Add Your Certification to LinkedIn: When and How

Adding your certifications and licenses to LinkedIn can make a huge impact in your professional brand. Here is what you need to know about how and when to do it.

Adding your new certification to your LinkedIn profile is a great way to show potential employers and colleagues that you are dedicated to continuing your education and growing professionally. It can also help you stand out from the competition. Here is everything you need to know about adding certifications and licenses to your LinkedIn profile.

Value of Certifications of Licenses

For many employers, certifications and licenses are as important as a degree. They want to see that you have the necessary skills and knowledge to do the job. Adding your certification or license to your LinkedIn profile is a great way to showcase your credentials. It also allows you to add more keywords to your profile so that potential employers can find you more easily.

If you have multiple certifications or licenses, you may be wondering how to choose which ones to add to your profile. Start by adding the certifications or licenses that are most relevant to the job you are seeking. You can also list any that would make you stand out from other candidates. For example, if you are applying for a job in the healthcare industry, you may want to add your CPR certification.

Why Certifications or Licenses Matter on LinkedIn

Most recruiters use LinkedIn as a resume database to find potential candidates for their open jobs. This means that they are searching profiles to find people that match the requirements for their open jobs. To do this, they will enter information in the fields to find and filter candidates.

So, if these recruiters are working on a job that requires a particular certification or license, they will use the certifications and license field to find candidates with that credential. If you do not have your certification or license on your LinkedIn profile you will not show up in these searches by recruiters. You will also not show up in their searches if you have your certification or license in a different field. So, you need to make sure that you are adding this important credential to your LinkedIn profile in the right place.

When to Add Your Certification or License to Your LinkedIn Profile

The decision about when to add a certification or license to your LinkedIn profile can be tricky. The first obvious time is when the certification or license is completed. Obtaining the credential is the perfect time to add it to your LinkedIn profile. Make sure to follow the directions below to ensure that you put this important credential on your profile the right way.

The other time that it can make sense to add the certification or license on your profile is when it is in progress. For example, there are certainly some certifications that take a lot of time and you will want to show that these are in progress. This could be a CPA, CFA, Series 7, PMP, or any other credential requiring a lengthy process.

There are other times when it makes sense to include certifications or licenses in progress to your LinkedIn profile. The most common time is when you are taking a break from work. Whether this break was planned or not, adding the certification or license that is in progress can help to show that you are staying busy. This can show potential employers how you are keeping your skills sharp or what you are doing to improve them. So, for some people, there is a lot of value in adding the certifications or license in progress to their LinkedIn profile before they are done.

How to Add Your Certification or License to Your LinkedIn Profile

The process for adding your certification or license to your LinkedIn profile has changed over time. The current process is much simpler and easier to follow.

Here are the steps:

• Log into your LinkedIn account

• Click on the Me icon in the top right corner

• Click on View profile

• Scroll down to Accomplishments

• Click on the "Add a new accomplishment" button

• In the pop-up, enter the information about your certification or license in the appropriate fields

Make sure to enter:

• The name of the credential as it appears on your certificate or license. Remember to use the drop-downs here to maximize your visibility to recruiters.

• The issuing authority for the credential (the company or organization that gave you the certification or license). Again, use the drop-downs to ensure that you are getting the right organization.

• The license number (if applicable)

• The URL for the certification or license (if applicable)

• The date that you received the credential

• Click on Save

And that's it! You have now added your certification or license to your LinkedIn profile. As always, make sure to keep your LinkedIn profile up-to-date so that it accurately reflects your professional credentials.

Adding a certification or license to your LinkedIn profile is a great way to make sure that you are being found by recruiters. It is also a good way to show potential employers that you are keeping your skills sharp. Be sure to add this important information to your profile in the right place and at the right time.

Want to make sure that your LinkedIn profile is doing the most it can? Have one of our expert LinkedIn profile writers build it for you. Get Help Now.