Quick Answer
Yes, you should absolutely put your Coursera certificates on your LinkedIn profile. Coursera certificates showcase valuable skills, knowledge, and achievements to recruiters and hiring managers. Highlighting your certificates makes your profile stand out and provides proof of your abilities.
Why Put Coursera Certificates on LinkedIn?
Here are some key reasons to add your Coursera certificates to your LinkedIn profile:
Demonstrates Your Knowledge and Skills
Earning a certificate from Coursera shows you have mastered new skills and gained expertise in a subject area. Whether it’s data science, marketing, business, or computer programming, a certificate proves you invested time to comprehensively learn about a topic or tool.
Listing Coursera certificates displays the depth and diversity of your knowledge to recruiters. It shows you are committed to continuously building your skills.
Displays Your Achievements
A Coursera certificate represents an impressive achievement. Coursera courses often require dozens of hours of lectures, assignments, quizzes, and projects to complete. Showcasing certificates makes your profile stand out and highlights your dedication to learning.
Provides Credibility
Coursera is a top global online learning platform created by leading universities like Stanford, Duke, and University of Michigan. Earning a certificate from such a reputable institution lends credibility to your skills and expertise.
Coursera certificates carry more weight than your average online course certificate. Listing them adds authority and trustworthiness to your profile.
Endorsed by Top Universities and Companies
Coursera partners with respected universities and companies to create certificate courses. When you complete a certificate, it is essentially endorsed by that respected institution.
For example, a digital marketing certificate from Coursera and Google demonstrates your digital marketing skills are endorsed by a top technology company. Prominently displaying these certificates can catch the eye of recruiters.
Shows You’re Open to Learning
Recruiters often look for candidates who are constantly improving their skills and knowledge. Coursera certificates prove you are self-motivated to learn new things and develop professionally.
Even if a certificate is not directly related to the job, it shows intellectual curiosity and an ability to master new skills. These are attractive qualities in candidates.
Displays Valuable “Soft Skills”
The regular assignments and projects required by Coursera demonstrate important “soft skills” like time management, self-discipline, independent learning, and perseverance. These skills appeal greatly to employers.
Provides Proof for Your LinkedIn Profile
It’s easy to make claims about your skills and expertise on your LinkedIn profile. However, certificates provide third-party proof and validation for those claims.
For example, rather than simply listing “SQL” as a skill, you can back it up with a Coursera Certificate in SQL earned from a top university. The certificate offers tangible evidence of your skills.
Shows You’re Willing to Invest in Yourself
Earning certificates requires an investment of time and sometimes money. This shows recruiters you’re willing to invest in your own professional development.
Listing certificates displays your commitment to career advancement and continued education. These qualities make you a more attractive candidate.
How to Add Coursera Certificates to LinkedIn
Adding your certificates to your LinkedIn profile is easy. Here are step-by-step instructions:
Step 1: Save a Copy of Your Certificate
After completing your Coursera course, make sure to download a copy of your certificate as a PDF file or image. You’ll need this file to upload to LinkedIn.
Step 2: Go to Your LinkedIn Profile
Log in to your LinkedIn account and navigate to your profile page. Go to the “Featured” section.
Step 3: Click “Add Featured”
In the Featured section, click the “+” icon and select “Add featured”.
Step 4: Choose “Certificate”
This will open options for adding media. Choose “Certificate” from the list.
Step 5: Upload Certificate File
Upload your Coursera certificate file (PDF or image).
Step 6: Fill in Details
LinkedIn will ask you to fill in the following information about your certificate:
– Name of certificate
– Issuing organization (i.e. Coursera)
– Issue date
– Expiration date (if applicable)
– Certification ID (optional)
– Credential ID (optional)
Fill this out, then click “Save”.
Step 7: Rearrange Featured Items
Your certificate will now be displayed in your Featured section. You can rearrange and prioritize it alongside your other items.
Where to Display Your Certificate
In addition to the Featured section, here are some other places to showcase your Coursera certificates on LinkedIn:
Education Section
You can add Certifications to your Education section. This situates them alongside your official degrees and credentials.
Accomplishments Section
Use the Accomplishments section to highlight all certificates and notable achievements.
Skills & Endorsements
For skill-specific certificates, list the certificate name in the skills section and add the endorsing Coursera institution.
About or Summary Section
Briefly mention your Coursera certificates in your profile summary or about section. For example “Earned credentials in Data Science from Coursera”.
Tips for Making Your Certificates Stand Out
Here are some tips to make your Coursera certificates shine on your LinkedIn profile:
Add Visual Recognition Badges
Coursera lets you showcase visual badges recognizing your certificates. Enable this in your Coursera account settings.
Use Visual Icons
Add certificate icons or logos next to certificate mentions to quickly catch the eye.
Link to Your Coursera Profile
Include a link to your public Coursera profile so recruiters can see all your certificates.
Showcase the Most Relevant Certificates
Prioritize certificates directly related to your target role or industry. Put these in the Featured section.
Include Details
Mention instructors, organizations, grades, and projects to provide context on your certificates.
Demonstrate What You Learned
Briefly explain how you are applying the skills and knowledge from a certificate in your work.
Should You Include Expired or Old Certificates?
As a rule of thumb, only showcase active certificates on LinkedIn that have not expired. Here’s why:
Shows Your Skills Are Current
Active certificates prove you are up-to-date on the latest knowledge and skills in your field. Old or expired ones don’t carry the same weight.
Peak Relevance
Certificates are most relevant to recruiters when they are newly earned. Their impact fades over time.
Renewed Commitment
Showcasing only your newest certificates displays your ongoing commitment to learning and self-improvement.
However, it can be worth keeping very notable expired certificates on your profile. For example, if it was a highly selective program that speaks to your experience. Use your judgement!
Should I Include Certificates for Skills Irrelevant to My Goals?
Only showcase certificates related to the type of job or industry you are pursuing. Irrelevant ones will not impress recruiters.
For example, if you are applying for engineering roles, a music production certificate may not be very useful on your profile. Prioritize your most career-relevant credentials.
That said, demonstrating a diversity of interests and skills outside your domain can still appeal to some employers. Use your judgement on which to highlight.
Conclusion
Adding Coursera certificates to your LinkedIn profile is a great way to enhance your profile, showcase your skills, and stand out to recruiters. Prioritize highlighting certificates that are active, relevant to your goals, and from reputable institutions like Coursera’s university partners. With the right certificates prominently displayed, you can prove your knowledge and achievements to prospective employers.