When it comes to certifications, it seems as if everyone has their own versions to offer. But how do you know which ones you should actually pursue?
The need for certifications varies between professions. For example, many tech-focused industries require specific certifications to prove that you can do the work required of you on the job. However, other certifications might not be necessary, but they do make you more competitive in the job search.
In this post, we’ll talk about the following:
- What are LinkedIn Certifications?
- How can you add certifications to your LinkedIn profile?
- Where do I add my LinkedIn Certification on my resume?
- How much does LinkedIn Learning cost?
- Can LinkedIn Certifications help with employment gaps?
- Can LinkedIn Certifications aid in your career change?
Let’s get started.
What are LinkedIn Certifications?
LinkedIn Certifications exist for those wishing to further their education or simply hone their skills. The social platform offers more than 16,000 online courses taught by industry professionals. These classes are mostly aligned with those in business, creative, and tech professions. New courses are added every week.
The courses usually take a few hours to complete and are typically set up with videos and quizzes. Once you do complete these courses, LinkedIn offers you a certificate that you can add to your profile as well as your resume.
A few examples of courses include:
- Excel Data Visualization
- Blockchain Basics
- Marketing Tools: Digital Marketing
- Learning Python
- Creativity for All
How can you add certifications to your LinkedIn profile?
Once you’ve finished a course and taken the quiz(zes) associated with it, LinkedIn offers you the opportunity to add that certification to your profile. You can do this a few ways.
The first way to accomplish this is to click on the “Add to LinkedIn Profile” button that shows on your screen after completing the course.
However, if you completed several courses but didn’t click this button, you can still access your certifications. Just go to the main LinkedIn Learning page and click “My Learning” at the top (circled in the below image).
On the next page, click “Learning History,” and you can find the courses you’ve completed. Each course listed features three dots next to the “Share” button. If you click these three dots, you’ll find another way to add the certification to your LinkedIn profile.
Once you’ve added the certification to your LinkedIn profile, you can find it under the section named “Licenses & certifications.”
Where do I add my LinkedIn Certification on my resume?
Depending on your experience level and industry, this answer can vary. However, our general recommendation is to add your LinkedIn Certifications at the bottom of your resume, where you add the rest of your certifications.
How much does LinkedIn Learning cost?
You can access LinkedIn Learning, where you can earn your certifications, through a monthly or annual subscription. The monthly subscription costs $29.99/month, whereas an annual subscription runs $239.88/year or $19.99/month.
LinkedIn Learning offers one month free for those wanting to give it a try.
Can LinkedIn Certifications help with employment gaps?
Let’s be honest, sometimes the job search can take a while—especially if you are being careful about choosing the right fit for your next step. If you are between jobs, it can feel as if you are losing valuable time, even if you are working hard on applying to new positions.
One way to ease the stress of an employment gap can be to fill that time with securing industry certifications. This shows recruiters and hiring managers that you are a hard worker and know how to use your time wisely.
These certifications also make you more competitive by adding to your existing skillset. Hard skills are probably the most important part of your resume. These skills are what show recruiters exactly what you have to offer the company. Much of the time, these skills are acquired within the workplace or through work after you graduate. And because technology advances so quickly in so many industries, these skills often need to be updated. LinkedIn Learning helps you accomplish this in an inexpensive way.
Can LinkedIn Certifications aid in your career change?
Especially after 2020 and the pandemic’s effect on the professional world, many are reconsidering their current career trajectories. In fact, according to Apollo Technical, 32 percent of those ages 25-44 have considered a career change within the last year. The employment agency also reported that nearly 30 percent of people have completely changed their career fields since graduation.
With that being said, LinkedIn Certifications can also help anyone looking to change careers. Because all of the courses are accessible with the subscription, you can take courses that are outside of your industry. This will not only help you to develop the skills you need for a different career, but it will also show you if you really want to pursue that change.
If you are interested in pursuing a different industry, our career change tool can help you make that transition.
LinkedIn Certifications are an inexpensive way to gain more industry knowledge and hone your skills. This makes you much more competitive during the job search process and a more knowledgeable employee once you are hired.
Looking to build a resume from scratch? Check out our ATS-friendly resume builder. You just need to choose a format, follow the prompts (make sure to include your new certifications!), download/print, and send in your new resume!
And for those wanting recruiters to notice them on LinkedIn (that’s you!), make sure to try our LinkedIn Optimization tool where you can find search insights, actionable tips, example phrases, and more for your profile:
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