Adding certifications to your resume is crucial to landing your dream job. With the increasing significance of certifications and online courses, earning a certification can add another feather to your hat.
But, the one thing that needs clarity is how to list these certifications in resume. In this article, we answer this question in 4 easy steps.
How to add certifications on resume in 4 easy steps?
Certifications help millions of working professionals gain expertise in fields, and is a huge factor in boosting career growth.
These short courses that take less time than degrees and impart in-depth knowledge, leading to increased interest in upskilling.
If you have completed that stage and are now looking for ways to include certifications on resume, this is what you need to do:
1. Make a new section for certifications in resume
Certifications are add-on courses that help people learn about various fields and boost their career growth.
So list your certifications in resume effectively by bringing them to the forefront. Dedicate a separate section for certifications on your resume.
As you list the certifications in a separate section, keep these things in mind:
- Use the same font size and face to maintain consistency in the document
- List your certifications with complete details about the course, institute, start, and end date, etc.
- Eliminate abbreviations, elaborate short forms, or jargon that may be hard for recruiters to understand
2. Highlight the certification in resume in four sections
Yes, you read that right! With thousands of applications, recruiting managers may not read every section of a resume. So, do not wait for them to find the certifications in resume - bring them to it.
Here are the four sections in which you must include your certifications:
- Personal details
- Career objectives/ summary
- In the dedicated certification
- In the work experience section
Sample of certifications in resume
Tanmay Sharma
Certified Digital marketeer
37-A, Model Town,
New Delhi- 110009
987654321
XYZ123@gmail.com
Objective
Certified in digital marketing with 4+ years of experience working with the marketing team of a reputed firm. Hard-working candidate, well-versed in digital marketing.Looking to use and develop my skills and expertise in a role that challenges me and offers growth opportunities.
Certification
Certificate of Mastery in Digital media marketing
GFH Institute
(2020-2022)
Work Experience
Digital Marketing Executive, VDS Agency
(Apr 2019- May 2022)
- Worked as a Digital Marketing Executive for 3+ years
- Earned certification in digital marketing to upskill and work on Keyword research and PPC Campaigns
- Led campaigns to drive conversion for multiple clients on Google Adwords
- Strategized content calendar using best SEO practices
3. List certifications in resume per the relevance to the job you are applying
The key to including certifications in resume is placing the job-critical certifications before the others. Listing them in the order of relevance will help the recruiter sift through your resume and can improve your chances of getting shortlisted.
For example, if you are applying for the role of a digital marketing manager, highlight the certification in resume with the most relatable curriculum to the job description.
In this case, it would include courses that help you with the tips and tricks of digital marketing, online channels, PPC, SEO, Google Analytics, etc.
This does not mean that you can not list any other certifications. Just keep the most relevant ones on the top, and others can follow.
4. Identify and list relevant skills from the certifications in resume
As you include the certifications on your resume, utilize them well. A great way to do that is to add the skills acquired from the certification and list them in the skills section.
This applies to both hard and soft skills. Including them will showcase your growth curve and highlight your skills and specialization to the recruiters, which may be hard to bring up otherwise.
Certification in resume- Sample
Tanmay Sharma
Certified Digital marketeer
37-A, Model Town,
New Delhi- 110009
987654321
XYZ123@gmail.com
Objective
Certified in digital marketing with 4+ years of experience working with the marketing team of a reputed firm. Hard-working candidate, well-versed in digital marketing.Looking to use and develop my skills and expertise in a role that challenges me and offers growth opportunities.
Work Experience
ASME, XYZ Weekly
(Apr 2018- May 2019)
- Worked as an Assistant Social Media Executive for 10 months
- Planned social media calendar for the Instagram and Twitter handles of the magazine
- Handled Twitter and Instagram and increased engagement followers by 18% and 24% respectively.to announcements and made efforts to make sure maximum readership
Digital Marketing Executive, VDS Agency
(Apr 2019- May 2022)
- Worked as a Digital Marketing Executive for 3+ years
- Earned certification in digital marketing to upskill and work on Keyword research and PPC Campaigns
- Led campaigns to drive conversion for multiple clients on Google Adwords
- Strategized content calendar using best SEO practices
Certifications
Certificate of Mastery in Digital media marketing
GFH Institute
(2020-2022)
Skills
- Content writing
- Social media handling
- Eye for detail
- Interpersonal skills
- Communication skills
- Troubleshooting
Education
B.A. in English, CFD University
(2016-2018)
78%
Achievements
- Elected the Vice President of the department at CVF College in the year 2019
- Organized inter-college seminars with a footfall of 1800 people
Is including certifications in resume a good idea?
Adding certifications on resume is a great idea as it highlights your skills and emphasizes your zeal for career growth.
Listing certifications give you the opportunity to showcase the acquired industry expertise and adds value to your resume. You can also gain knowledge of specific industry skills, especially if your work experience in the field is limited.
They also educate you with the latest trends and tools related to your industry, and with certifications, you are always learning, which is a plus for your career growth.
All in all, earning certifications is a terrific idea. Once you have done that, the only thing you need to know is how to list certification in resume in the correct manner.
