Training, courses and certificates in the CV – which to include and where to enter them?

Training in the form of completed courses and obtained certificates looks great in a CV. Such positions show that you care about self-development and continuous broadening of your horizons. However, it is worth remembering that not all information about training is needed and will make a good impression on recruiters. Check which courses to display and where to enter the certificates you obtained thanks to them in your CV.

What will you learn in the article?

• CV – courses and training that should be entered
• CV – courses and certificates that should be better not entered
• Where should I enter courses and certificates in my CV?

Courses and CV training can be a ticket to be invited to an interview. If you choose the right skills confirmed by certificates, the recruiter will surely consider them an additional asset.

CV – courses-and-trainings that are worth entering

Including certificates in your CV should be well thought out. First, list those directly related to the job you are applying for ..

Courses, training and certificates in the CV , to be worth mentioning, should meet one of the requirements:

• Relate in some way to the position you are applying for – not only directly, e.g. a course in managing your own energy in office work,
• show your additional skills that may be useful at work – e.g. a language course,
• to emphasize the fact that you are developing in your field – e.g. forklift service course for warehousing work,
• show impressive, unusual hobbies – for example, a windsurfing course, which is likely to inspire the recruiter to an additional question; if you can talk about your passion in an interesting way, the conversation is sure to become less formal and much more enjoyable for both parties.

If you are unsuccessfully looking for a job in a given profession and you notice that many advertisements require you to complete a specific course – do it, even if it takes some time. When you present it as your additional asset (even during the training), you will greatly increase your chances of participating in a job interview.

CV-courses-and-certificates that are better not to enter

Is it always worth entering courses on your CV ? Not necessarily.

If you’ve had a lot of training in your life, choose only the key ones for the industry in which you want to work – especially if you are a person with extensive professional experience, whose CV is already quite extensive.

There is no point in filling your application documents with redundant information. If the recruiter finds in the curriculum vitae of the candidate for the position of the CEO’s assistant that he has completed pottery training, as well as nail art and crocheting courses, most likely … he will get bored, even before he reaches the clause at the end of the document. Therefore, choose courses for your CV, which will not only fill empty fields, but also provide real added value to your application.

Where in the CV should enter courses and certificates?

There is no single recipe for where and how to enter certificates in your CV . Much depends on how important this information is to you in the context of the position you are applying for.

If the course or certificate in the CV is crucial for a specific job offer (for example, when changing the field, when you have no professional experience in a given field), choose a place where the information will be properly displayed, e.g .:

• in a separate, highly visible section for certificates,
• in the “experience” section,
• in the summary of career goals (as intertwined information),
• by name.

If the courses in your CV are only intended to supplement information about you, put them in the section at the bottom of the document. Simply name it “courses, training, certifications”.

Remember that it is easier to systematize courses and training in your CV if you use our CV wizard. A functional tool will flawlessly show you the place where such information will look good and attract the attention of the recruiter. And if you have any doubts about your resume writing that you would like to discuss with an expert, sign up for a free resume consultation. During the online meeting, a recruiting specialist will answer your questions.