Putting courses on LinkedIn can be a great way to showcase your skills, knowledge, and professional development to your network and potential employers. However, it does require some effort to add and maintain course progress. Here we’ll look at the pros and cons of putting courses on LinkedIn to help you decide if it’s worth it for you.
The Benefits of Adding Courses to LinkedIn
Here are some of the main benefits of putting courses on your LinkedIn profile:
Shows you are continuously learning and developing
Adding courses demonstrates to your network that you are actively investing time into building your skills and knowledge. This can make you seem like a more valuable connection or prospective employee. Even if you don’t complete a full certification program, showing active learning signals you are staying up-to-date in your industry.
Provides credibility
Displaying course achievements from reputable institutions like universities and large online learning platforms lends credibility to your skills and expertise. Especially for specialized skills like programming languages and technical certifications, formal courses add validity.
Gives you an opportunity to showcase skills
The courses section allows you to highlight specific skills and knowledge gained. This gives viewers a better understanding of your capabilities beyond just a job title or short description.
Shows commitment and follow-through
By keeping your course progress updated, you demonstrate commitment to professional development and the ability to follow through. This perseverance and motivation can impress prospective employers.
Improves discoverability
Adding keyword-rich course titles and skills to your profile makes you more findable for recruiters searching LinkedIn. It can help you surface in searches related to those skills and course topics.
Sparks conversations
The courses you add give connections an easy conversation starter or talking point when reaching out. It provides current information others can ask you about and compliment.
Keeps your profile active and updated
Adding new courses and updating progress shows viewers that your profile data is current. This makes you seem more engaged on the platform compared to inactive profiles.
Potential Drawbacks of Posting Courses
While there are many upside, there are also a few potential cons to keep in mind:
It’s time consuming
Entering all your course details and continually updating the status requires a time investment. You’ll need to weigh if the benefits are worth spending time on.
Some platforms don’t integrate well
Not all learning management systems integrate seamlessly with LinkedIn. It can take extra effort to add courses completed on these platforms.
Too many courses may seem unfocused
Listing too many unrelated courses can give the impression that you lack focus in a specific skill area. Relevance is key.
Outdated courses should be removed
If you have courses from years ago that are no longer relevant, they should probably be removed to avoid looking stagnant. Keeping things current takes maintenance.
Not completing courses looks bad
If you add courses you’ve enrolled in but don’t complete them, it may seem like you lack follow-through. Be sure to only post courses you’ve finished.
Low quality courses don’t add value
Make sure the courses you add are from reputable providers. Low quality or spammy courses can actually detract from your brand.
Tips for Adding Courses on LinkedIn
If you decide putting courses on LinkedIn is beneficial for you, here are some tips to optimize your profile:
Select relevant courses
Only add courses directly related to your target career path and current role. Niche skills courses can really boost your profile.
Prioritize prestigious providers
Programs from well-known universities and large course providers like Udemy or Coursera carry more weight. Lead with these.
Include keywords in the title
Leverage keywords in your course titles related to your skills and industry. This amplifies search visibility.
Summarize key learnings and skills gained
Briefly describe the primary skills, knowledge, or certifications obtained from a course in the description.
Show progress for in-progress courses
If you are currently taking a course, note the expected completion date or percentage progress. This demonstrates follow through.
Remove expired or irrelevant courses
Keep your course list focused on current skills by pruning outdated or irrelevant achievements. Tightly curate you list.
Validate courses upon completion
Some courses offer badges, certifications or completion certificates. Validating through these adds credibility.
Cross-list credentials on other networks
In addition to listing courses on LinkedIn, also showcase them on other professional profiles like GitHub, StackOverflow or your portfolio.
Examples of Courses to Include
Here are some examples of relevant courses to showcase for different professionals:
Software Engineer:
- Machine learning courses on Coursera
- Coding bootcamp certificate
- Stanford online programming course
- AWS cloud computing training
- Python specialization on edX
Product Manager:
- Agile methodology course
- Product management workshop at General Assembly
- Google PM certificate course
- SQL for data analysis course
- UX design and research skills course
Human Resources Manager:
- Diversity and inclusion certificate
- Employment law update seminar
- HR analytics workshop
- LinkedIn Learning time management course
- Resume writing course
Finance Analyst:
- CFA elective coursework
- Financial modeling certification
- Excel advanced course
- Quickbooks training
- Python for data science course
Marketing Manager:
- Google Analytics certification
- Content marketing workshop
- Facebook Blueprint ad course
- Email marketing conference
- Hootsuite social media course
Should You Add Your LinkedIn Courses to Your Resume?
In addition to listing courses on your LinkedIn profile, should you also add them to your resume? Here are some pros and cons to consider:
Potential Pros:
- Highlights relevant skills and knowledge
- Demonstrates motivation to learn
- Shows range of credentials
- Indicates technical abilities
- Proves competency in specialized skills
Potential Cons:
- Takes up limited resume space
- Not all courses are credentialed
- Can appear unfocused if irrelevant
- Dates may show some courses are outdated
- Extra research required for unfamiliar courses
Tips forIncluding Courses on Resumes
If you do decide to add LinkedIn courses on your resume, keep these tips in mind:
- Only include courses relevant to the target job
- Prioritize formal credentials like certificates over informal workshops
- Focus on prestigious institutions and providers
- Tailor to each resume version for specific applications
- Summarize key learnings and skills gained
- Place in skills or accomplishments section
Conclusion
Posting courses on LinkedIn can be beneficial for showcasing your ongoing learning and professional development if done strategically. Focus on adding credentials that boost your credibility and relate directly to current career goals. Keep your course list trimmed of any outdated or irrelevant achievements. Supplement LinkedIn courses with other online profiles and your resume when appropriate. With the right courses highlighted in your profile, it can demonstrate valuable skills, knowledge and motivation to potential employers.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Shows continuous learning | Time consuming to maintain |
Adds credibility | Some platforms don’t integrate well |
Showcases skills | Too many looks unfocused |
Proves commitment | Outdated should be removed |
Improves discoverability | Incomplete looks bad |
Sparks conversations | Low quality detracts |
Keeps profile active |