This post shares how adding a certification to your online profile or resume will make it easier for career pivoters to stay competitive in a brand new space.
It's not easy getting your foot in the door when you are changing careers. You are in a new industry and just starting to grow your network. And your resume highlights your transferable skills, but it doesn't have a lot or any experience in your new role.
Like how the old saying goes, "What comes first? The chicken or the egg?"
You need to have some experience to land a job or clients, but a company or client wants to see something tangible on your resume first before hiring you.
That's when certification courses online can really help you land that first opportunity during a career-changing journey.
You no longer have to go into a classroom to learn and earn your certification. There are a ton of websites and educational platforms that offer free professional certification courses online.
Free? Yep, free.
So, let's dive into why it is important to get certifications as a career changer and where to find free certifications online!
Why Get Professionally Certified?
Let's talk about blue checkmarks used on Instagram.
Blue checkmarks are for public figures and brand profiles. The badge represents legitimacy and authenticity. People can trust that the profile is officially connected to the person or brand.
A certification does the same thing for your resume. It can help validate your knowledge or skills, making it easier to qualify for jobs or land gigs.
Adding a professional certification to your LinkedIn Profile or resume could be the keywords a recruiter uses to source candidates. A recruiter uses LinkedIn or an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) software to help sort through profiles and resumes.
Recruiters use keywords from job descriptions to filter out the hundreds or thousands of candidates. 98% of the fortune 500 companies use an ATS system as a recruiting tool.
And let's not forget how being certified can increase your chances of landing a new client. Clients can feel more secure knowing they're hiring a professional verified and tested on their knowledge and skills.
More highlights to consider for certification courses online:
- Access to industry-related communities
- Networking opportunities
- Adds to your personal brand online
- The flexibility of learning online and at your own pace.
What to Expect with an Online Certification Course?
Not all certification courses are created equal. Depending on your industry, craft, or trade, completing a course could take a few hours or months.
Learn About the Details; find out how many hours it will take to complete the course. How long does it take to complete the exam? What is the qualifying percentage to pass (most courses require around 80% that must be correct to pass)?
Find a Community; some courses are so popular that there could be online study groups available. You don't have to go through this experience by yourself. Find people who have already taken the test or study groups. Use LinkedIn as your go-to source by typing in the certification in the search bar + passed or + study group. Relevant posts will pull up, and it will be your opportunity to reach out to the person who wrote the post. Bonus networking tip!
And so, are we ready to get to the list of 21 free certification courses that are available online? Let's find your professional certification to add to your resume or profile.
21 Free Certification Courses Online
Google offers courses that are meant for professionals and agencies that serve clients using Google products. The Google Skillshop covers topics related to their products in marketing, Ad Sales, and online analytics. Entrepreneurs can also take these courses on leveraging and optimizing Google tools and features within their business.
- Google Ads (YouTube, Search, Display, Shopping Ads)
- Google Marketing (Campaign Manager, Creative, Mobile)
- Google Analytics
- Waze Ads Fundamentals
HubSpot Academy Certification Course
HubSpot is one of the leading inbound marketing and sales software companies. Their business is centered on helping businesses connect with their customers through social media, email marketing, and search engine optimization. HubSpot is globally recognized for its authority on digital marketing and online optimization. Employers and clients can see the value of a HubSpot Certification.
Here are the most popular courses they offer for certification.
Side Note: I recently took the HubSpot SEO Certification course, and I shared it on LinkedIn. So many people joined in on the celebration, and I made new connections and saw a 25% increase in views to my profile.
Coursera is one of the leading online educational platforms that offer courses from universities and colleges from the U.S. and worldwide. Coursera has also partnered with top tech companies and offers various free professional certifications from web development to sales training.
Here are the tech companies that provide free certification programs:
- IBM
- Salesforce
Microsoft teamed up with edX to offer online certification courses taught by Microsoft experts. The courses cover the most relevant and cutting-edge technology related to cloud services, mobile development, and data sciences.
Shopify is the world's leading eCommerce platform designed to host themed shops across the internet. Shopify owns 23% of the market share of eCommerce websites in the U.S., growing. The demand for customized themes for Shopify websites is on the rise and learning how to develop theme shops is one of the certified courses offered. There is also a need to develop apps for Shopify websites (similar to plugins for WordPress), the second course offered in the academy.
- Theme Development
- App Development
LinkedIn Learning
With a LinkedIn signup, you also have access to LinkedIn Learning, an on-demand video library with courses with and without certification options. The topics can range from self-awareness to color theory. You can share your achievement with your network or download certification to add to your profile when you complete a course. LinkedIn Learning offers a free month; after the trial is over, it is $29.99. You can cancel at any time and can probably complete 2-3 certifications within the month's trial run. Here are some popular courses that offer certifications:
So there you have it! Twenty-one free online certification courses help you upskill and validate your knowledge and skills to your profile or resume. Don't forget to share your achievements with the people in your community. Sharing your accomplishments will help build your personal brand as you are navigating this career pivot.
