Where to put certifications on your resume

Put certifications in their own section, separate from your work history and education. Place this section after your education or, if you have many relevant certifications, right after your summary or objective statement. The exact position depends on how central certifications are to the job you are explore for — if the posting lists certifications as required, move that section higher on the page.

Some resumes combine certifications with education under a single "Education & Certifications" heading if there are only two or three to list. This works if your certifications are closely tied to a degree you earned. For most people, though, a separate section makes certifications easier to spot and shows they are a distinct qualification.

Never bury certifications in the body of a job description. Hiring managers scan resumes quickly and look for certifications in predictable places. A certification mentioned only in passing under a past role is straightforward to miss.

Key Takeaways

  • Create a dedicated "Certifications" or "Professional Certifications" section on your resume, placed after education or near the top if certifications are central to the role.
  • List the full name of the certification, the issuing organization, and the date earned or the expiration date if the certification has a time limit.
  • Include the certification number or credential ID if the employer can verify it directly through the issuing body's website.
  • Arrange certifications by relevance to the job posting, not by date, so the most important ones appear first.
  • Remove expired certifications unless the job posting does not require current status, and always disclose if a certification has lapsed.

What information to include for each certification

List the full official name of the certification exactly as it appears on your certificate. Do not abbreviate or shorten it. For example, write "Certified Public Accountant (CPA)" rather than just "CPA" on its own, because the full name tells a reader unfamiliar with the field what the credential represents.

Add the issuing organization — the body that awarded the certification. This matters because two organizations might issue certifications with similar names. Write "AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (Amazon Web Services)" rather than leaving the reader to guess which AWS you mean.

Include the date you earned the certification. Write the month and year, or the year alone if you do not remember the exact month. If the certification expires, include the expiration date as well — for example, "Issued: June 2022 | Expires: June 2025." This tells an employer at a glance whether the credential is still valid.

Add your credential ID or license number if the issuing organization maintains a public registry where employers can verify your certification. Many professional bodies — nursing boards, engineering societies, project management institutes — publish searchable databases. Including the ID number proves you hold the credential and makes verification faster.

How to format the certifications section

Use a straightforward, scannable format. Start with the certification name in bold, followed by the issuing organization and dates on the same line or the next line. Here is a standard layout:

Certified Public Accountant (CPA) New York State Board of Accountancy | Issued: August 2019 | License #123456

If you have many certifications, list them in order of relevance to the job posting, not in chronological order. Put the certification most directly related to the role at the top. If you are explore for a project management position and hold both a PMP (Project Management Professional) and a Six Sigma Black Belt, list the PMP first because it is more directly relevant.

Keep the section concise. If you have more than eight or nine certifications, list only the ones most relevant to the position. Listing every certification you have ever earned can make the resume cluttered and dilutes the impact of your strongest credentials. Save the full list for a detailed CV if the employer asks for one.

Handling certifications that are expiring or have expired

If a certification is still valid but expiring within the next few months, include it with the expiration date clearly shown. Employers understand that certifications have renewal cycles and will not penalize you for a credential that expires in the near future — as long as you disclose the date.

Remove certifications that have already expired unless the job posting does not require current status or the certification is so well-known that its historical value is clear. For example, an expired "CompTIA A+" from ten years ago is less relevant than a current one, but an expired "Certified Financial Planner (CFP)" signals that you are no longer meeting the credential's continuing education requirements, which matters to employers in that field.

If you are in the process of renewing a certification, you can note this on your resume: "Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) | Issued: March 2020 | Renewal in progress." This shows you are maintaining your credentials and keeps the certification visible while you complete the renewal steps.

Certifications versus licenses and degrees

A certification is a credential earned by passing an exam or completing a program offered by a professional organization or training provider. It is different from a license, which is a legal permission to practice a profession, usually issued by a government body. Both belong on your resume, but they go in different sections.

List licenses in a separate "Licenses" section or combine them with certifications under "Licenses & Certifications" if you have only one or two of each. Licenses are often more important to employers than certifications in regulated fields like nursing, law, or real estate, so place the licenses section higher on the page if that applies to you.

Do not confuse certifications with a degree. A degree (Bachelor of Science, Master of Arts) goes in your "Education" section. A certification earned through a training program or professional organization goes in "Certifications." Some people earn both — for example, a degree in business plus a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification — and both belong on the resume in their respective sections.

Certifications for career changers and early-career workers

If you are changing careers or early in your career, certifications can carry more weight than work experience. In this case, move the certifications section higher, even above work history. A career changer with a new Google Cloud certification and limited cloud experience benefits from putting that certification near the top where a hiring manager sees it when ready.

For early-career workers, certifications can fill gaps left by limited job history. If you have a CompTIA Security+ certification but only six months of IT experience, the certification proves you have studied the field formally and passed a recognized exam. List it prominently so it is not overlooked.

If you are pursuing a certification and have not yet passed the exam, do not list it on your resume. You can mention it in a cover letter — "I am preparing for the AWS Solutions Architect exam" — but a resume should show only credentials you have already earned.

Online and bootcamp certifications

Certifications from online platforms like Coursera, Udemy, LinkedIn Learning, and coding bootcamps are legitimate to include on your resume, but format them clearly so employers understand the source. Write the certification name, the platform or organization that issued it, and the date.

Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate Coursera | Issued: February 2023

Employers increasingly recognize online certifications, especially from well-known platforms and in technical fields. However, they carry less weight than certifications from established professional bodies like the Project Management Institute or CompTIA. If you have both, list the professional certifications first.

For bootcamp certifications, include the bootcamp name and the specific credential earned. "Full Stack Web Development Certificate" from a bootcamp is less specific than "AWS Certified Developer – Associate," so pair bootcamp credentials with any industry-recognized certifications you have also earned.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I include certifications I earned years ago but am no longer maintaining?

If the certification is still valid (not expired), include it. If it has expired and you are not renewing it, remove it unless the field does not require current status. For example, an expired "Certified Scrum Master" from five years ago that you are not renewing should come off your resume, because the field expects current credentials. An old "Microsoft Office Specialist" certification is less critical to remove if you still use those skills.

Can I list certifications I am currently pursuing but have not yet completed?

No, do not list incomplete certifications on your resume. You can mention in your cover letter that you are working toward a credential, but your resume should show only certifications you have already earned and can prove. Once you pass the exam or complete the program, add it to your resume.

How many certifications should I include on my resume?

Include all certifications directly relevant to the job posting. If you have more than eight or nine, prioritize the ones most closely tied to the role and save the rest for a detailed CV. A cluttered certifications section can overwhelm a hiring manager; a focused list of your strongest credentials is more effective.

Do I need to include the credential ID or license number?

Include it if the issuing organization maintains a public registry where employers can verify your credential. This is common for professional licenses and certifications from large bodies like the Project Management Institute or nursing boards. For smaller or less-regulated certifications, the ID is optional but helpful if verification is straightforward.

Should certifications go before or after my work experience?

Place certifications after your education section in most cases. If certifications are central to the job posting or you are early in your career, move them higher — even above work experience. The goal is to make your strongest, most relevant qualifications visible in the first third of your resume.