Where to put certifications on your resume

Put certifications in their own section, placed after your work experience and before education — or right after education if your certifications are more recent or relevant than your job history. The exact spot depends on what will catch a hiring manager's eye first. If you earned a certification while working, you can also mention it in the job description where you earned it, but always list it separately too so it does not get buried in paragraph text.

The section heading should say "Certifications," "Professional Certifications," or "Licenses and Certifications" if you have both. Keep the heading straightforward and consistent with the rest of your resume formatting.

Key Takeaways

  • Create a dedicated "Certifications" section on your resume, positioned after work experience or education depending on which is more impressive.
  • List the full certification name, the issuing organization, and the date you earned it — omit expiration dates unless the certification has already expired.
  • Include only certifications relevant to the job you are explore for; a bartending license matters for a restaurant job but not for an accounting role.
  • Add the certification number or credential ID if the employer can verify it through an official registry, which builds trust with hiring managers.

What information to include in each entry

Each certification entry needs three core pieces: the full name of the certification, the organization that issued it, and the year you earned it. Write the certification name exactly as it appears on your certificate — "Certified Public Accountant" not "CPA" on first mention, though you can use the abbreviation in parentheses.

Include the issuing body in parentheses or on the same line: "Google Project Management Certificate (Google, 2023)" or "Certified Nursing Assistant — American Red Cross, 2022." If the certification has a credential ID or license number that employers can verify through an official database, add it. For example: "CompTIA Security+ (Credential ID: ABC123456, 2023)." This signals that your credential is real and checkable.

Do not list expiration dates unless the certification has already expired or will expire within the next few months. Most hiring managers assume active certifications are current. If a certification requires renewal every three years and you renewed it in 2022, you do not need to note that — just list 2022 as the year.

How to format the certifications section

Use the same formatting style as the rest of your resume. If your work experience uses bullet points, use them for certifications too. If you use a straightforward list format, keep certifications consistent. Here is a standard layout:

Certifications • Certified Project Management Professional (PMI, 2023) • AWS Certified Solutions Architect — Associate (Amazon Web Services, 2022) • Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (International Association for Six Sigma Certification, 2021)

Keep each entry to one line if possible. If you need to add extra detail — such as a credential ID or a brief note about what the certification covers — add it on a second line indented under the certification name. Do not write paragraphs; stick to the format you use everywhere else on the resume.

Which certifications to include and which to skip

Include certifications that are directly relevant to the job posting or to your field. A software developer should list AWS certifications and programming credentials. A project manager should list PMP or CAPM. A healthcare worker should list clinical certifications. A bartender should list their mixology or responsible service of alcohol certification.

Skip certifications that do not connect to the role. Your bartending license does not belong on a resume for an accounting position. Your CPR certification matters for a nursing job but not for a marketing role — unless the job description specifically mentions it. Read the job posting and include only certifications that match the skills or knowledge the employer is looking for.

If you have many certifications, list the most recent and most relevant ones. If you have earned five AWS certifications, you can group them: "AWS Certified Solutions Architect, AWS Certified Developer, AWS Certified SysOps Administrator (Amazon Web Services, 2022–2023)." This saves space and shows breadth without clutter.

When to list certifications in progress

You can list a certification you are currently working toward, but be clear about the status. Write "Google Data Analytics Certificate (In Progress, Expected Completion: June 2024)" or "CompTIA A+ (Pursuing, 2024)." Do not list it as complete. If you list it as in progress and the hiring manager asks about it during an interview, you should be honest about how far along you are.

Only include in-progress certifications if they are relevant to the job and you are genuinely close to finishing. If you are three months into a two-year program, leave it off the resume for now. Add it once you have completed it or are within a few months of completion.

Handling expired or lapsed certifications

If a certification has expired and you have not renewed it, do not list it. Hiring managers assume listed certifications are current. If you let a certification lapse, you can renew it before explore for jobs where it matters, or you can leave it off and focus on active credentials.

If a certification is about to expire — within the next month or two — you can still list it, but consider renewing it first if the job is important to you. Some employers check certification status as part of the hiring process, and an expired credential can raise questions even if you earned it legitimately.

Certifications versus licenses and degrees

A certification is a credential you earn by passing an exam or completing a course in a specific skill — CompTIA A+, Google Analytics, Salesforce Administrator. A license is a legal requirement to work in certain fields — nursing licenses, real estate licenses, contractor licenses. A degree is a formal qualification from a school — Bachelor of Science, Associate Degree.

You can list all three on your resume, but they usually go in separate sections. Degrees go in an "Education" section. Licenses can go in their own section or combined with certifications as "Licenses and Certifications." The rule is the same: list the credential name, issuing body, and year earned. If a license requires a number, include it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I list certifications that are more than five years old?

Yes, if they are still relevant to the job. An old certification shows you have foundational knowledge in that area. However, if you have newer certifications in the same field, lead with those. If a certification is outdated — like an old version of software training — you can leave it off unless the employer specifically asks for it.

Can I list certifications I earned through my employer's training program?

Yes. List it the same way: certification name, issuing organization (which may be your employer or a third party they partnered with), and year. If your employer ran the program but a recognized body issued the credential, use the recognized body's name. For example: "Certified Internal Auditor (The Institute of Internal Auditors, 2023)" even if your company paid for the training.

What if I have a lot of certifications — should I list them all?

No. List only the ones relevant to the job. If you have ten certifications but only three match the role, include those three. A long list of unrelated certifications clutters your resume and makes it harder for hiring managers to see what matters. Quality and relevance beat quantity.

Do I need to include the certification number on my resume?

Include it if the certification can be verified through an official registry — like CompTIA, AWS, or professional licensing boards. If the employer can look up your credential and confirm it is real, adding the number builds credibility. If the certification is from a smaller or less-known organization, the number is less important.

Should I remove a certification if I let it lapse?

Yes, remove it from your resume. If an employer asks about it during an interview, you can explain that you earned it but have not renewed it. It is better to be honest than to list an expired credential and have the employer discover it is no longer active.