It can be hard to know what you should put on your resume. You might think that your resume is missing out on something that will make you stand out from the rest of the applicants.
This is where Coursera can come into play. If you have completed courses on Coursera, adding this to your resume is a great way to attract the eye of your potential employer.
This article will look at the pros of adding your Coursera certificate on resume, as well as how this can be done. Read on for more information!
What Is Coursera?
Coursera is a very popular online platform that offers online courses for anyone who is interested.
It is an online course provider and it offers courses and degrees from different universities and organizations across the world.
This company was founded in 2012 by two professors named Daphne Koller and Andrew Ng. Since then it has developed into a leading provider of online courses.
This company was one of the first online platforms of its kind and it works alongside very prestigious universities such as Stanford, Yale, and many more. It is a very reliable site and you can guarantee good results.
There are many different types of courses on Coursera, ranging from public health to computer science.
A range of different people chooses to take these courses.
They do so because they are interested in the subject and want to learn more about it. You can enroll in as many courses as you like in a range of different areas if you like. (Check out ‘What Is Coursera Unlimited?‘)
It is a great way to bulk out your resume and set you aside from the other candidates. Coursera is well known for being one of the few sites that have full bachelor’s degree programs on their site.
As it is quite well known, taking courses through this company is well known to employers and so it will help your chances.
Should I List My Coursera Certificate On Resume?
When it comes to putting your Coursera course on your resume, there are a few different ways in which you can do this.
Often, you will receive a lot of different certificates and diplomas throughout your education and not all of them will be relevant to all jobs.
Instead, you will need to only list the ones that are relevant to the job that you are applying for in your job search.
If you ensure that you do this, then you will be much more likely to have a chance of being hired by hiring managers.
Where Should I List My Coursera Certificate?
Education Section
When you are filling out your resume, it is important to consider the best place to list your course.
The best place to put this information is in the education section of the resume. It is a great thing to put on your resume, especially if you don’t have any experience yet.
Listing the course under the education section on your resume is a great idea. This is the place where you can list any of your qualifications, and the Coursera course is no exception.
When you are adding the qualifications to your resume you should ensure that you follow the best practices for listing education on your resume.
You should include the official name of the course that you completed and the name of the education provider. For instance, you should list the name of the university or industry planner.
You should also include the completion date and the grade if this is relevant. After this, you should include a summary of what the course entailed.
Professional Development Section
If you have some work experience, then a good place to list this information is in the Professional Development Section of your resume. This shows that you have made steps to progress in your career.
Licenses And Development Section
You can even add a new section to your resume if it seems relevant. Adding a relevant certifications and licenses section will present you to your employer as someone who is well-qualified.
Professional certification will catch the attention of the employer immediately as it will mean that you will be seen as more competent in the workplace.
Skills Section
It is also a good idea to have a skills section on your resume and you can include the Coursera qualification in this section. If the course is linked to the job that you’re applying for then this is a good place to list it.
Usually, you will place the skills section about the professional experience section on your resume.
This will allow the employer to easily figure out whether you have the qualifications for this role, ensuring that they consider the rest of your application.
Consider the skills that are relevant to the job you are applying for and organize them into a few columns.
Adding the Coursera qualification to your resume is a great way to show that you have the skills that they are looking for and that you are interested in developing your skill set.
Should You Mention It In Your Cover Letter?
Cover letters are a great place to mention any courses that you have completed that are relevant to the role that you are applying for.
These letters are a great place for you to explain your relevant skills and experience and explain why you think you are very well suited for the role.
This is a good place to mention any courses that you have completed, including those that are not on Coursera. Include anything that is relevant to the role here that you think sets you aside from other candidates.
Even if you have placed the certificate information on your resume, you should also make sure that you mention it in the cover letter as well.
This is important because you need to make sure that your employer knows why these courses are relevant to you and you want to promote yourself as much as possible.
How Should You Talk About Your Coursera Certificate On Your Cover Letter?
It is important that you explain the course and the benefits of taking this course in the best possible way on your cover letter.
Consider answering the following questions:
- What did you learn?
- What are you proud of?
You should talk about some of the specific skills that you learned in the course and how they can aid you on the job.
Discuss the challenges that this course provided for you and how this will be valuable to you in your work.
Communicate what you had to do to achieve the course and show potential employers how this will help you to do the job in the best possible way.
Should You Put Your Coursera Certificate On Your LinkedIn Profile?
It is a good idea to treat your LinkedIn profile as if it is a CV. In some cases, this is the only way that the employer will see any information about you so you should use it as a way to promote yourself.
In lots of cases, you may not have a college education, but you may have a Coursera certificate that will prove that you are hardworking and devoted to improving.
In lots of cases, if you can prove this then businesses will not mind if you don’t have a formal education.
You have the chance to take full advantage of promoting yourself in this way by using LinkedIn.
There are opportunities for you to show that you have all of the relevant experiences for the role and that you are interested in expanding these technical skills.
It is a good idea to place the best Coursera certificates on your resume, LinkedIn profile, and your cover letter to ensure that it is seen by the employer.
What Should You Put On Your Resume?
When you list online courses on your resume you will need to make sure that you include the following information on the courses:
- The name of the course
- The provider of the course
- The date that your course was completed
- The grade or any other relevant information
What Should You Not Put On Your Resume?
If you are hoping for the best chance of getting noticed by an employer and having a successful resume, there are some things that you should do.
For instance, you should ensure that your resume only includes the information that you need on there.
You don’t want to overload the possible employer with too much information about your hobbies and awards that are not relevant.
It is essential to ensure that your resume is not overloaded with information.
For this reason, you should only list the certificates that you achieve from Courses that are relevant to the job that you are applying to. You should also remove any information from your resume that is very old.
Ensure that your resume is not too long as this can lead to an overload of information. It is important to keep your resume concise.
Ensure that you spellcheck your resume and make sure that it is grammatically correct.
Pros Of Coursera Courses
There are many positives to taking a Coursera course. These include:
- The courses are well structured and the content that you will receive in the course is of very high quality. They are given by reputed institutions.
- Available in many different languages, including European and Asian languages. You will be able to read translations and have subtitles. You can benefit from these courses if your native language is not English.
- Coursera courses have very clear content and you will be able to choose one that suits you and your career progression.
- You will be encouraged to complete the course but you can do so at your own pace.
- You will have a chance to receive financial aid if you are a low-income learner. You should apply for this aid online.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Do Coursera Courses Cost?
It is important to consider how much Coursera courses will cost. There are some courses that you can take through Coursera that do not cost anything.
There are lots of free courses for you to take to improve your skills and knowledge and further your career.
There are also lots of paid courses on Coursera and the prices of these vary greatly. You can take courses that end in you receiving a degree qualification and these are a lot more expensive. (See ‘Coursera Pricing – Is it worth paying for this course?‘)
While they are still cheaper than going to a University, they still cost a significant amount of money.
Is It Difficult To Get Coursera Financial Aid?
There is financial aid and scholarships available to you if you want them. If you can’t afford the cost of the tuition then you should consider this option.
There is an application form for you to complete if you want to apply for this financial aid and you will need to give some information about educational background, your career aspirations, and finances.
You may have a chance at qualifying for this financial aid so it is important for you to check on this information.
Will I Need To Attend Classes In Person?
With Coursera, you will not need to attend any classes in person. All of the programs that you can take part in are done at your own pace and you can do so from anywhere.
This is why these courses are perfect for those with other commitments or single parents. You can fit these classes around your schedule.
There are deadlines on the course but they are flexible and you can move them back if you need to.
Final Thoughts
It is definitely a good idea to put the Coursera certificate on your resume, especially if the courses are relevant to the role that you are applying for.
There are lots of different ways that you can do this, and these are all explored in the article above.
