To add a certificate to LinkedIn, go to your profile, click “Add profile section”, open “Licenses & certifications” and fill in the name, the issuing organization, the issue date and, if your certificate has them, the credential ID and URL. It takes about two minutes.
The harder question is which certificates are worth adding. A certificate of completion, a degree and a professional certification with an exam say very different things about you. Below you’ll find the step-by-step LinkedIn guide, a table comparing certificate types, and a checklist to pick online courses that actually help your resume.
How to add a certificate to LinkedIn, step by step
- Open your profile and click “Add profile section”.
- Find “Licenses & certifications” and open it.
- Under Name, type the course name exactly as it appears on the certificate.
- Under issuing organization, enter whoever delivered the course.
- Add the issue date. If the certificate doesn’t expire, leave the expiration date blank.
- If your certificate has a credential ID or URL, add them. If it doesn’t, leave those fields empty.
- Add the related skills (for example, “Negotiation”) and save.
Button labels can shift a little depending on your device or the current version of LinkedIn, but the section is always licenses and certifications. Want more visibility? Write a short post about what you learned. That says more about you than the certificate alone.
Treat your certifications section like a game inventory: the gear that helps you reach the next level goes on top. If a certificate has nothing to do with where you’re headed, it may not belong there.
What a certificate of completion is (and isn’t)
Most online courses issue a certificate of completion. It confirms that you finished the course and shows the course name, the organization that delivered it and the date. It proves you trained in something specific.
What it doesn’t do is turn that course into a degree. Degrees come from colleges and universities. A professional certification is issued by an independent organization after you pass an exam. Those are three different things, and your resume should keep them apart.
Certificate types compared: which one helps when
| Type | Who issues it | What it shows | When it helps | When it’s not enough |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate of completion | Whoever delivers the course | You finished a specific course | Showing continuous learning and specific skills on your resume and LinkedIn | When a job asks for a degree or an exam-based certification |
| Degree or academic diploma | A college, university or recognized school | A recognized level of education | Jobs and professions that require that degree | When you need a practical skill, fast |
| Professional certification with an exam | An independent industry organization | You passed an assessment against a set standard | Technical roles or methods where employers ask for it by name | Without real practice: passing an exam isn’t the same as doing the job |
| Required training | Whatever your industry rules or employer specify | You meet a requirement | When regulations or the job posting require it | Standing out: it’s the baseline, not a bonus |
Before you choose, read the job posting or your industry’s requirements. If they ask for something specific, that comes first. If not, a solid certificate of completion in the right skill can be exactly what sets you apart.
Do employers care about certificates of completion?
They care about what the certificate says about you. Whoever reviews your profile tends to look at four things:
- A specific, named skill. “Negotiation” or “Active listening” says more than “Personal development.”
- Fit with your goal. Three courses related to the job you want tell a story. Twenty random ones don’t.
- Recency. It shows you keep learning.
- A story you can tell. If you can describe a situation you practiced and what you took from it, the certificate stops being just a file.
Pros
- Shows initiative and continuous learning.
- Lets you pick very specific skills and learn at your own pace.
- Usually affordable and quick to earn.
Cons
- It doesn’t replace a degree or an exam-based certification.
- Its weight depends on the skill and on how you talk about it.
- Piling up unrelated certificates hurts more than it helps.
How to list it on your resume
Add a Professional development or Certifications section below your education. For each course, include the name, the organization, the year and, if there’s room, one line on what you practiced. And in your list of soft skills for your resume, tie each one to a real example or to the training behind it.
Not sure which skills to prioritize? Start with your professional development goals: decide where you’re going first, then pick the courses.
Checklist before you pick an online course with a certificate
- Does the course name a specific skill your current or next job needs?
- Is there practice and feedback, or just videos and a final quiz?
- What exactly does the certificate say, and who issues it?
- Does the job require a degree or an exam-based certification? If so, this isn’t the route.
- How much does each course cost, counting only the ones you’ll actually finish?
Where Game Strategies fits in
Our courses are training games: a story, decisions with consequences and feedback on what you do. When you finish each one, you get a certificate of completion you can add to LinkedIn. These are some of the best fits for a skills-focused resume:
- Pacific (8 hours): leadership and team management as a survival adventure. You practice delegating, giving feedback, motivating people and resolving conflict. It’s part of our leadership training.
- Shaka (1 hour 30 minutes): active listening step by step, tested in situations that get tricky. It’s part of our communication skills training.
- Dex (2 hours): emotional intelligence. Recognizing and regulating emotions, empathizing and communicating assertively.
- Merchants (10 hours): negotiation in 15th-century Venice, with six negotiation cases and feedback on each one.
They’re all included in the annual license for €299 per person (VAT included): one year of access to all 71 games in the catalog, about €4.20 per game. It’s a one-time payment with no automatic renewal.
To be clear: ours is a certificate of completion. It shows you finished the training and helps you tell a story of continuous learning, but it doesn’t replace a degree or a professional certification with an exam. Its real value is in what you practice and how you talk about it.
Frequently asked questions
Where do certificates go on LinkedIn?
In the “Licenses & certifications” section of your profile. If you don’t see it, click “Add profile section” and look for it there.
What’s the difference between a certificate of completion and a certification?
A certificate of completion confirms you finished a course. A professional certification is issued by an independent organization after an exam and shows you meet a set standard.
Should I add every certificate I earn?
No. Keep the ones related to your current goal and recent enough to show you’re still learning. Fewer, well-chosen certificates read better.
What certificate do I get with Game Strategies?
A certificate of completion for each course you finish, which you can add to LinkedIn. It isn’t an academic degree or an exam-based certification.