How to Include Your OJT Experience in Your Resume (Examples & Tips)
On-the-job training (OJT) is a hands-on approach to teaching students, interns, or trainees the competence, skills, and abilities they need for their chosen career within the workplace. You can learn more about what OJT means here.
Including OJT experience on your resume can give you a competitive edge. While doing OJT, employers do not see trainees as mere learners; they see and treat them as employees. OJT develops real-world skills and gives an edge when applying for jobs, but how?
During OJT, you gain real-life experience in the workplace, enhancing job-specific skills. Throughout your OJT journey, you will encounter things that go far beyond what is taught in school and what you’ve read in books, and this will help you grow professionally as an individual. Many applicants are unsure whether they can include their OJT experience on their resumes. This article will clarify this inquiry and guide you on how to do it correctly.
What is OJT Experience and Why does it Matter on a Resume
On-the-job training is a type of training that involves acquiring skills and knowledge about a profession through practical experience. The purpose of OJT is to help individuals develop the necessary knowledge and confidence they need to succeed in their careers. The theories learned in school are therefore applied to real-world tasks needed in the actual workplace; thus, in this manner, OJT bridges the gap between academic learning and professional work.
The OJT experience serves as individuals’ first “taste” and provides valuable opportunities for applicants to develop work-related competencies, including transferable skills such as problemsolving, teamwork, communication, and flexibility. Integrating OJT in a resume enables applicants to showcase their experience, making them stand out as job-ready and capable of handling real-world responsibilities.
Can you Include OJT Experience in your Resume?
The short answer is yes — but knowing when and how to present it can make all the difference. On-the-job training (OJT) is highly beneficial for you and your resume, more so if it aligns with your career path.
OJT and part-time jobs are often confused with one another, but there is actually a significant difference between them. OJT is particularly well-suited for entry-level jobs or roles that require practical skills and hands-on experience. Part-time jobs, on the other hand, often involve general work experience that does not have a direct relation to your chosen career path.
Students and recent graduates are often baffled by questions like, “Can we add an internship as experience in a resume?” The answer lies in its relevance. Is your OJT experience relevant to the position you are applying for? If your OJT experience is directly related to the job you’re applying for, include it. If not, it’s best to leave it out. This ensures that only relevant skills are included on your resume for the position to which you are applying. Thus, focus on achievements, responsibilities, and skills acquired.
Are you ready to find an OJT placement to improve and add value to your resume? Visit OJTGo, a platform built by students for students.
How to List your OJT Experience in a Resume (Step-by-Step Guide)
First things first, choose the correct section for your OJT experience. If your OJT is directly related to the job you are seeking, you may list your OJT under “Work Experience”. Otherwise, place it under a section labeled ‘Training Experience’ or ‘Internships’ instead. You can even create a separate section for it if needed. The next step is to include key details, which consist of the following: company name, position/role, duration, responsibilities, and achievements (if applicable). The format below is a sample resume entry for OJT; you may refer to it and use it as your basis.
Including your OJT experience in your resume helps employers see your real-world skills. Moreover, by demonstrating what you have learned and achieved, you also prove yourself to be a workplace-ready individual.
How to Describe your Learning Experience in OJT
Feeling stuck and unsure about how to describe your OJT learning experience? Worry no more — we’ve got you covered! Just follow the simple steps below.
1. Focus on Skills and Achievements
When describing your experience in OJT, focus not only on the tasks you performed, but also on what you actually accomplished. Avoid writing things like:
• “Troubleshooting network issues.”
This statement only describes what you did, not what you achieved. Do it this way instead:
• “Assisted in troubleshooting network issues, which resulted in a 15% reduction in downtime.”
2. Use Action Verbs
Verbs are most commonly defined as words used to describe an action. When writing about your OJT experience, it is essential to start with a verb to convey initiative. For example:
• Developed a social media calendar.
3. Connect Your Experience to Your Field
Describe your responsibilities based on the sector in which you used to work. This provides employers with insight into the conditions in which you worked and the type of responsibility you had. For example:
• IT: Installed systems, searched for security problems and assisted with technical
troubleshooting.
• HR: Provided support with training, maintained employee files, addressed general staff questions and assisted in keeping filing cabinets up to date.
• Marketing: Wrote captions, generated low-fidelity content, participated in social media strategy planning and tracked how each post did.
4. Talk About What You Learned and What You Achieved
Describe how work helped you to develop valuable skills, and how your work had an impact. For example:
• “Enhanced my Excel abilities in monitoring sales, which reduced the time our team took to report by 10%.”
5. Use Clear Results
Adding numbers or outcomes enhances your experience. Even simple tasks sound more meaningful when you show the result.
Create an OJT Portfolio
If finding a job is a battlefield, your OJT portfolio is your weapon. An OJT portfolio is an organized folder that helps you present the skills and experience you’ve earned in an OJT program. A portfolio should contain elements earned from both practical and academic aspects of the OJT program. The mere existence of the portfolio earns you some points, but a better-organized OJT portfolio reflects better on the applicant. Portfolios, coupled with other documents, demonstrate that an applicant has a considerable amount of real-world experience. Employers appreciate the organized portfolio, which reflects the commitment and the work ethic of the holder.
When preparing your portfolio, ensure that the OJT documentation includes the following.
• Supervisor Evaluations
• Certificates of Participation
• Daily Reports
• Reflection Essays
• Photos of Activities Accomplished
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put my on-the-job training in my resume?
Yes, and you should! Including OJT in your resume highlights your experience, hands-on training, and readiness for professional work. Additionally, it signifies that you can adapt to a new environment.
Should I still include internships on my resume?
Yes, OJT and internships are valuable training experiences that demonstrate your career development. They showcase that you have some hands-on experience in a professional work environment.
If you’re curious about the difference between OJT and internship, check out our guide on OJT vs. Internship: What’s the Difference?
What’s the best way to describe OJT experience for fresh graduates?
In describing your OJT experience, a fresh graduate’s best option is to centre on their achievements, skills, and the impact of any work contributed, as opposed to all of the duties performed. This is the best way to transform your OJT experience from a simple academic requirement into a prominent career feature that distinguishes you from other applicants.
Properly integrating your OJT experience into your resume will not only give you a competitive advantage but also increase your chances of getting the position you are applying for, more so if your OJT is directly related to it. Your OJT experience demonstrates to employers what you’re capable of, the skills you’ve honed and the value you’ve delivered. It’s an affirmation for potential employers that you can do what you say. Beyond that, it also states that you are an individual who’s prepared to work and who will easily adapt to the new demands of the real world. It is also essential to keep your resume up-to-date at all times. This means accurately demonstrating all the relevant experiences, accomplishments, and skills that you possess, which not only gives you a competitive edge in the job market but also facilitates the emergence of new opportunities.