Where and How to List Certifications on Your Resume (With Examples)

Certifications are credentials that prove you have the knowledge and training necessary to do a particular job or task. In fields like healthcare, having a certification or license is almost always required. In other fields, they’re not a necessity but can make your resume look more impressive to employers.

We’ll explain different ways to highlight certifications on your resume below, but here’s one way to do it:

When you should list certifications on your resume

There are three circumstances where listing certifications is either expected or could strengthen your application:

1. When an employer requires specific certifications

If a company requires certifications for a particular job, make sure you list them clearly on your resume. Otherwise, you reduce your chances of being called in for an interview.

In most cases, the job advertisement mentions what certification or license is needed, but you should also research your industry to check for other relevant certificates you can earn.

O*NET online is a good place to look if you aren’t sure, and you can also explore other job postings in your target industry.

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2. You want to showcase skills relevant to the job

If you have certifications that aren’t needed for the job (but could be helpful), include them to make your resume stand out. For example, you can list CPR and first aid certifications if you’re applying for a job where you’ll frequently be around customers.

3. You need to make up for a lack of work experience

If you’re looking for your first job in an industry and have no professional experience, listing the correct certification can help you get a foot in the door. If, for instance, you were trying to find your first job as a caterer, it would make your resume stronger to add food safety certifications.

How to put certifications on your resume

Every certification you list on your resume requires the following information:

1. Name of the certification
2. Name of the organization that awarded it
3. Date earned
4. If completed in person, the location (city, state)

Here’s an example of what we mean:

You can also include certifications that you’re currently working on by adding “In progress” next to the name of the certification, and including the date you’ll complete it.

Where to put certifications on a resume

There are three places where you can put certifications on your resume:

1. In your certifications section

If you have multiple certifications that you want to showcase, list them in their own dedicated section.

If the resume template you chose doesn’t have a section for certifications, add it below your skills section using the header “Certifications.”

Where you put your certifications section depends on how important they are to the job you’re applying for.

If they’re required or highly relevant, put them near the top of your resume below your resume summary, like this:

If certifications aren’t required you can place them toward the bottom of your resume under your education section, like this:

2. In your skills section

If you need to save space and only have one or two certifications, change the title of the skills section of your resume to “Skills & Certifications” and list them there:

3. In your resume summary

If you have a job-critical certification, mention it in your resume summary or resume objective at the top of your resume. This way, hiring managers immediately see that you’re qualified for the role.

Here’s an example of what including a certification in your resume summary looks like:

More examples of certifications on a resume

To give you a clear idea of what your own certifications section should look like, here’s an example from a sales resume:

And here’s another example from an HR resume: