How to List Certifications on a Resume

ByBecky
how to list certifications on a resume

Education isn’t cheap, and we aren’t even talking about a university degree. Online schools and technical colleges are offering certifications for everything from C++ to seaplane maintenance. While these certifications may not cost as much as a bachelor’s degree, they certainly aren’t free, either. The average cost of these certifications can easily cost thousands of dollars. 

However, just because these certifications aren’t a master’s degree in chemical engineering doesn’t mean they aren’t every bit as useful. Good resume-writing services suggest you talk about your certifications, and today, we’ll look at the best ways to do this. 

Listing Your Certifications

There are a couple of different kinds of certifications that should be listed on a resume, and where and how you want to list them depends on the job. 

Software and IT Certifications

Whether it’s Cisco Networking, Comptia Security, or obscure corporate software, all these certifications should be grouped together

Government Certifications

If you have a license or certification that is issued by your state or country–such as FDA, USDA, FHA, CPB–you should consider it a government certification.

Accredited University or College Certifications

Many community colleges offer nine-month courses in everything from accounting to HVAC work. 

Should I List Certifications Under Education?

Yes and no–you should definitely list your certifications under your education section, typically at the bottom of your resume. If you have a bachelor’s degree or higher from a university, that should be listed first, followed by certifications. 

Try and group them into sections, but always remember to keep your certifications relevant.

Certifications Aren’t Just Education

That being said, you shouldn’t list your certifications only at the bottom of your resume. If having a certification is a requirement of the job, that should be the very first thing listed in your skills section or in your written resume summary.

Examples:

  • “FAA-certified aircraft mechanic with more than six years of experience working on large commercial aircraft primarily in avionics” 
  • “Certified Cisco Systems administrator with three years of front-end server maintenance”

You can also pepper your certifications and knowledge about applicable certifications throughout your resume, such as saying:

  • “Responsible for caring for patients in a hospital environment while following HIPAA guidelines”
  • “Took legal statements from alleged victims of fraud and ensured their documents were filed with the relevant courts in accordance with (insert law number here)”

In ConclusionBefore you upload your resume to Indeed or elsewhere, consider if you have any relevant certifications. Certifications are important, and when highly applicable, you should work them into your resume any way you can–sometimes multiple times–to make sure they’re seen in keyword searches.

Author: Becky is a contributor for theJub. She’s a writing and talent acquisition specialist who loves to apply her skills through creative writing and editing.

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