This approach will draw attention to your efforts in upskilling or reskilling and enable potential employers to easily assess your additional qualifications.
Step 2: Organize your courses strategically
When listing your online courses, it’s crucial to present them in a way that highlights your skills and knowledge effectively.
Place the most relevant courses at the beginning of the list, ensuring they catch the employer’s attention.
Alternatively, you can group courses by theme or skill set, which demonstrates a strong focus on particular areas of expertise.
For example, consider grouping the courses under subcategories, such as Marketing or Data Analysis.
Step 3: Include essential course information
For each course, provide detailed information that will help potential employers understand the scope of your learning and its relevance to your field.
You should include:
- Course title (E.g., Digital Marketing Fundamentals)
- Platform or institution (E.g., Udemy)
- Date of completion (E.g., Date of Completion: June 2021)
This information will help potential employers understand the scope of your learning and its relevance to your field.
Step 4: Showcase certifications or badges (if applicable)
If you’ve earned certifications or digital badges, make sure to display them prominently on your resume.
You can embed or link to these badges, providing potential employers with easy access to verify your achievements.
Here are two ways how to embed or link to these badges:
- Linking to badges. For text-based resumes (i.e. in a PDF format) or online formats like LinkedIn, you can add a link to the digital badge. First, find the unique URL assigned to your badge, usually provided by the certifying organization or badge platform (e.g., Credly, Badgr). Then, add a separate line stating “View Badge” or “Verify Certification” with the URL link (check out the picture in Step 1). Alternatively, hyperlink the badge URL to the certification text on your resume (naturally, this doesn’t work for printed resumes).
- Embedding badges. If you’re using an image-based resume, you can directly embed the digital badge image into the document. Save the badge image to your computer, and then insert it next to the corresponding certification on your resume. Keep the image size small and consistent with the overall formatting of your resume.
However, we do recommend adding a URL link to the badge rather than adding it as a picture, since it’s more ATS-friendly.
By embedding or linking certification badges on your resume, you offer potential employers a quick and easy way to validate your achievements.
This added layer of credibility can set you apart from other candidates, as it showcases your verified skills and accomplishments.
Step 5: Showcase your newly acquired skills in other sections of your resume
In addition to listing your online courses and certifications, you should also highlight the skills you’ve gained from them in other parts of your resume.
This will help employers see the practical value of your online learning and its impact on your professional growth.
There are two resume sections in which you can mention these online courses:
- Skills section. Update your Skills section to include the new abilities you’ve gained from your online courses. This will provide employers with a comprehensive overview of your skill set and make it easier for them to assess your qualifications.
For example: Digital Marketing (if you completed a Digital Marketing course)
- Experience section. Show potential employers that you can put your new skills into practice by including examples in your Experience section. Describe how you’ve used the skills you’ve gained from online courses in previous roles or projects, highlighting the positive impact they’ve had on your work.
For example: Applied advanced Excel techniques learned from the Data Analysis in Excel course on One Education to optimize marketing budget allocation, leading to a 15% increase in return on investment.
By showcasing your newly acquired skills in both the Skills and Experience sections of your resume, you create a cohesive narrative that demonstrates the practical application of your online learning.
Key takeaways: Online courses on a resume
Online courses play a vital role in today’s job market by providing individuals with the opportunity to continuously learn and adapt to the ever-changing demands of various industries.
As we’ve discussed, online courses offer numerous benefits, including flexibility, affordability, and relevance, making them an ideal choice for those looking to enhance their skills and stay competitive.
By effectively showcasing your online courses on your resume, you demonstrate your commitment to staying current in your field and improving your skill set, which can make you a more attractive candidate to potential employers.
Here’s a recap of how to list online courses on your resume:
1. Create a dedicated section for online courses and certifications.
2. Organize your courses strategically — based on relevance or theme.
3. Include course information, such as the name, the platform/institution, and date.
4. Showcase certifications or badges (if applicable).
5. Showcase your newly acquired skills in other sections of your resume.