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 section heading should read "Certifications," "Professional Certifications," or "Licenses and Certifications" if you have both.

If you have only one or two certifications and they are not central to the job you are explore for, you can list them under your education section instead. But once you have three or more, or once a certification is directly required by the job posting, give it its own section so hiring managers spot it when ready.

The exact placement matters because recruiters often scan resumes in a predictable order: name and contact info, then work experience, then education, then everything else. Putting certifications in their own labeled section ensures they land in the "everything else" zone where hiring managers expect to find them—not buried in a paragraph or tacked onto another section where they get overlooked.

Key Takeaways

  • Create a separate "Certifications" section on your resume, positioned after work experience and before or after education depending on what is more recent.
  • List the full certification name, the issuing organization, and the year you earned it or the expiration date if the certification has one.
  • Include only certifications that are relevant to the job you are explore for or that demonstrate skills employers in your field value.
  • Use the exact name of the certification as it appears on the official credential, not a shortened or informal version.
  • If a certification requires renewal or has an expiration date, include that date so employers know the credential is current.

What information to include for each certification

For each certification, write the full official name of the credential exactly as it appears on your certificate or the issuing organization's website. Do not shorten it or use an acronym unless the acronym is how the credential is universally known (like "PMP" for Project Management Professional). Include the name of the organization that issued it—the testing body, professional association, or company that granted the credential.

Add the year you earned it. If the certification expires or requires renewal, include the expiration date or "Valid through [month/year]" so employers know it is current. If you earned the certification more than ten years ago and it is no longer active, leave it off unless it is historically significant to your field.

Do not include the certification number, the test score, or a lengthy description of what you learned. Hiring managers want to see the credential name and issuer at a glance. If the job posting mentions a specific certification, make sure your version matches their language exactly—some employers search resumes for keyword matches.

How to format your certifications section

Use a straightforward, scannable format. List each certification on its own line with the credential name in bold, followed by the issuer and date. Here is the standard layout:

Certification Name, Issuing Organization, Year Earned

For example:

Certified Public Accountant (CPA), New York State Board of Accountancy, 2019

Google Analytics Certification, Google, 2023

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), American Red Cross, Valid through June 2025

If you have many certifications, group them by category—"IT Certifications," "Safety Certifications," "Teaching Certifications"—so the section stays organized. Never use bullet points for certifications unless you are also adding a one-line description of what the certification covers, which is rarely necessary.

Which certifications to include and which to skip

Include certifications that are directly relevant to the job you are explore for. If the job posting mentions a specific certification, include it. If you have certifications in your field that employers commonly expect or value, include those too. For a software developer, include cloud certifications or programming language certifications. For a healthcare worker, include clinical or safety certifications. For a project manager, include PMP or CAPM.

Skip certifications that have nothing to do with the role. If you are explore for a marketing job, your yoga instructor certification probably does not belong on the resume. If you earned a certification years ago but it is no longer active and your field has moved on, leave it off. Do not include certifications you are currently working toward—only list credentials you have already earned and can prove.

If you have a very long list of certifications, prioritize the most recent and most relevant ones. Hiring managers do not need to see every workshop you ever completed. Focus on credentials that took meaningful time to earn and that directly connect to the job description.

How to handle certifications that are in progress

Do not list a certification on your resume until you have actually earned it and received the credential. If you are studying for an exam or enrolled in a certification program, you can mention it in your cover letter instead: "I am currently pursuing my AWS Solutions Architect certification, which I expect to complete by [month]."

Once you pass the exam or complete the program and receive your official certificate, add it to your resume when ready. Update your resume file so the next time you explore for a job, the new certification is already there. If you are in the final weeks of a certification program and you are explore for jobs that specifically require it, you can note the expected completion date in parentheses, but be prepared to provide proof if you are hired.

Certifications versus degrees: what goes where

A degree (Bachelor's, Master's, Associate's) goes in an "Education" section. A certification is a credential you earn after formal education, often through a test, training program, or professional organization. They are different categories and should not be mixed together.

If you have both a degree and certifications in the same field, list them separately. Your education section shows your foundational training; your certifications section shows specialized credentials you have earned since. For example, a resume might have "Education: Bachelor of Science in Nursing, 2015" and then a separate "Certifications: Registered Nurse (RN), State of California, 2015" and "Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), American Red Cross, 2014."

Some credentials blur the line—a bootcamp certificate, for instance, or a professional diploma. If it is a short program (weeks or months) that teaches a specific skill set, treat it as a certification. If it is a longer program (a year or more) that is your primary credential in a field, it may belong in education instead. When in doubt, put it where it makes the most sense for the job you are explore for.

Common mistakes to avoid

Do not invent or exaggerate certification names. Write exactly what your certificate says. If you earned a "Google Analytics Individual Qualification," do not call it a "Google Analytics informed Certification"—use the real name. Employers and recruiters often verify certifications, and a mismatch will raise a red flag.

Do not list expired certifications unless they are historically important or the job posting does not require current ones. If your CPR certification expired two years ago and you are explore for a lifeguard job that requires current CPR, do not list it. Get recertified first.

Do not use acronyms without spelling them out the first time, unless the acronym is more widely known than the full name. "PMP" is fine because everyone in project management knows it. "ITIL" is fine for IT roles. But "CCNA" should be written as "Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)" so a hiring manager outside IT can understand what it is.

Do not list certifications in a random order. Arrange them by relevance to the job, by date (newest first), or by category. A random list looks disorganized and makes it harder for hiring managers to find what matters.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I include the certification number or test score on my resume?

No. A hiring manager does not need your certification number or test score. Include only the credential name, issuer, and date. If an employer specifically asks for proof during the hiring process, you can provide those details then.

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

No. List only the certifications that are relevant to the job or that demonstrate skills your industry values. If you have ten certifications but only three are relevant to the role, list those three. A long list of unrelated certifications makes your resume harder to scan and suggests you are unfocused.

Can I put certifications on my resume if I earned them through an online course?

Yes, as long as the certification is from a recognized organization. Certifications from Google, Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, or industry-specific bodies are fine. If the course is from a small or unknown provider, include it only if it is directly relevant to the job and the issuer is credible in your field.

How do I list a certification I earned but never formally received a certificate for?

If you passed the exam or completed the program but never received a physical or digital certificate, you can still list it—but be prepared to prove it. Include the issuing organization and the date you completed it. If you are asked to verify it during hiring, you should be able to show a transcript, email confirmation, or digital badge from the organization.

Should certifications go before or after my education section?

Usually after, because education is more foundational. But if your certifications are more recent or more relevant to the job than your degree, put them first. The rule is: put the most relevant information highest on the page. If a certification is the main reason an employer would hire you, it can go before education.