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For working professionals looking to enhance their resumes or upskill their way to a promotion or higher salary, free online certifications can be an efficient, cost-friendly way to accomplish these goals.

Before selecting a free online certification course, individuals should know some key information about the differences between free and paid certifications, how to choose the right certification, and the pros and cons of free online certifications. This article will explore these topics with expert insight from Huy Nguyen, Intelligent.com’s chief education and career development advisor.

What is a Free Online Certification?

Free online certifications are educational programs offered virtually through various platforms, including post-secondary institutions, private companies, non-profits, or other outlets. They may also be known as Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), which allow students all over the world to access courses developed by industry experts and leading educational institutions.

Students can typically complete free online certifications in a few hours to a few weeks. Coursework is delivered asynchronously through videos, prerecorded lectures, and reading assignments. Courses are most likely available in free and paid versions, with paid students getting more access to instructors, lessons, and learning materials.

While free online certifications are a cost-effective way to upskill or prepare for a career change, students should note that they differ from industry-required certifications, such as teaching certification or a Certified Public Accountant. To receive these certifications, students must typically complete, at minimum, a bachelor’s degree from an accredited school and pass a certification exam administered by a state certification board or professional agency.

Pros and cons of free online certifications

There are several benefits to earning a free online certification, but individuals should also be aware of some key shortcomings.

Pros

  • tickDevelop new skills and knowledge

    “Completing an online certification allows you to demonstrate to current or potential employers your understanding of up-to-date skills you may not have learned in college,” Nguyen says. “Having in-demand knowledge and familiarity with industry trends allows you to immediately impact a business, which employers may consider, especially for entry-level roles.”

  • tickExplore a new interest/career path without a significant investment

    Free online certifications are an ideal way to gain more exposure to a topic or career path that you’re considering before investing time and money into further education. If you find that you are well-suited to a particular area, you can apply the knowledge you gained from your certification to additional education or jobs. If it’s not a match, you won’t have lost anything financially while exploring that area.

  • tickDemonstrate a willingness to learn and grow to potential employers

    “With the rapid pace of technology and industry change, employers are increasingly placing more value on candidates that can adapt and learn new skills on demand,” Nguyen says. Having certifications on your resume signals to employers that you are up to these challenges and understand the value of expanding your knowledge base.

  • tickFlexibility and convenience

    “Online courses can greatly benefit job-seekers because they allow them to acquire in-demand and current knowledge and skills in less time than a formal education,” Nguyen says. Depending on the type of degree, formal education usually takes two to four years. By comparison, most free online certifications can be completed in a few hours. The asynchronous nature of most of these courses also means that students can complete them according to their own schedules, learning whenever and wherever is most convenient.

Cons

  • tickQuality can vary greatly

    With so many different platforms offering free online certifications, it’s important to remember that not all are created equal. The quality of these courses can vary significantly in terms of content, instructor qualifications, teaching ability, interface, customer service, and more. There is little oversight or regulation for who can offer free online certifications, so it can be harder to tell if the education you’re receiving is being provided by qualified instructors and meets basic standards of quality.

  • tickNot a replacement for a recognized degree or post-secondary certificate

    “There has been a trend over the last five years of more and more businesses dropping degree requirements for some jobs to expand their talent pool to more diverse candidates and prioritize practical skills over general formal education,” Nguyen says. However, many industries, such as education, social work, and nursing, still require a full degree for entry-level roles or advancement. Individuals should be mindful of the minimum education requirements for roles they’re seeking to help them choose the educational path that’s right for them.

  • tickOnline learning isn't suitable for everyone

    While the convenience and flexibility of online courses are often the selling points for this kind of education, it’s not always the best delivery method for students. Asynchronous online courses require strong self-discipline, motivation, and time management skills, as they don’t have the built-in accountability of designated class meetings and regular interaction with instructors and classmates. Many free online courses only allow students access to materials for a limited time, so students must complete their course on schedule to receive their certification.

How to Choose the Free Online Certification That’s Right For You

Consider your interests and industry

Before pursuing a free online certification, it’s essential to clarify why you’re seeking a certification and what type of certification will best serve you based on your industry and career goals. Reflect on your current professional experience and think about areas in which you have gaps in knowledge or skills often listed in job postings. For example, if you work in customer service with exposure to diverse populations, speaking multiple languages may be an asset for your resume. If you’re unsure what to pursue, seek guidance from supervisors or colleagues regarding what skills they see as potentially valuable.

Research in-demand skills

Determine whether you want to develop hard skills for a particular industry or soft skills that can apply to many jobs. If you want to expand your toolkit of hard skills, review job postings in your field to determine what employers seek. You can also reflect on your professional experience and identify areas where you have knowledge gaps or room to improve existing skills. Meanwhile, if you’re interested in adding transferable skills to your resume, Nguyen says, “Currently, some of the most in-demand soft skills include effective communication, collaboration in remote and in-person environments, technological savvy and digital literacy, and an understanding of basic artificial intelligence (AI).”

Review course provider and content

As you research available free online certifications, investigate the providers to ensure you’ll receive a quality education from a capable instructor. Read third-party and student reviews to understand what course content, delivery platforms, and customer service are like. Avoid platforms with red flags like charging students for courses advertised as free or consistent technical issues with online learning technology. Whenever possible, review the syllabus of certification courses to confirm that they are teaching the most current and accurate information. Even if you’re not paying for a course, it’s better to avoid wasting time with online certifications that won’t help you achieve your goals.

Determine your logistical needs

Besides being free, what else do you need from your online certification? If it’s an online course, do you want it to be asynchronous, in which there are no scheduled class meetings, or would you prefer a synchronous program so you can learn alongside other students? Think about how much time you can dedicate overall to obtaining your certification. Some courses can be completed in just a few hours, while others may take days or weeks. If a paid version of a course is available that will give you a more robust curriculum or faculty support, is that something you’re willing to consider? Are you planning on using this certification as a stepping stone to a full degree? If so, consider enrolling in an accredited program for which you can receive college credit.

Free Online Certifications That Will Boost Your Resume

Artificial intelligence

“AI proficiency is becoming a baseline expectation in many sectors, especially data-dependent sectors, like technology, finance, marketing, and healthcare,” Nguyen says. “Although AI is in its infancy, many industries are interested in implementing and leveraging AI in their businesses to increase capabilities and productivity and reduce operating costs.” Developing AI skills can be valuable for individuals as companies seek out employees who understand how AI can be used to make an impact on their business.

Communications

Communication is one of the most popular topics for certifications, as these skills are prized across all types of industries and jobs. Depending on your specific line of work, you can pursue a free online communications certification in technical and business writing, public speaking and presenting, and interpersonal communications. The majority of jobs require some aptitude for communication, whether it’s in written or verbal form. Still, this certification can be especially useful for those interested in moving into leadership and management roles.

Language

Depending on the industry, type of job, and geographic location, speaking multiple languages may be a requirement for a job or give you an advantage over another candidate. Having a certification in a foreign language shows current or potential employers that you are confident in your ability to communicate verbally and in writing in multiple languages. Consider where you currently live or plan on living and who you will interact with most frequently when selecting the language you want to learn.

Creative thinking and problem-solving

The ability to be solution-oriented and think innovatively is a valuable trait, regardless of industry, and particularly important for those who aspire to leadership roles. Online certification in creative thinking and problem-solving helps students develop these abilities by exposing them to different ways of thinking and approaching problems and leading them through exercises used by top creative minds to address challenges.

Project management

All industries need effective project managers, making this another ideal free online certification to pursue. Some courses focus on developing general project management skills, such as leadership, collaboration, communication, budgeting, strategy, and more. Others teach students specific approaches to project management, such as agile project management. This certification can be particularly useful for those interested in pursuing management or team-based roles.

Excel and Microsoft Office

Although you may already be familiar with Microsoft Office Suite from your previous work experience, earning an online certification can enhance your proficiency with these software programs, giving you an edge when seeking jobs that include a lot of administrative tasks. Free certifications in Microsoft Office often help train individuals in various programs, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Teams.

Photoshop

Completing a Photoshop certification course can be an efficient way to familiarize yourself with Adobe’s popular photo editing and enhancing software fundamentals. Even if you don’t work in a creative field, the ability to design and edit graphics can be handy for creating presentations, documents, posters, manuals, and more. Individuals interested in pursuing a certification in Photoshop should note that they will likely have to pay for the software.

Computer programming

Thanks to our increasingly tech-dependent world, computer programming, or coding, is one of the most popular areas for free online certifications. Students can opt to learn the basics like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript or dive into advanced programming languages through online coding bootcamps that prepare students for roles as software engineers and web developers. The ability to complete basic or advanced computer programming tasks can make you attractive to employers, who benefit from having someone in-house who can build or update a website or application.

Marketing

Whether you want to better understand what search engine optimization (SEO) is or develop new digital marketing strategies for an online business, there’s likely a free online certification in marketing that can help you. Certifications in marketing are also attractive to employers across industries, as they seek out individuals who can help them expand their customer base or drive sales or visibility of their products and services. There are many online marketing certifications, including email marketing, Google Ads, Google Analytics, social media and digital marketing, and more.

Data analysis

Data analysis certifications typically introduce students to software programs used to examine data, find patterns, and create data visualizations needed to share findings with other constituencies. These types of skills are increasingly valuable to employers as more companies collect data about current and potential consumers and seek out employees who know how to analyze and interpret that data.

How to Include Certifications on Your Resume

If you’ve obtained a certification or are in the process of earning one, there are a few options for listing this educational experience on your resume.

“Job-seekers can include relevant certifications in the skills section of their resume, as these reflect tangible skills where they have done formal learning and gained work experience,” Nguyen says. “Listing the title of the certification helps validate the knowledge you possess.”

Another option is to list certifications under the Education section of your resume, particularly if you earned your certification through a formal program at a post-secondary institution. If you have multiple certifications, you can create a separate sub-section to list them. However, be mindful to only include the most relevant certifications on your resume, so as not to overwhelm the recruiter or hiring manager reading it.