How to List Certificates on Your Resume

Professional certifications are a valuable tool that can set you apart from other candidates and demonstrate your commitment to your profession. So what are some of the considerations you need to make when listing them on your resume?

Are my certifications relevant to the position?

If you’re going for jobs in a specific industry like finance or health care, certifications that are directly related to that industry will obviously carry more weight. But don’t overlook more general certificates like those in project management or leadership, skills that a good amount of recruiters are looking for.

How much information should be included?

Be sure to mention the name of the certification, the organization that awarded it, the date of issuance, and its expiration date if it has one. Those last two elements are particularly important since skills and industry knowledge change rapidly; if you got your certification 10 years ago, or if it expired two or three years ago, then it might be best to leave it off. Keep in mind that you can also spell out the exact skills you acquired so the hiring manager understands the value and credibility of your certification.

Should I put coursework or in-progress training?

Yes and yes! Anything that shows how eager and committed you are to acquiring the necessary skills for the job you’re seeking is fair game. You can put “in progress” or “currently pursuing” or indicate the date when your studies will be complete. Don’t forget to update your resume once you’ve got the actual certification!

Where should I put my certifications?

There are many different ways to organize a resume, but most people create a separate category for their certifications or place less essential ones in the education section. Candidates in a profession that emphasizes or requires a certification, like Certified Public Accountant (CPA), often include their certification in their profile or even after their name, but that’s not as common. List certifications in order from newest to oldest.

What if I don’t have any certifications yet?

Better late than never. Boost your industry profile by taking advantage of these professional certification resources (among many others):

• Udemy offers 213,000 online video courses in more than 75 languages with additions every month.
• Coursera partners with more than 275 universities and companies on thousands of learning opportunities.
• Hubspot Academy provides practical courses and comprehensive certifications in sought-after business skills.
• Microsoft Learn focuses on skills, documentation, training, and certifications in Microsoft products.
• Google Digital Garage taps into Google experts to grow businesses, careers, and confidence at any skill level.
• Cisco Networking Academy delivers certification-aligned courses in topics like cybersecurity and networking.
• Project Management Institute advances the project management profession with certifications and online courses.