Online courses are becoming one of the most commonly used ways to learn new skills and expand one’s horizons. These courses, apart from being flexible and valuable, can increase your employability, when presented well during the application process. They might be the factor that will set you apart from the completion, and help you get that dream job. How to Show Online Courses on Resume to help you advance your career? Let’s find out.
- Why Should You Include Online Courses in Your CV?
- Place Online Courses on Your Resume Strategically
- Select Courses That Are Recognised and Trustworthy
- Who are "Industry Proven" providers?
- Skip the Intro Classes
- Include the Dates of Completion
- Summarise Your Learning and Showcase Your Knowledge
- Prepare to Answer Questions Regarding Completed Courses
- Final Thoughts
Why Should You Include Online Courses in Your CV?
You should be aware that there are a lot of potential benefits when it comes to completing and then listing an online course on a resume. You can expect:
- to display relevant, significant skills – applicants tend to struggle when trying to convey exactly what are their responsibilities within their current company; speaking confidently about your skillset, however, can help you make a good impression; online courses are a fantastic way to showcase skills that set you apart from other candidates
- a better job interview experience – employers during interviews always look for a way that you can add value to their company, and it’s not every day that a recruiter sees an online course on a resume; it is a stand-out factor that invites conversation, to showcase your character and willingness to learn and grow – enrolling in online education is impressive in itself, as it demonstrates discipline, personal drive, and curiosity, all important qualities for your future employer.
Place Online Courses on Your Resume Strategically
Now that you know that adding online courses to your resume can only be an advantage during the application process, it is time to discover how to do it properly.
First, you should choose which courses are worth mentioning. Online courses ended with professional certification or other valuable micro-credentials improve the most resumes of applicants with no experience in the industry they’re hoping to join. Whereas for more experienced job seekers, a course can act as a link between work experience and formal education.
No matter at what stage of professional development you are in, it is recommended NOT to make a course the centre of your resume. The best approach seems to be to keep the list of online courses short and strategically placed.
You might want to list online courses in the education section of your CV or mention them in your cover letter to emphasize your willingness to develop and create an opening to discuss your newly acquired skills. The key with the placement is to make sure it provides value, but the list doesn’t take up too much attention. A good practice is to also include the main takeaways from the courses you’ve taken, but always remember to be concise.
Select Courses That Are Recognised and Trustworthy
While online courses emphasize your professional growth, recruiters and employers sometimes see less value in remote classes. Not all courses are treated equally during the interview process. The ones that are accredited, or from a proven provider, have a better chance of being recognized and improve your employability.
What are accredited courses?
Accredited courses provide confidence about the quality of the information and skills gained throughout the course. They are accepted by almost all employers and the majority of international organizations. edX , The Linux Foundation, or Greycampus are good examples of the online education companies that provide such courses.
Who are “Industry Proven” providers?
”Industry Proven” providers are either those that offer accredited courses or those that are non-accredited but well-known and recognized by leading universities and organizations worldwide. While selecting a non-accredited course, it is essential to choose a provider with strong experience and a good reputation among industry experts. Good examples of ”Industry Proven” non-accredited learning platforms, accepted by the majority of employers are:
Be mindful of what you list on your resume, and include only courses from trustworthy institutions.
Skip the Intro Classes
How to show online courses on resume? Important is to list them, in such a way as to present yourself as an expert in the field, and an ideal candidate for the job. Making an introductory course a part of your achievements list might not be the best course of action. Intro classes within the education section of your resume can make you appear less qualified than you are in reality.
However, note that there might be a reason to place intro courses in your CV. You can include them when you’ve completed or are in progress with an advanced program of professional certification or any other micro-credential.
Include the Dates of Completion
The date of course completion signifies how current your skills are, so you might want to consider adding it when listing courses. Typically, candidates list online courses with a year of completing them to demonstrate how recently they participated.
If you are taking part in a course at the moment, you should highlight it with a description like “in progress” and include the expected date of completion. The more relevant the courses you have completed, the better. It’s best to ensure that you have relevant skills, so try to take part in new or updated courses when necessary.
Summarise Your Learning and Showcase Your Knowledge
Apart from listing the online courses that you have taken, it is most important to include additional information about the course itself. Go beyond a simple certificate on a list. Write more in your resume and make it more accessible to recruiters or employers by identifying and emphasizing all the relevant courses for the job.
Add important information regarding what you have learned from each program and highlight your professional achievements. Mention also any other outside projects related to the online courses on your list to provide context.
Prepare to Answer Questions Regarding Completed Courses
It might be also helpful to prepare yourself for the question regarding your online courses during the job interview. Since online training tends to stand out on your application, it is most likely to draw the attention of the interviewers. Prepare yourself for some of the following questions:
- Why did you enrol in this particular course?
- What have you learned throughout this course?
- How did your skills change?
- What was your experience?
- Why did you feel the need to expand your education?
You most likely be expected to answer technical questions in regard to the topic of the course. If your online course claims certain technical expertise, make sure to be ready to have an answer for all questions regarding your certifications and technicalities.
Final Thoughts
Listing online courses in your CV is a definite do. After all, you have worked very hard to complete these courses, so you owe it to yourself to make them count. Make sure you do it with much thought, so you’re sending the correct message about your continuing education path.
With the tips included in this article, you should know now how to show online courses on resume. We hope that you will be able to make yourself stand out during the application process. Online courses are a great investment in your professional skills, so it is most certainly worth it to mention it to your future employer. Do it the right way and increase your employability today.
