Add certifications in a dedicated section below your work experience

The clearest place for certifications is a Certifications or Professional Credentials section positioned after your work experience and before your education section. This placement works because hiring managers expect to find credentials there, and it keeps your most recent job history at the top where it gets the most attention.

If you have only one or two certifications, you can add them to your education section instead, listing them below your degree. This works well when certifications are closely tied to your field of study—for example, a teaching credential listed under your bachelor's degree in education.

Never bury certifications in a skills section or at the bottom of your resume. Recruiters scan resumes in a predictable order: contact information, summary or objective, work experience, education, then certifications. Placing them anywhere else means they may not be seen.

Key Takeaways

  • Create a separate Certifications section after work experience and before education for maximum visibility.
  • List certifications with the full credential name, the issuing organization, and the date earned or expiration date.
  • Include only certifications relevant to the job you are explore for—not every credential you have ever earned.
  • If a certification is expiring soon or has expired, check the job posting to see whether current status is required before listing it.
  • For certifications still in progress, write "In Progress" with the expected completion date instead of omitting them entirely.

How to format the certifications section

Use a consistent format that mirrors the style of your work experience section. List the certification name first, followed by the issuing body in parentheses or on the same line, then the date. Here are two common formats:

Format 1 (Name first): Certified Public Accountant (CPA) — American Institute of Certified Public Accountants — Issued January 2022

Format 2 (Organization first): Google Cloud Professional Data Engineer Certification, Google Cloud — Earned March 2023

Include the expiration date if the certification has one and it is relevant to the role. For example, a CPR certification expiring in six months should show the date so the employer knows you will need renewal soon. For permanent certifications like a CPA or teaching license, the issue date is usually enough.

What certifications to include and which to skip

Include certifications that directly support the job description you are responding to. If the posting mentions "CompTIA Security+ required" or "Project Management Professional preferred," those belong on your resume. If you earned a certification in a field you no longer work in, leave it off unless it somehow strengthens your candidacy for this specific role.

Skip certifications that are outdated, expired, or no longer relevant. An expired food handler's card from 2015 does not help you land a software engineering role. However, if you are explore for a position where that credential is standard and you plan to renew it, you might note it as "Expired — willing to renew" only if space allows and the employer values it.

Do not list online course completion certificates unless they are from recognized institutions or directly required by the job. A certificate for finishing an online course on Coursera or Udemy belongs in a skills section or portfolio link, not in a formal certifications section. The exception is if the course is from a major provider like Google, Microsoft, or Amazon and the job posting specifically mentions it.

Certifications in progress and pending results

If you are working toward a certification, list it with "In Progress" and the expected completion date. This shows initiative and tells the employer when they can expect you to have the credential. For example: "Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) — In Progress, expected June 2024."

If you have taken an exam but are waiting for results, write "Exam Passed, Awaiting Official Certification" with the date you passed. This is honest and shows you have cleared the hurdle—the official paperwork is just a formality.

Do not list certifications you are merely considering or have only researched. Only include credentials you have actively started or completed.

Placement when you have many certifications

If you have five or more relevant certifications, keep the section on your main resume but consider prioritizing the most recent or most relevant ones. List them in reverse chronological order (newest first) so the most current credentials appear at the top of the section.

For roles where certifications are central to the job—such as healthcare, finance, or IT—you can expand this section to include a brief note about each credential's relevance. For example: "AWS Certified Solutions Architect — Professional (2023) — Demonstrates informed in designing scalable cloud infrastructure." This is optional and works best when you have space.

If you have certifications that are less relevant but still legitimate, you can create a secondary list titled "Additional Certifications" below your main certifications section. This keeps the focus on what matters most while showing the full scope of your credentials.

Certifications versus licenses and how to label them

A certification is a credential earned by passing an exam or completing a program—examples include CompTIA A+, Google Cloud certifications, or Six Sigma Black Belt. A license is a legal credential required to practice a profession—examples include a nursing license, real estate license, or attorney license.

If you have both, you can list them in the same section or create separate sections labeled "Licenses" and "Certifications." Many hiring managers do not distinguish between them on a resume, so either approach works. What matters is that licenses appear clearly and early, since they are often non-negotiable for the role.

For example, a nurse's resume might show: Licenses: Registered Nurse (RN) — State of California, License #12345678 — Active. Certifications: Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) — American Heart Association — Expires March 2025.

Special cases: Military, trade, and industry-specific credentials

Military service members transitioning to civilian work should translate military certifications into civilian equivalents when possible. For example, if you earned a military IT certification, research whether it maps to CompTIA Security+ or another recognized credential and list both if you hold them. If no civilian equivalent exists, list the military credential with a brief explanation of what it covers.

Trade certifications like welding, HVAC, or electrical work belong in the certifications section and should include the issuing body and date. If the certification requires renewal, include the expiration date so the employer knows your status.

Industry-specific credentials like Series 7 (financial services), LEED (construction), or SHRM-CP (human resources) should be listed with their full names and the organization that issued them. Abbreviations alone are not enough—spell out the credential name at least once.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I list certifications I earned years ago but no longer use?

Only if they are still relevant to the job or show a progression in your field. A certification from ten years ago that is no longer current or required does not strengthen your candidacy. However, if it demonstrates informed in a tool or methodology the employer values, include it with the date so they know when you earned it.

Can I put certifications at the top of my resume instead of below work experience?

Only if certifications are the primary reason you are may have access to for the role—for example, if you are explore for a position that requires a specific license and you have minimal work history. In most cases, work experience should come before certifications because employers want to see what you have done, not just what you are certified to do.

What if a certification is expired but the job posting does not mention it as required?

Check the job description carefully. If it says "current certification required," do not list an expired one. If it does not specify, you can list the expired certification with the expiration date and note that you are willing to renew it, but only if there is space and it genuinely strengthens your process.

How do I list a certification I earned through my employer's training program?

List it in your certifications section with the credential name and the organization that issued it, not your employer. For example, write "Certified in Advanced Project Management — Project Management Institute" rather than "Certified by Acme Corporation." If your employer created a proprietary certification with no external recognition, you can list it but add a one-line description of what it covers so the hiring manager understands its value.

Should I include the certification ID or license number on my resume?

Include it only if the job posting asks for it or if verification by ID number is standard in your field (like nursing licenses or real estate licenses). For most certifications, the issuing organization and date are sufficient. If you include an ID, format it clearly: "License #CA-12345678" or "Certification ID: ABC-123456."