Best Certifications to Add to Your Resume (And How to List Them)
Quick Answer
The best certifications to add to your resume are the ones directly tied to the skills listed in the jobs you're applying for — not necessarily the most well-known ones in general. List them in a dedicated section with the certificate name, issuing organization, and date, placed near the top of your resume if you're early career, or lower down if you have substantial work experience.
How to Decide If a Certification Is Worth Listing
Ask two questions: is it relevant to the role, and is it current? A certification tied directly to a required skill in the job posting is almost always worth including. An outdated or unrelated one can quietly clutter your resume without adding value.
Certifications Worth Considering by Field
| Field | Certifications Recruiters Recognize |
|---|---|
| Project Management | PMP, CAPM, Google Project Management Certificate |
| IT / Cloud | CompTIA A+, AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, Microsoft Certified |
| Marketing | Google Ads/Analytics, HubSpot Content Marketing, Meta Blueprint |
| Finance / Accounting | CPA, CFA (Level 1+), Google Business Intelligence |
| HR | SHRM-CP, PHR |
| Design/UX | Google UX Design Certificate, Adobe Certified Professional |
How to List Certifications on a Resume
- Create a dedicated "Certifications" section, separate from "Education."
- List the certificate name first, followed by the issuing organization.
- Add the date completed (and expiration date, if applicable).
- Order them by relevance to the job, not by date earned.
Certifications
Project Management Professional (PMP) — Project Management Institute, 2026
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner — Amazon Web Services, 2026
Where to Place the Certifications Section
| Career Stage | Placement |
|---|---|
| Entry-level / recent graduate | Near the top, close to Education |
| Mid-career | After Experience, before Education |
| Senior / specialized roles requiring licensure | Directly under your name/summary if the certification is a requirement |
Mistakes to Avoid
Avoid
- Listing expired certifications without noting they've lapsed
- Including certifications with no connection to your target roles
- Abbreviating a certification without spelling it out at least once
- Burying a required certification at the bottom of the resume
Do This Instead
- Double-check that required certifications for the role are clearly visible
- Keep the section focused — quality over quantity
- Update the section whenever you complete something new
Frequently Asked Questions
Should certifications go before or after work experience?
If the certification is a job requirement or you're early in your career, place it higher. Otherwise, after your experience section is fine.
Do expired certifications still count?
You can still list them, but note the completion date clearly and consider whether it's worth renewing before you apply.
Is it better to have fewer, stronger certifications?
Yes — a focused list of certifications directly relevant to your target role is more effective than a long, generic one.
Can I list a certification I'm currently studying for?
Yes, marked clearly as "In Progress" with an expected completion date.
Give Your Certifications the Visibility They Deserve
Build a resume with a clean, dedicated certifications section that recruiters can scan in seconds.
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