Put certifications in their own section, placed after work experience and before education

The standard placement for certifications is a dedicated section between your work history and your education. This position works because hiring managers expect to find credentials there, and it keeps your resume organized without forcing certifications to compete for space in your job descriptions. If you have only one or two certifications, you can combine them with your education section under a heading like "Education & Certifications" instead.

The exact order depends on what you have. If your certifications are directly relevant to the job you are explore for — a CompTIA Security+ for a cybersecurity role, for example — move that section higher, even above education. If certifications are less central to the role, keep them lower on the page. Either way, group them in one place rather than scattering them through your resume.

Key Takeaways

  • Create a separate "Certifications" or "Professional Certifications" section placed after work experience and before education on most resumes.
  • List each certification with the full name, the issuing organization, and the date earned or the expiration date if the credential has one.
  • Move the certifications section higher on the page if those credentials are the main reason you may have access to for the job.
  • Include only certifications that are current, relevant to the role, or legally required for the position you are seeking.

How to format the certifications section

Start with a clear heading: "Certifications," "Professional Certifications," or "Licenses & Certifications" if you have both. Then list each certification on its own line with the credential name first, followed by the issuing body in parentheses or on the same line, and the date you earned it.

Use this format: Certification Name — Organization Name, Month Year. For example: "Google Project Management Certificate — Google, March 2024" or "Certified Public Accountant (CPA) — State Board of Accountancy, June 2022." If the certification expires, you can add the expiration date: "AWS Certified Solutions Architect — Amazon Web Services, Valid through December 2025."

Keep the list clean and consistent. Do not add descriptions or bullet points under each certification unless the credential is unusual or not widely known. A hiring manager reading a resume for a software role will recognize "AWS Certified Solutions Architect" without explanation, but "Notary Public" might warrant a one-line note if it is relevant to the job.

When to list certifications higher on your resume

Move certifications above your education section if they are the primary qualification for the role. A job posting that requires "CompTIA Security+ certification" or "CISSP preferred" signals that the credential matters more than your degree. In that case, place certifications when ready after your work experience, before education.

This rule applies to regulated professions too. If you are a nurse explore for a nursing position, your RN (Registered Nurse) certification belongs near the top. If you are a real estate agent, your state real estate license is a must-have credential and should be prominent. The hiring manager is looking for that credential first, so make it straightforward to find.

For most other roles — marketing, general management, administrative work — certifications stay below education. This is the default expectation, and hiring managers will find them there without trouble.

What to include and what to leave out

Include certifications that are current, relevant to the job, or legally required to perform the work. A current Google Analytics certification matters for a digital marketing role. A CompTIA A+ from ten years ago matters less if you have worked in IT since then and have newer credentials. A notary public license matters if the job involves document handling; it does not matter for a software engineering role.

Leave out expired certifications unless they show a pattern of professional development. If you let a credential lapse, do not list it. If you earned a certification years ago and have not renewed it, that signals the skill may be outdated. The exception is a credential that does not expire or that you are in the process of renewing — in that case, you can note "Renewal in progress" or "Valid through [date]."

Do not list every online course you have completed. A two-hour LinkedIn Learning course on Excel is not a certification. A 40-hour bootcamp with a final exam and a credential from a recognized organization is. The difference is whether a third party issued a formal credential, not whether you learned something.

Certifications in combination with education

If you have a degree and multiple certifications, keep them separate. Your education section lists your degree, major, and graduation date. Your certifications section lists your credentials. Mixing them makes both harder to read.

The exception is when you have very few credentials overall. If you have one degree and one certification, you can combine them under "Education & Certifications" to save space. List the degree first, then the certification. For example:

Education & Certifications Bachelor of Science in Business Administration — University of State, 2020 Google Project Management Certificate — Google, 2024

Once you have two or more certifications, split them into separate sections. This keeps your resume scannable and shows the hiring manager at a glance what credentials you hold.

Certifications for early-career and career-change resumes

If you are early in your career or changing fields, certifications can carry more weight. A recent graduate with a degree in business but no work experience might list a Google Analytics certification or a Project Management Institute (PMI) credential to show specialized knowledge. In this case, move the certifications section higher — right after your summary or skills section, before work experience.

For a career change, certifications prove you have invested in learning the new field. If you are moving from retail to IT and you have earned CompTIA A+ and Network+, those certifications belong prominently on your resume. They show you are serious about the transition and have the foundational knowledge the role requires.

In both cases, the certifications are doing the work that experience would do in a traditional resume. Treat them accordingly by placing them where a hiring manager will see them first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I list certifications that are expired?

No, unless the certification is in the process of being renewed or does not expire. An expired credential signals the skill may be outdated or that you did not maintain the requirement. If you are renewing soon, you can note "Renewal in progress" or the new expiration date once you complete it.

Where do I put a certification I earned but have not received the official document yet?

Wait until you have the official credential in hand before listing it. If you are very close to completion, you can note "Expected [Month Year]" next to the certification name. Once you receive it, remove the "Expected" language and add the actual date earned.

Can I list certifications in my work experience section instead?

You can mention a certification earned during a job in the bullet points under that role — for example, "Earned AWS Certified Solutions Architect certification while employed" — but you should still list the full credential in a separate certifications section. This avoids burying important qualifications in job descriptions.

How many certifications should I list?

List all certifications that are current and relevant to the role. There is no maximum, but if you have more than five or six, consider whether all of them strengthen your candidacy for this specific job. A hiring manager does not need to see every certification you have ever earned, only the ones that matter for the position.

Should certifications go on a one-page resume?

Yes, if they are relevant. Certifications are shorter to list than work experience, so they take up less space. If you have one or two certifications and limited work history, they fit easily on one page. If your resume is already full, you can drop older or less relevant certifications to stay within one page.