Resume template · Updated October 2026
Resume template with a certifications section
Short answer
Every Resumity template prints a certifications section, always near the end of the page, after education. Leslie suits a certified IT support specialist because the job title line in its centred header is set in blue, so a credential written there is read first. The fictional sample lists three certifications at the bottom and names the main two in the headline and summary.
Download the certifications section sample
Tomasz is a fictional IT support specialist. Replace every detail with your own before you send it.
The files are made in your browser by Resumity's own exporters, from this sample. The builder opens it as your own resume: click any line to replace it. Free plan, no watermark.
Why Leslie suits a certifications section resume
Leslie sets the name, contact line and job title in blue in a centred header, and that title line is where the key credential belongs, because the certifications themselves print at the foot of the page. Work experience follows the summary ahead of skills, so the help desk results the certificates back up come next.
Second choice: Olivia. Olivia puts the headline in white inside a full-width blue band, which makes a credential there even more prominent on screen, though the band prints as a solid colour block.
What goes in each section, in Leslie's order
Leslie prints its sections in a fixed order, the same in the PDF and the Word file. Here is that order for this sample, and what to put in each section.
- Professional Summary. Name the credential the posting asks for in your first sentence ("CompTIA A+ and Network+ certified"), since the certifications list itself is the last thing on the page.
- Work Experience. Show the work each certificate prepared you for: imaging laptops, assigning permissions in Active Directory, setting up VLANs for an office move. A credential with no matching bullet looks like exam study only.
- Skills. Leslie prints labelled rows with a dot after each label. Use the posting's words for tools and tasks here; certificate names already have their own section, so they do not need repeating.
- Education. An associate degree or technical diploma is enough. If you have no degree, keep this to any IT coursework and let the certifications carry the qualification.
- Certifications. Official name, issuer, year. Write "CompTIA Network+", not "Net+", then the body that issued it and the year you earned it. Put the credential the posting asks for first; add "in progress" with a month only for an exam you have actually booked.
The sample resume as text
The same content as the files above, so you can copy a line or compare it with your own.
Tomasz Nowak
IT Support Specialist, CompTIA A+ and Network+
Phoenix, AZ | tomasz.nowak@example.com | (602) 555-0172 | linkedin.com/in/sample-tomasz-nowak
CompTIA A+ and Network+ certified IT support specialist with four years on a busy service desk for a 600-person healthcare group. Resolves hardware, account and network tickets, images and deploys laptops, and writes knowledge base articles that reduce repeat calls. Looking for a desktop support or service desk lead role.
Experience
IT Support Specialist, Sonoran Family Health Partners, Phoenix, AZ (01/2023 to Present)
- Resolve about 35 tickets a day in ServiceNow across hardware, Microsoft 365 and VPN issues.
- Image and deploy Windows 11 laptops for new hires and run the quarterly hardware refresh at four clinics.
- Manage user accounts and group permissions in Active Directory and Entra ID.
- Wrote 30 knowledge base articles, including a password self-service guide that cut reset calls.
Help Desk Technician, Copperline Business Services, Tempe, AZ (06/2021 to 12/2022)
- Answered phone and chat support for 40 small business clients.
- Set up printers, Wi-Fi access points and VLANs for two client office moves.
- Escalated server and firewall issues with clear notes so engineers could act without calling back.
Education
Associate of Applied Science, Information Technology, Desert Mesa Community College (05/2021)
Certifications
- CompTIA A+, CompTIA (2022)
- CompTIA Network+, CompTIA (2024)
- ITIL 4 Foundation, PeopleCert (2025)
Skills
Hardware troubleshooting, Device imaging, Account and permission management, Basic networking (DNS, DHCP, VLANs), ServiceNow, Active Directory, Microsoft 365 admin center, Intune, Patient phone manner, Clear ticket notes
How to make the sample yours
Put the required credential in the headline
If the ad says "A+ required", write "IT Support Specialist, CompTIA A+" under your name. Leslie sets that line in blue at the top of the page.
Order certificates by relevance, not by date
A desktop support role cares more about A+ than about a service management framework; a service desk lead role may want ITIL listed first.
Show renewal dates where they apply
For a credential that has to be renewed, add "valid through" and the year so a reader does not have to look it up.
Remove expired or unrelated certificates
A lapsed credential, or a first aid card on an IT application, takes a line without helping. Keep those for jobs where they count.
Keep credential IDs ready, not on the page
Some employers verify certifications. Have your ID numbers or verification links ready for the application form instead of crowding the resume with them.
Keywords to keep where they are true
Terms this kind of resume is usually searched for. Use the posting's exact wording, and only for work you have done.
- CompTIA A+
- CompTIA Network+
- ITIL 4 Foundation
- help desk support
- Active Directory
- Microsoft 365 administration
- ServiceNow
- Windows 11
- hardware troubleshooting
- device imaging
- VPN support
- ticket resolution
Mistakes to avoid
- Leaving a required certificate only in the list at the bottom. Repeat it in the headline or summary.
- Abbreviating a credential into something nobody searches for, such as "Net+" for CompTIA Network+.
- Listing an exam you hope to take someday. Only booked exams belong, marked "in progress" with a target month.
- Mixing short online courses in with certifications. A course without an exam is training; leave it off or mention it under education.
How the sample PDF reads in text extractors
We exported this sample with Resumity's PDF exporter in Chrome on 2026-10-29 and read the file back with three open-source text extractors. This shows whether software that turns a PDF into text can recover it; it is not a test of any commercial applicant tracking system. How we test templates.
| Extractor | Name, email, phone | Headings | Bullets intact |
|---|---|---|---|
| pdf.js 4.10.38 | All found | 5 of 5 | 7 of 7 |
| pdftotext (Xpdf) 4.00 | All found | 5 of 5 | 7 of 7 |
| pypdf 6.13.0 | All found | 5 of 5 | 7 of 7 |
Frequently asked questions
Where should certifications go on a resume?
In their own section, which every Resumity template prints near the end, after education. If the job requires a credential, also name it in your headline and summary so it is read first.
Should I list certifications that are still in progress?
Yes, if the exam is booked or the course nearly finished. Write "in progress" and the month you expect to finish, and remove it if that date passes.
How do I write a certification on a resume?
Official name, issuing organization and year earned, for example "CompTIA Network+, CompTIA, 2024". Add an expiry date if the credential has one.
Can I list a certification without work experience in the field?
Yes. For an entry-level job a certification can be your strongest line; name it in the headline and back it up with a home lab or volunteer project.
How many certifications should I put on my resume?
The ones related to the job, usually two to five. A long list of unrelated badges makes the important one harder to spot.
Will applicant tracking systems read this Leslie PDF?
The sample PDF read back with its contact details, all 5 section headings and all 7 bullets intact in three open-source text extractors (pdf.js, pdftotext and pypdf). Commercial systems such as Workday, Greenhouse or Taleo were not tested, and each employer configures its own.
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