Have you just completed American TESOL Institute Philippines’ Advanced TESOL Program? Are you thinking about requesting for a certificate to showcase what you just learned? Maybe you’re here because you want to know if you should include the certification in your resume or CV?
Well, the easy answer to that is—yes! You earned it, so you should definitely be adding it to your CV or resume, especially if it is related to the position you’re applying for.
But, you have to know how to use the certificate in the right way. So where on your resume should you list your TESOL certificate?
Here are four possible sections and their pros and cons. Your approach will definitely depend on your other experiences, skills and qualifications, so be sure to read through all of our recommendations to choose the best option!
Categorize it with other Training and CPD Programs
If you have been participating in different training programs, conferences and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) modules, your TESOL Certification would be a fantastic addition to this section.
You can name it in various ways, such as “Professional Development”, “Trainings and Workshops Attended”, or “Further Training”, and follow the format you used for your Education section.
TIP: Be selective. You don’t have to indicate all of the workshops you attended if they are not related to your intended position. You can also focus on CPD units and training courses exclusively and leave out the seminars or conferences.
Pros:
- Emphasizes your commitment to continued learning and professional enrichment.
- Beefs up your resume—you might find that you have extra space left, so you’d want to fill it up with something meaningful and beneficial to your profile.
- Keeps the focus on your other qualifications, especially if the TESOL Certificate isn’t the primary highlight of your application. For example, you want to show your language skills but the certificate is not a strict requirement for the position.
Cons:
- A separate section will look empty if the TESOL Certificate is the only item under it. Three is a good number to aim for as a minimum, but you also don’t want to pad it with irrelevant events.
- May appear cluttered and unfocused. Your TESOL qualification might get buried among all the other conferences and programs you participated in; you should carefully select what to include so that they tell a clear story tailored to the position you’re applying for.
Add it under Education
Since ATI-Phils is a recognized language institution, you can include our Advanced TESOL program, with the certification as a bulleted achievement or highlight beneath, alongside the rest of your educational background.
TIP: Consistency is key. List ATI-Phils in the same way you would cite a degree-granting school. Match the arrangement of information with the format you used for your other educational qualifications.
Pros:
- Saves space—you won’t have to create a new section just to list the certificate, so you can keep your resume looking neat and compact.
- Works best if the TESOL Certificate is the only training module that you have pursued or if it's your most recent qualification. It can be advantageous if you’re applying to something like a graduate program and you want to show that you have returned to educational pursuits, especially if it has been a long time since your previous studies.
Cons:
- Not an obvious area to place the qualification. Potential employers may be keeping an eye out specifically for a list of certifications, and they could miss out on that detail when skimming.
Create a New Section for Certifications
The TESOL certificate we offer is internationally recognized and comes directly from ATI USA. Thus, you can add an entirely new section to your CV or resume specifically for certifications and licenses.
TIP: Be strategic. The layout can make or break how your resume is perceived. Creating another section can fill up empty space, but it can also introduce new problems if the information ends up too cramped.
Pros:
- Visibility—hiring managers who are on the lookout for the TESOL qualification will know right away where to find that information, if placed strategically.
- Reiterates your skills in a clear and direct way. Because licenses and certificates are not just a symbol of achievement but a measure of your capabilities, you will be able to concretely show your potential employers that you have the qualities necessary for your position.
Cons:
- Finding the right balance can be a challenge. You want to make sure that the Certifications section will be easy to spot, but you also wouldn’t want to place too much emphasis on it lest it break the flow and detract from your other qualifications. This section is often placed at the lower part of the resume or perhaps the second page of a CV, making it difficult to find.
Incorporate it into the Summary or Objective Statement
A good resume or CV will typically have a brief statement at the beginning to offer a professional summary of who you are, what you can bring to the team and what you want to achieve. You can use the TESOL Certificate as a strong opener or descriptor for that statement.
TIP: It is an easy fix. This is the simplest and quickest way to insert the certification, without having to figure out how to alter the layout and other sections of the resume or CV.
Pros:
- Easily seen at the top of the page. Since the summary is the first part of your resume after your contact information, hiring managers would be able to notice the certification right away.
- This can be done in conjunction with the other options above; for example, you could describe yourself as a TESOL Certified instructor in your summary as well as add it under the CPD section.
Cons:
- Can seem out of place and frame your profile the wrong way if the TESOL Certification is not directly related to the position you are applying for.
- You might have to sacrifice a more contextualized and unique description that you had in mind in order to make way for the certification, thus potentially making it similar to others’ statements.
Try out the suggestions above and see which one works for you! Remember that you know yourself and what you can offer, so build your CV or resume in a way that best portrays that profile.
The TESOL Certificate can improve your chances at landing a job or being accepted for further education, like graduate studies or exchange programs. However, your qualifications are only as good as you can make them out to be; it all boils down to presentation on your resume or CV. You definitely want to be highlighting it the right way, so that your application leaves an impression at first glance and paves the way for great career opportunities!