Can edX Courses Contribute To Your Career?

Before you enroll in a course to further your career, you’re probably going to want to check that it’ll actually matter to future employers, right?

After all, the last thing you want to do is spend time passing an online course only for it to have very little or limited impact on prospective employers. 

So, will an edX course contribute to your career? Is it worth putting on your resume? You’ll be happy to learn that yes it will and yes you should.

These courses can be listed on resumes as well as on an online learning platform such as Linkedin. A certificate in any of the edX courses will showcase your newfound skills and will attract future employers. 

Initially run by Ivy League universities like Harvard University, these courses did and continue to hold quite a lot of weight, even after they were sold them.

So, let’s take a closer look at that can eDX courses contribute to your career goals or not!

Will Employers Care About edX Certificates?

Originally established by renowned educational institutions, these verified certificates are much more credible than similar counterparts offered by other brands and businesses.

And so adding one of these to your resume is sure to catch employers’ eyes and help you stand out from the crowd. 

However, it is important to note that it is the verified certificates that hold significantly more weight. If you want to obtain one of these certificates, you will have to opt for the paid learning option. 

But why will these completion certificates matter to employers? For plenty of reasons: 

• Prestigious Partnerships – As these courses were first introduced by the likes of MIT and Harvard they are much more appealing than your standard online courses. 
• Self-Paced Courses – Since these courses are completed at your own pace and leisure it provides evidence that you are a self-disciplined learner with excellent time management skills. 
• They Aren’t Easy – These courses aren’t the easiest to complete, and your certification provides evidence that you are dedicated and committed to your own learning as well as your chosen industry. 
• Industry-Based Skills – Each course is dedicated to teaching students in-demand professional skills that are trending for the particular industry ensuring that you’ll have relevant expertise in the area of your choice. 

edX Certification & Employer Impressions

It’s not exactly a secret that many employers don’t hold all online classes, online courses, and certifications on an online platform with perhaps the college credit that they deserve.

It often puts individuals off partaking in a course, but luckily this really isn’t an issue when it comes to edX certificates. 

Of course, it’s worth noting straight off the bat that an edX certificate alone won’t always guarantee you your dream job.

Getting to the top of any desired field takes more than just certifications, it takes time, dedication, and effort to continue learning more about your given field.

Even those with degrees don’t always fit exactly what the employer is looking for. 

But don’t be discouraged or disheartened by this fact, because they do still give you a little extra leverage and they will still be a beneficial credit to your name that employers do take seriously. 

To make the most out of your professional certificate and to prove its extra value to employers, try the following tips when creating your professional education and profile: 

• Cover Letters – Speak about your course in your cover letter. This is a great way to highlight exactly how your certificate makes you knowledgeable and worthy of the role you are applying for. You can mention your learning journey and more explicitly discuss how it impacts your suitability for the role rather than simply mentioning it in your resume. 
• Practical Skills – These graduate-level courses teach you a ton more than just the general theory of the industry that you are applying for. They also teach you many practical skills that you will be able to apply to the role and the real world. Be sure to let your employers know about this. 

Can You Land A Job With An edX Certificate?

Yes! As I mentioned before, you obviously need to lower your expectations somewhat.

You won’t complete the course and then instantly land your perfect dream job, but you can easily get a job in your chosen field which then allows you to start to make your way up the ladder to where you want to be. 

It’s also worth being aware that some roles are easier to get into with a verified edX certificate than others.

Of course, you will need to pay for the verified certificates which typically can cost anywhere between $100-$300 per course.

But this is definitely worth it as these can massively increase your chances of landing the job. 

Some of the best courses for likely job opportunities include: 

• Machine learning engineer
• Entry-level data scientist
• Brand engagement specialist
• Web developer
• Professional development
• Computer security specialist
• Web designer
• Data manager
• Big data specialist
• Digital marketing expert
• Cloud development specialist. 

Benefits Of Using edX Certificates To Get A Job

As with any course, there are no guarantees that you’ll definitely get the job just because of your completion certification. And that is something to definitely be aware of.

With that being said though, there are tons of benefits to having most courses in your arsenal. Let’s take a look at them now. 

• Stand Out – These courses help you stand out from the crowd. If it comes between you and one other candidate, it could be the deciding factor for who they pick. 
• Industry Experts – Since these courses are run by industry experts, it ensures that you are job ready and have all the expertise you need to know while attending the Micromasters programs. Employers also know this and it demonstrates your potential. 
• Shows Dedication – Going off on your own accord to gain one of these certifications only goes to prove your passion and dedication to the field. And this is something that any employer is looking for in a potential employee. 
• Helps The Interview Process – Having this certification can help make interviews a lot easier since you have tons that you can talk about. Employers are likely to ask you about the course and you can go into further detail about your learning journey, career ambitions, and newly-learned skills. 

Final Thoughts

If you’re considering enrolling in an edX course but are hesitant as you are not sure if they will even matter to your future employers, hopefully, this article will help put your mind at ease. 

Sure, as with any qualifications, there are no guarantees. A job is never promised as you never know who is applying for the role and what skills they have.

With that being said though, these certifications still matter to many potential employers. It could very well be the deciding factor that piques their interest and scores you that converted interview. 

The certificates hold a fair amount of weight and prove many valuable attributes from relevant expertise to practical skills, as well as showing evidence of dedication, passion, self-discipline, and time management skills.

All things that employers want to see in potential candidates.  

And if you go into further detail in your cover letter or interview process, you can also demonstrate even further how these certificates make you the perfect choice for the job you are applying for. 

So, get your certificate and apply for those roles. Good luck – you’ll smash it!