Where to put certifications on your resume

Put certifications in their own section, placed after your work experience and before your education section. This placement works because employers scan resumes top-to-bottom and expect to see your job history first—certifications matter most when they're recent or directly relevant to the role you're explore for.

If you have only one or two certifications, you can add them to the bottom of your education section instead. But once you have three or more, a dedicated "Certifications" or "Professional Certifications" section keeps your resume organized and makes them straightforward to spot.

The only exception: if a certification is so central to the job that you'd be unqualified without it, mention it in your professional summary at the top. For example, a resume for a nursing position might open with "Registered Nurse (RN) with current BLS certification."

Key Takeaways

  • Create a separate "Certifications" section on your resume, positioned after work experience and before education.
  • List the certification name exactly as it appears on your credential, followed by the issuing organization and the date you earned it.
  • Include the expiration date if the certification requires renewal, so employers know whether it is currently valid.
  • Prioritize certifications that match the job description, and remove outdated or irrelevant ones to keep your resume focused.

How to format each certification entry

Each certification should include three pieces of information: the certification name, the issuing organization, and the date earned. Write it like this:

Certification Name — Issuing Organization, Month Year

For example: Google Analytics Certified Associate — Google, March 2023. If the certification has an expiration date, add it after the earned date: Certified Public Accountant (CPA) — State Board of Accountancy, June 2020, expires June 2026.

Do not include certification numbers, codes, or credential IDs unless the job posting specifically asks for them. Keep each line to one sentence. If you have a credential ID that proves the certification is real, save that for when an employer asks—you can provide it during the hiring process or after you're hired.

Which certifications to include

Include certifications that are relevant to the job you are explore for or that show you have current knowledge in your field. A software developer should list cloud certifications and programming credentials. A project manager should list PMP or similar project management certifications. A healthcare worker should list clinical certifications and licenses.

Leave off certifications that are outdated, expired, or unrelated to your target role. If you earned a certification five years ago and it is no longer current in your field, remove it. If you have a certification in a completely different industry, it takes up space without helping your case.

If you have many certifications, list the most recent and most relevant ones first. Employers typically read the first three to five items in any section, so put your strongest credentials at the top.

Handling certifications that are about to expire

If a certification expires soon but you plan to renew it, list it with the current expiration date. You can add a note like "Renewal in progress" or "Scheduled for renewal in Q2 2025" if you want to signal that you are staying current.

Once a certification has expired and you have not renewed it, remove it from your resume. An expired credential can raise questions about whether you are still may have access to, and it is better to leave it off than to explain a lapse.

If you are in the middle of earning a certification—you have completed the coursework but not yet passed the exam—do not list it as earned. You can mention it in a cover letter or during an interview, but your resume should show only credentials you actually hold.

Certifications versus licenses and degrees

A certification is a credential you earn by passing an exam or completing a program, usually offered by a professional organization or company. Examples include Google Analytics Certified Associate, Certified Scrum Master, or CompTIA Security+.

A license is a legal credential required to practice certain professions—nursing, law, real estate, electrician work. Licenses belong in their own section or at the top of your resume, because they are legally required, not optional. List them as: Registered Nurse (RN) — State of California, License #123456.

A degree goes in your education section, not your certifications section. Do not move your bachelor's degree or master's degree into the certifications area, even if you earned it recently.

Sample certifications section

Here is what a certifications section looks like on a real resume:

Certifications Google Analytics Certified Associate — Google, March 2023 HubSpot Content Marketing Certification — HubSpot Academy, January 2023 Inbound Marketing Certification — HubSpot Academy, December 2022

Notice that each line includes the credential name, the organization that issued it, and the month and year. The most recent certification appears first. The section is short and scannable—an employer can read it in five seconds.

If any of these certifications required renewal, the expiration date would appear after the earned date. If one had expired, it would be removed entirely.

What to do if you have too many certifications

If you have earned ten or more certifications, choose the five to seven that are most relevant to the job you are explore for. Employers do not need to see every credential you have ever earned—they need to see the ones that prove you can do the job.

Group related certifications together if it helps. For example, if you have three cloud certifications from AWS, you might list them as: AWS Certified Solutions Architect, AWS Certified Developer, AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner — Amazon Web Services, 2022–2024. This saves space while showing breadth of knowledge.

Create a separate "Additional Certifications" section at the very bottom of your resume if you want to list older or less relevant credentials without cluttering the main certifications section. Most employers will not read this far, but it is there if they do.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I include the certification exam score on my resume?

No. List only the certification name and issuing organization. If an employer wants to know your exam score, they will ask during the hiring process. A score on your resume takes up space without adding value.

Can I list a certification I am currently studying for?

Not as a completed credential. You can mention it in your cover letter or during an interview—"I am currently preparing for the CPA exam"—but your resume should show only certifications you have already earned and passed.

Where do I put industry badges or digital credentials?

If the badge is from a recognized organization (Google, Microsoft, Coursera, LinkedIn Learning), treat it like any other certification and list it in your certifications section. If it is a micro-credential or internal badge from a company, mention it only if it is directly relevant to the job and widely recognized in your field.

Should I include the certification on LinkedIn too?

Yes. LinkedIn has a dedicated certifications section. List the same certifications you have on your resume, and link to the issuing organization's page if LinkedIn offers that option. This makes your credential verifiable and helps with searchability.

What if my certification has a long official name?

Use the official name as it appears on your certificate. If the name is very long, you can use the common abbreviation in parentheses: Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) — (ISC)², June 2021. This keeps the line readable while staying accurate.