It can be easy to adhere to a templated idea of how your resume should be organized. Typically, people put their experience near the top, then education, then awards and extracurriculars, and towards the bottom it becomes a free for all. But, does experience always need to be first? How should that decision be made?

As with all of the other aspects of your application package, you should always look to tell a prospective employer a (true) story about yourself that directly responds to the opportunity you are pursuing. 

Think about someone with little to no experience, but who has a lot of relevant volunteer work. There might be a scenario where that volunteer work is placed at the forefront. Or perhaps you have some work experience, but you've just completed a graduate degree, something an employer has said is particularly important to them. You might put your education upfront.

For most people, the experience will be first, but it's good to know why that is, so that, if you decide, things can be modified to achieve your intended goal.