Must-Have Certifications that will Boost Your Resume
Education and work experience might be the centerpieces of your resume, but have you considered obtaining a certification? Certifications are a way to show potential employers that you’ve taken the time to hone in on a new skill that can help you excel in your career field. Check out these free certifications that you can use to expand or improve upon your skillset and enhance your resume.
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Content Marketing - HubSpot
The Content Marketing Certification offered by HubSpot is designed for people who want to improve their content marketing skills. In this certification course, you can expect to learn about content creation frameworks, creating SEO (Search Engine Optimization) friendly content, and how to become a top-level content marketer. This course is excellent for professionals interested in marketing, content creation, and inbound marketing.
Social Media Marketing - HubSpot
Turn your passion for social media into a potential job opportunity by getting the Social Media Marketing Certification by HubSpot. With this course, you’ll learn how to:
Develop social media content
Create an effective social media strategy
Reach your target audience(s)
Measure ROI (ACRONYM) (Return on Investment)
Become an expert in digital advertising
If you have a business, this is a great course to help you develop your brand.
COVID-19 Contact Tracing - Coursera & Johns Hopkins University
With the number of new COVID-19 cases announced daily, contact tracing positions have become a popular entry-level position for college students and recent graduates. Contact tracing involves calling individuals who may have been exposed to someone diagnosed with the virus. Around the start of the pandemic, Coursera and Johns Hopkins University began offering a Contact Tracing course for those pursuing contact tracing positions.
If you’re interested in public health, medicine, health administration, or any other related field, this certification is a great starting point to develop skills applicable to your career.
Fundamentals of Digital Marketing - Google
Digital marketing careers are booming thanks to apps like Instagram, Tik Tok, Facebook (Meta), and many more. As a result, many companies are hiring people who are experts in marketing for these platforms. For those pursuing degrees in business or marketing, Google offers the Fundamentals of Digital Marketing. The course is designed for beginners wanting to learn the basics of:
Analytics and data insights
Business strategy
Content marketing
Display advertising
E-commerce
Email and local marketing
Mobile
SEM
SEO
Social media
Video
Web optimization
With the increase of digital marketing careers like virtual assistants, social media managers, content managers, this certification is an excellent addition to your resume.
Fundamentals of Virology - Alison
Alison’s Fundamental of Virology Certification Course is excellent for students pursuing biology, chemistry, medicine, genetics, public health, and other related degrees. The course provides a basic overview of viruses, beginning with the history of viruses and concluding with the effects of viruses on the human body.
Some of the course outcomes for students include:
Describing the pathology of viruses
Explaining the replication of viruses
Listing and distinguishing the seven virus genome types
Detailing the effects of viruses on our health and wellbeing
For those wanting to pursue an M.D., M.S., Ph.D., or other graduate degrees after graduation, adding this certification may help your curriculum vitae (CV) stand out to a school’s admission board once you begin applying. You’ll have to purchase one after completing the course if you want a certificate.
Machine Learning - Coursera
If you’re an aspiring engineer, data analyst, or computer scientist, Coursera provides an introductory course on Machine Learning. Machine learning is the “process of using mathematical models of data to help a computer learn without direction” (Microsoft Azure). Students can gain the following skills with the Machine Learning course:
Artificial Neural Network
Logistic Regression
Machine Learning (ML) Algorithms
Machine Learning
Develop Your Emotional Intelligence - Alison
Have you ever heard of emotional intelligence? Emotional intelligence is the “ability to identify and regulate our own emotions, to recognize the emotions of other people and feel empathy toward them, and to use these abilities to communicate effectively and build healthy productive relationships with others” (Harvard Health). Alison offers an Emotional Intelligence certification course, which can help increase your work (or school) performance by learning how to manage your emotions and understand the feelings of others.
Here’s a preview of the modules in the course:
Insights into Emotions at Work
Giving and Receiving Feedback
Basic Human Emotions
Emotional Intelligence as an Ability
Measuring Emotional Intelligence
If you want a certification, you’ll need to purchase one from Alison’s Shop after completing the course.
Don’t limit your potential by solely relying on your degrees and work experience to succeed in your career field. Certifications in combination with your degree and work experience show potential employers (or clients if you have a business) that you’ve taken the effort to receive training on a skillset. In addition, if you have an interest in a specific skill or topic, consider taking certification courses to add value to your resume and professional development.