Quick answer: List awards on your resume when they're recent (usually within the last 10 years) and relevant to the job. For each award, include the award name, the organization that gave it, the year, and a short note on why you won or how selective it was. Put work awards under the relevant job, academic honors under education, and use a separate "Awards & Honors" section only if you have several strong awards that don't fit elsewhere.
An award on your resume is like a five-star review: it's someone else saying you're good at what you do. The trick is choosing the right reviews. "Salesperson of the Year" helps. "Best Costume, 2019 Office Halloween Party" probably doesn't, no matter how good the costume was.
This guide explains which awards to put on your resume, where to put them, how to describe them, and examples for every type.
Should You Put Awards on Your Resume?
Yes, if the award:
- Is relevant to the job or shows skills the employer wants
- Is recent, generally within the last 10 years (or from college, if you're a recent graduate)
- Is selective, meaning it was competitive or given to a small percentage of people
- Shows results, like top performance, leadership, or innovation
Skip it if it:
- Is old and unrelated (high school awards once you've graduated college)
- Was given to everyone (participation certificates)
- Is controversial or likely to raise questions unrelated to the job
- Takes space from more relevant experience
Awards should support your experience, not replace it. If you don't have any, that's completely fine. Your results speak for themselves.
What to Include When Listing an Award
- Award name: "President's Club," "Dean's List," "Employee of the Year"
- Issuing organization: your employer, university, industry association, or community group
- Date: usually just the year
- Context: why you won and how selective it was, if it isn't obvious
Weak: Employee of the Year, 2025
Strong: Employee of the Year, Brightline Logistics (2025): selected from 400+ employees for cutting delivery delays by 30%
The context matters most when the award name won't mean anything to someone outside your company or industry.
Where to Put Awards on a Resume
1. Under the relevant job (best for professional awards)
Add the award as a bullet point under the position where you earned it. This ties the recognition to your work.
Account Executive, CloudLedger, Austin, TX | 2022 – Present
- Exceeded annual quota by 132%, ranking #2 of 45 sales reps
- Earned President's Club (2024, 2025), awarded to the top 5% of sales performers
2. In your education section (best for academic honors)
Bachelor of Science in Biology, University of Florida, May 2026
Magna Cum Laude | Dean's List (6 semesters) | Phi Beta Kappa
See how to list a degree on a resume and GPA on a resume.
3. In a dedicated "Awards & Honors" section
Use a separate section when you have three or more strong awards that don't fit under a specific job or degree, such as community, industry, or competition awards. Place it near the bottom of your resume.
AWARDS & HONORS
Volunteer of the Year, Habitat for Humanity Austin (2025): recognized for leading 12 builds and recruiting 80 volunteers
1st Place, Texas Startup Pitch Competition (2024): won $10,000 in seed funding among 60 teams
40 Under 40, Austin Business Journal (2023)
Alternative section titles: "Honors & Awards," "Achievements & Recognition," or "Awards & Achievements."
4. In your summary (for one standout award)
If you have one major, highly relevant award, mention it at the top:
"Two-time President's Club account executive with 6 years of B2B SaaS sales experience…"
See how to write a resume summary.
Types of Awards to Put on a Resume (With Examples)
Academic awards and honors
- Latin honors (cum laude, magna cum laude, summa cum laude)
- Dean's List or President's List
- Honor societies (Phi Beta Kappa, Sigma Theta Tau, Tau Beta Pi)
- Merit scholarships and fellowships
- Valedictorian or salutatorian (for high school students and early college only)
- Best thesis or research awards
Academic awards matter most for students and recent graduates, and fade in importance as you gain experience.
Professional and company awards
- Employee of the Month, Quarter, or Year
- President's Club or top performer awards
- Sales awards (e.g., "#1 in region")
- Customer service or patient experience awards
- Innovation or "spot" awards
- Safety awards
Industry awards
- Professional association honors
- "40 Under 40" or similar lists
- Design, advertising, or writing awards (e.g., ADDY Awards)
- Best paper or best presentation at a conference
Industry awards carry extra weight because they're judged outside your employer.
Competition awards
- Hackathon, case competition, or pitch competition wins
- Debate, science, or academic olympiad placements
- Kaggle or coding competition rankings
Military awards
List military decorations under your military service entry, and explain what they recognize for civilian readers:
Army Commendation Medal (2021): awarded for leading logistics operations supporting 1,200 personnel
Community and volunteer awards
- Volunteer of the Year
- Community leadership or service awards
- Nonprofit recognition
These are especially useful if they show leadership or skills related to the job. See volunteer work on a resume.
How to List a Team Award
If your team won an award, be clear about your role:
"Member of a 6-person product team that won the company's 2025 Innovation Award for a feature that increased retention by 12%; led the user research workstream."
Don't present a team award as an individual one. Interviewers will ask.
Awards vs. Achievements vs. Honors
None of the top guides spell this out, but the words overlap:
- Awards are formal recognitions given by an organization (Employee of the Year, a trophy, a prize).
- Honors are usually academic or distinguished recognitions (Dean's List, honor societies, Latin honors).
- Achievements are results you accomplished, whether or not anyone gave you an award (grew revenue 40%, launched a product).
Achievements belong in your work experience bullets. Awards and honors can go there too, or in their own section.
No Awards? Put These Instead
You don't need awards to have a strong resume. Show the same credibility with:
- Quantified achievements: revenue, savings, growth, rankings. See resume bullet points.
- Rankings without a formal award: "Top 3 of 25 agents for customer satisfaction"
- Certifications that prove skills. See certifications on a resume.
- Promotions, which are recognition in their own right. See how to show a promotion on your resume.
- Positive feedback in numbers: "Maintained a 4.9/5 client rating across 300 reviews"
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I put awards on my resume?
Yes, if they're recent, relevant, and meaningful. Awards add credibility, especially for entry-level candidates and competitive roles. Leave off old or unrelated awards.
Where do awards go on a resume?
Under the job where you earned them, in your education section for academic honors, or in a separate "Awards & Honors" section if you have several that don't fit elsewhere.
How do I list honors on a resume?
List academic honors like Latin honors, Dean's List, and honor societies on the same line or directly under your degree in the education section.
Should I put scholarships on my resume?
Yes, especially merit-based or competitive scholarships, if you're a student or recent graduate. List them under education with the name and year.
How far back should awards go on a resume?
Generally 10 years, unless the award is especially prestigious or directly relevant. Remove high school awards once you've completed college.
What if the organization that gave me an award is controversial?
Think about how the employer will see it. If the award shows a relevant skill, you can describe the achievement without naming the organization ("Recognized for leading a 50-person fundraising campaign"). If it's likely to distract from your qualifications, leave it off.
How do I list awards on a CV?
On an academic CV, awards usually get their own section, often called "Honors and Awards" or "Grants, Fellowships, and Awards," listed in reverse-chronological order. See our science CV sample.
Show Off Your Achievements
Our Resume Builder makes it easy to add awards where they count most, under the right job, degree, or a dedicated honors section, in a clean, ATS-friendly layout.