When you sit to write your CV, you have many things to include, with specific sections allocated. You add your past job experience in the work experience section, your education in the education section, and your skills in the skill column. Wait, we know you have a question in your mind: Where should you include the CV qualifications? These are not experience nor education, but an important element to land your dream job. At the end of this blog, you will get your answer to the question. So, let’s dig in.
What Are Certificates In A CV?
Certificates are awards or documents that authentic institutions like your local board, associations, or professional organizations award.
Obtaining these certificates sets you apart from other candidates who have applied for the same position. This shows that you have a certain requirement or criteria, have paid some fees, or have passed an examination. The harder the certificate, the more likely the chances are there to give you an edge in securing your dream job.
Placement for CV Qualifications
Certificates are even a form of education; you can add them in your ‘education section’. Adding them is easy; you just need to make sure that you have labelled the title appropriately. For instance, you can change the name from education to qualifications and education. Follow a reverse chronological order to add your certificates and education. This will highlight your most recent qualifications at the top of the list. If you face any type of confusion, you can ask for services like affordable CV writing or CV writers near you to help you with this section.
Example of How to Talk About It in the Education Section
| Healthcare School of London, ABC, XY 08/2022 – 05/2024 Certified Nursing Assistant Learned to assist healthcare providers with medical procedures while obtaining vital signs with protocol, feeding, and maintaining the hygiene of patients. |
Now, this opens a new challenge that you need to take care of. If your education section is on the first page of your CV, especially if it is a graduate or academic CV, it is not advised to talk about your certificates there. However, for many candidates who have been working for many years, their education section will move to the second page.
Why Aren’t There Certificates On The First Page?
Your certificates will help you stand out from other candidates, but these are less important to tell the hiring managers than the relevant skills mentioned in the job description. If this is something exceptional and you think you should highlight it, you can talk about it in your statement or place it in the skill section.
Example of How to Talk About It in a Personal Summary
| I am a Certified Public Accountant with a history of accuracy and efficiency in supporting accounting activities for a diverse range of clients. With more than 10 years of experience in presenting data, analyzing its cost, and providing financial reports, I have delivered profit and error statements under time pressure. |
On the other side, there is no restriction not to add it on the resume. You can include them on page one of your document, but keep it brief.
Technique to Mention Your Certificate
When you add it to the qualification and education section, the process is easy. Just tell the name of the qualification according to the certificate, its provider (institute or organization), and the date when you received that certificate.
How Can We Format Certificates On the CV?
Formatting the certificates is not a challenging task if some simple steps are followed. You can ask for services like CV editing or CV formatting to help you. With their expertise, you can edit your CV professionally.
Add the title (s) of your certificates:
List the complete title of the certificate under the section in the form of bullets. Make sure you cross-check it after jotting it down to prevent typos in the title and ensure the abbreviations are spelled correctly.
Include the name of the awarding organization:
Don’t forget to add the name of the organization or institution that made your certificate more authentic. Again, double-check for spelling errors. There are chances that the hiring team might cross-check your mentioned certificate for its reliability.
The date of received certificate:
Additionally, make sure to narrate the date on which you received the certificate or renewed it. In case you need to renew your certificate after some time, you will know when to contact the organization. If, for instance, you have completed a course and are still waiting for your certificate, the team will know that you have this exceptional skill.
The date of expiry:
This is something interesting. Even if your certificate has passed the expiration date and you haven’t renewed it, you can add it to your resume. You cannot leave it saying that the expired one will not work.
Provide all the details:
This is optional. If you have some space, you can add a sentence describing the skills related to the certification. This will help the hiring manager to see your relevance for the job.
FAQs
What is the method to add CV qualifications?
The process is simple. Just list the complete title of the certificate under the section in the form of bullets. Add the name of the organization or institution and narrate the date on which you received the certificate or renewed it, and some details if you have enough space.
Which sections should be focused on when updating the CVs?
When you are bringing changes to the resume or writing a new one, look carefully for the changes in the contact information section, the qualifications, experiences, and skills. Then, add or reduce the content so it aligns with your current goals and the target position.
What is the professional way to list skills on a CV?
Add your skills relevant to the job position by using a bullet list or table. This will give it a professional look, and the hiring team can easily locate the skills they are hunting for in the candidate.
Is it essential to add references to the resume?
Before, references were essential in the resume. However, now you don’t need to add it to your resume. However, you need to provide details if you are asked for them.
Add CV Qualifications for Securing Job
When you include your professional certificates in your resume, check for the difference it can make to your application. If you think this can help you secure the applied job, talk about it on the first page of the resume. However, if you think it is less important, you can place them on the second page under the education section.
If your experience section does not have enough details and the education section starts on the same page, add those certificates but briefly. You can even highlight your certified course in the personal statement.