worked in my University's Career Center while in grad school and I suggest taking courses out of your resume. Unless you're going into education, relevant experience is more important to list.

The only thing I would be afraid that they would ask of you is why you are looking for another job so soon after taking your first one. Be prepared to answer that one.

Tayl405

10-06-2005, 10:37 AM

What would so soon be? I started working here in Feb. and I would like to get a new job before next Feb. But is that bad?

MetFanL

10-06-2005, 11:14 AM

I think you can have one quick "job jump" (a year or less), but employers don't want to see a pattern of it. I also wouldn't want to stay at my first job less than year and, if you do, definitely be prepared to answer that question, as someone already posted.

Kitty

10-06-2005, 11:18 AM

I think its weird to put courses taken on your resume in general - even a recent grad.

I also am of the school of thought that you should probably stay at your first job for a year..

biodork

10-06-2005, 11:22 AM

Unless it is your CV that you are sending out to grad schools, you should probably remove the courses that you took.

lilyflower

10-06-2005, 11:23 AM

I think its weird to put courses taken on your resume in general - even a recent grad.

I also am of the school of thought that you should probably stay at your first job for a year..

Depending on the field, Kitty it actually makes sense. I know at least in science, it's generally a good idea to list courses as a new grad particularly if you have a BS biology - a BS biology could be anything from ecology to molecular biology so listing courses that are applicable to the field make sense. Doing it after the first job doesn't make sense though.

Unless you're a temp somewhere, I think it can seriously count against you if you leave the first job after less than a year.

Angyl

10-06-2005, 11:24 AM

lilyflower

10-06-2005, 11:26 AM

media job could care less about what courses you've taken. What matters is practical experience, and things. I only have my major, GPA (since it's above 3.0) and when i graduated. You should keep your resume to one page too. What matters msot on media/writing jobs (in my experience) is your clips/portfolio/writing samples and your cover letter. Fuck up your cover letter and you're beyond screwed.

Again, varies by industry. In the industry I work in it's common to see 2 page resumes, or 10 page CVs from really experienced scientists (especially those with a lot of publications/presentations) I know that's not the norm for business though.

eddie269

10-06-2005, 11:27 AM

http://www.quarterlifecrisis.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14486

and

http://www.quarterlifecrisis.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14700

and this one also

http://www.quarterlifecrisis.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14540

That's why. I always thought I'd be able to stay at my first job for at least a year also. But it's just so depressing going in everyday. Oh well. Courses are off but allof my friends who graduated with me put them on and they got great jobs.

MetFanL

10-06-2005, 11:27 AM

media job could care less about what courses you've taken. What matters is practical experience, and things. I only have my major, GPA (since it's above 3.0) and when i graduated. You should keep your resume to one page too. What matters msot on media/writing jobs (in my experience) is your clips/portfolio/writing samples and your cover letter. Fuck up your cover letter and you're beyond screwed.

Yeah, it also varies by experience. Now that I've been working for 6 years, it would be ridiculous to try and put all my experience on one page.

lilyflower

10-06-2005, 11:29 AM

Yeah, it also varies by experience. Now that I've been working for 6 years, it would be ridiculous to try and put all my experience on one page.

Yup, that too. Hell, I can't fit all my experience on one page and I have about a year and a half in the industry (of course, my lab techniques/skills section takes up like 1/3 of the page)

Kitty

10-06-2005, 11:34 AM

Yeah...in marketing jobs it wouldn't make sense to put courses. That would just be weird. I guess its different for science related jobs..

Angyl

10-06-2005, 11:35 AM

I think my industry just wants to make things as hard as possible. I've actually started taking out relative experience in order to get it all to fit. At this point, the only college things I have listed were my awards. It's ridiculous. We're also lazy sons of bitches so we do'nt wnat to read more than a page. My editor does the hiring for my bureau and he had never even read my resume, he only went off what other editors had told him about me. I'm not sure he even saw my portfolio, but then again someone else hired me for another bureau.

I would check with a national organization. I'm sure there's a national marketing org that has a web page that says what they're looking for when they get apps.

lilyflower

10-06-2005, 11:36 AM

Yeah...in marketing jobs it wouldn't make sense to put courses. That would just be weird. I guess its different for science related jobs..

Yup, science has its own rules - in more ways than one. :)

Seriously though, unless you're in a very specialized field, the "no more than 1 page resume/no courses listed" is a pretty good rule to follow.

MollyMe

10-06-2005, 11:49 AM

I wouldn't list college courses...or stupid college honors.

bridgetjones

10-06-2005, 01:03 PM

I would imagine sales experience is very valuable in a marketing position of any kind. I thought that in many mktg jobs they want former sales ppl. Putting courses does seem odd unless the job ad states that they want a certain education... I put courses only if it is entry level bit I am going into finance so that is more relevant. Plus certain courses are certifications... Put it in your summary of qual section but do not make it a big section or anything...

My resume is a hybrid functional/chronological with a summary of qual bulleting stuff that is not in my job descriptions like comp skills, relevant courses taken, personal characteristics, somthing about my exp or personality I want hilighted, etc...