In a competitive job market, it's important to highlight your hard-earned certifications so your resume stands out to potential employers and separates yourself from the other applicants. Learning the best place to list your certifications can help you land that all-important interview.

Best Placement

In most cases, you should list your certifications in the education section at the bottom of your resume. However, if you are a recent graduate, have little or no related work history or your endorsements are pertinent to career goals, list them directly beneath your objective or summary of qualifications near the top of your resume. Impressive training may compensate for inexperience.

Proper Formatting

If you have a single certification, list it along with your other education details. Include the name of the institution or organization from which you received it as well as the year you were certified. For multiple certifications, create a separate "Certifications" heading and insert a bullet point to the left of each individual certification to set it apart from the others.

Types of Certifications to Include

List any certifications that are applicable to the type of position you hope to obtain and that make you a more valuable candidate in general. Even those that may not pertain to your employment search can be beneficial, particularly if you have a brief employment history and want to show that you are a well-rounded achiever.