How to Write a Certification List on Resume? 

Certification tells employers and professional peers that you have well-qualified education and that you take your career seriously. It can help you find a good job, advance in your career and add stability to the long-term employment prospect. 

Pearson VUE research revealed that certifications bring a positive impact on the lives and careers of thousands of respondents across the globe. Certification also benefits employees in terms of extrinsic, intrinsic, and practical benefits, such as an increase in salary or becoming more confident in a promotion. 

So, are you interested in pursuing more certification? Read here for 8 Certifications that Will Impress Your Recruiter

After getting some certifications that would add value to your resume, should you write them depending on the time of completion or alphabetic order? Should you add technical certification even when you are applying for a marketing manager position? 

If you are facing such a dilemma, here are some clues on how you should write certifications on your resume. 

Where to put your certifications? 

Whether you are writing a chronological or functional resume format, it is always advisable to write your professional certifications under education or work experiences list. Here is a simple example: 

How to write your certifications? 

It is important to notice that you should ONLY write certification in reverse chronological order, beginning with the most recently achieved or any that are in progress. Do NOT include less important or irrelevant certifications. Make sure you distinguish between certification and licences.

Licence is mandated by the state to practice a profession or offer a service within that designated scope of practice. For example, driving licence, hunting licence, copyright licence, etc. 

Certification is provided by a private organisation comprised of trade-specific professionals who identify tasks and duties that best represent a competent professional in the industry. For example, SPHR certification, help desk certification, sales certification, etc. 

The most common and acceptable format of certification writing in a resume is: 

• Name of certification 

• Name of certify body

• Dates obtained and expiration

• Location (optional) 

For instance: Adobe Illustrator CC 2019 Certification, Google, 3 February 2019 - 3 February 2020

Note: If you want to give a summary or an objective section below your certification, make it sound professional. As an example: “A dedicated professional with 2+ years of experience in Adobe Photoshop and photography. Able to handle stress and remain calm in a tight deadline. Highly skilled in the application of Adobe Photoshop technique.” This kind of summary is optional, however. 

Next read: How To Remove “Overqualified” Label & Get The Job You Want