Does LinkedIn Learning Give Certificates? The Definitive Guide

LinkedIn Learning, formerly known as Lynda.com, is an e-learning platform that offers video courses taught by industry experts on a wide range of topics from software programs to business skills. One of the most frequently asked questions about LinkedIn Learning is whether it provides certificates of completion for its courses. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about LinkedIn Learning Give Certificates.

Overview of LinkedIn Learning Certificates

Yes, LinkedIn Learning does offer certificates of completion for the majority of its courses. When you complete a course, you have the option to download or print a certificate to showcase your new skills. Here are some key things to know about LinkedIn Learning certificates:

Certificates are available for most, but not all, courses. Some short courses may not have certificates.
Certificates display your name, the course title, the instructor’s name, and date of completion.
Certificates are PDF files that can be downloaded, printed, added to your LinkedIn profile, or shared online.
LinkedIn Learning tracks all course completions and certificates within your account. You can access them anytime.
Certificates do not expire. They represent completion at the time you took the course.
LinkedIn Learning certificates are free with your subscription – no extra fees to access them.

So in summary, yes, completing LinkedIn Learning courses does provide you with a certificate you can use to highlight your skills and professional development. But not every single course offers a certificate.

Completion Certificates – Just Finish a Course to Earn One

LinkedIn Learning issues a Completion Certificate when you watch 100% of a video course. You don’t have to pass any test or assessment. Just watching all the videos in a course is enough to get this certificate.

Here are key facts about Completion Certificates:

Awarded for completing 100% of a course’s videos
No assessments are required to earn it
Shows you finished the course
Has your name, the course name, date of completion
Can be added to your LinkedIn profile
Never expires once earned

So if you are looking for an e-certificate just to validate your learning, Completion Certificates serve that need.

Many learners value Completion Certificates for tracking their progress and showcasing their skills on LinkedIn. Employers also look for them when evaluating candidates.

But skeptics may argue Completion Certificates don’t carry much weight on their own, as you don’t have to pass any tests to earn them. Fair point!

This brings us to the second and more credible type of certificate on LinkedIn Learning – the Certificate of Completion.

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Certificates of Completion – Pass Assessments to Earn It

For some courses on LinkedIn Learning, you can earn a Certificate of Completion by passing assessments.

This certificate carries more value as it proves you understood the course material and passed the required evaluations.

Here are the key aspects of Certificates of Completion:

Awarded when you pass assessments in a course
Proves you understood the material
Has your name, course name, date, and a certification number
Can also be added to the LinkedIn profile
Does not expire once issued
Looks more impressive than the completed Certificate

Not all LinkedIn Learning courses offer Certificates of Completion. They are available only in select courses that have graded assessments like quizzes, projects, and coding exercises.

Examples of some popular courses that offer Certificates of Completion include:

Excel Essential Training
JavaScript Essential Training
Machine Learning Fundamentals
Programming Foundations: Object-Oriented Design

So if you are looking for an e-certificate that validates your skills in a topic, try taking courses that offer Certificates of Completion.

Now you may be wondering – how do you add these LinkedIn Learning certificates to your LinkedIn profile to showcase your skills? Let’s find out!

How to Add LinkedIn Learning Certificates to Your LinkedIn Profile

It’s easy to showcase your LinkedIn Learning certificates on your LinkedIn profile. Just follow these steps:

1. Access Certificate from LinkedIn Learning Account

First, log in to your LinkedIn Learning account and access the certificate from the course details page. Click the “View Certificate” button.

2. Save the Certificate as an Image

Save or download the certificate displayed as a JPG, PNG, or PDF file on your computer.

3. Upload to LinkedIn Profile

Go to your LinkedIn profile and click “Add profile section”. Choose “Licenses & Certifications”.

4. Provide Details

Give a name for the certificate e.g. “Excel Essential Training Certificate”.

Add the issue date and expiration (certificates don’t expire).

5. Upload Image

Upload the certificate image file saved earlier.

Hit “Save” and your certificate will now show on your profile!

Adding LinkedIn Learning certificates helps showcase your skills. But how much value do they truly hold? Let’s analyze next.

Do LinkedIn Learning Certificates Have Value for Your Career?

The big question around LinkedIn Learning certificates is – do they hold any tangible value for advancing your career?

Let’s weigh the pros and cons:

The Pros

Showcase skills: Certificates validate your knowledge of a topic.
Credibility: More value than just listing skills without proof.
Continuing education: Shows your dedication to lifelong learning.
Job applications: This can make your resume more impressive.

The Cons

No guarantees: Completion doesn’t guarantee skills application.
Short duration: Most courses are just a few hours long.
No credibility: Anyone can complete courses and get certificates.
Not recognized: Certificates don’t count as professional or academic credentials.

So in summary, LinkedIn Learning certificates are useful for showcasing your skills on LinkedIn and resumes. They demonstrate your knowledge better than just claiming skills without proof.

However, the certificates may not be recognized as formal credentials or guarantee skills. Their value depends a lot on individual employer perspective.

For formal professional certification in a field, more rigorous programs are required. LinkedIn Learning is more useful for building skills than certification.

Can You Get Certificates from LinkedIn Learning for Free?

LinkedIn Learning is a paid subscription service. So you cannot earn Completion Certificates or Certificates of Completion with a free account.

However, LinkedIn does offer one free way to get a certificate from LinkedIn Learning – LinkedIn Learning Paths.

LinkedIn Learning Pathways is a curated series of courses and activities on career-focused topics like project management, design thinking, data analysis, etc.

Some learning paths are available for free to all LinkedIn members. And when you complete 100% of a learning path, you get a digital badge to showcase on your profile.

The certificate looks like this:

LinkedIn Learning Give Certificates — Source – Linkedin Learning

This certificate proves you completed the learning path but does not include course details like the paid Certificates of Completion.

The free certificates from learning paths can help showcase skills without a paid subscription. But they have low value compared to the regular course completion certificates.

If you want to maximize the value of LinkedIn Learning certifications, a paid subscription is recommended for access to more courses and credible Certificates of Completion.

Do LinkedIn Learning Certificates Expire?

No, LinkedIn Learning certificates do not expire once issued. The certificates remain accessible in your LinkedIn Learning account perpetually.

Whether it is a Completion Certificate or a Certificate of Completion, it has lifelong validity.

Even if your LinkedIn Learning subscription expires, you can still access and showcase certificates earned from previous courses.

The certificates do not have any expiry or renewal requirements. You can provide the issue date when adding them to LinkedIn or resumes.

This lifelong access maximizes the value you get from investing time and money in LinkedIn Learning courses. The certificates act as a lasting proof of your skills.

So feel free to proudly display them for years to come! There is no need to renew or retake courses to maintain valid certificates. Just focus on continuously developing new skills.

Do LinkedIn Learning Certificates Matter?

We’ve seen LinkedIn Learning offers two types of certificates – Completion Certificates and more credible Certificates of Completion.

But this begs the question – do these certificates matter?

As we evaluated earlier, opinions are somewhat divided:

For

Employers look for proof of skills
Shows motivation to learn
Adds credibility compared to just claiming skills

Against

Anyone can complete courses
The short duration of courses
Not recognized as professional credentials

In summary, LinkedIn Learning certificates do add value in showcasing skills, continuing education and potentially making your resume more impressive.

But their ultimate value depends on perspective. MOOC certificates are rarely equivalent to formal qualifications. But they still demonstrate knowledge better than nothing.

As professionals, we need to be lifelong learners. LinkedIn Learning certificates are great supplemental proof of skills alongside work experience. Just don’t expect them to count as stand-alone professional certifications on their own.

Can You Show LinkedIn Learning Certificates on Your Resume?

Yes, you can include LinkedIn Learning certificates on your resume to highlight your skills.

Simply add a “Certifications” section and list details like:

Excel Essential Training Certificate (LinkedIn Learning)
Jan 2022 – No Expiry

The certificates act as credible proof of skills learned compared to just listing Excel skills.

During interviews, you can elaborate on how the courses helped build and strengthen your capabilities.

Just a word of caution again – don’t treat LinkedIn Learning certs as equivalent to hardcore professional certifications. Most employers are aware these are short online courses that provide supplemental learning.

Think of showcasing them as “icing on the cake” rather than the “cake” itself in terms of skills validation. The real value comes from applying the skills learned to excel in your job.

Do the Certificates Expire for Free LinkedIn Learning Courses?

Similar to paid courses, any free LinkedIn Learning course certificates you earn do not expire over time. The certificates remain valid proof of your completion regardless of when you took the free course.
The issue date shown reflects when you completed the course, not an expiration date. As long as you successfully finished the required course materials, your free course certificates do not expire.
That said, you may eventually lose access to all of your free course data if you are not a paid LinkedIn Learning member. This would make it impossible to share or showcase your certificate over the long term.
To maintain permanent access to your free course completion certificates, consider signing up for a paid individual or corporate LinkedIn Learning subscription. This will allow you to access both your free and paid course achievements indefinitely.

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Should You Pay for LinkedIn Learning Just for the Certificate?

LinkedIn Learning requires a paid subscription to earn Completion Certificates and Certificates of Completion for courses.

This raises the question – is it worth paying just to get the certificates?

The answer depends on your career stage:

For working professionals, the certificate itself holds little tangible value without skills application. Focus on learning instead.
For career switchers, certificates can validate credentials to aid career change. May be worth paying.
For recent graduates, certificates can improve employability and set you apart. Worth investing in.
For passive learners, certificates have low value without skills context. Avoid paying for just certs.

So assess your context. If you are learning with a genuine intention to build skills, LinkedIn Learning is worth the cost.

But paying just to collect certificates to pad your profile or resume may not provide a good return on investment. The real value comes from skills application.

Do LinkedIn Learning Certificates Help Get a Job?

LinkedIn Learning certificates can potentially help you get a job by showcasing relevant skills to employers.

Certificates on their own are unlikely to land you a job, but as part of a broader skills profile, they do offer some benefits:

Proof of skills: More credible than just claiming skills with no evidence.
Applicant tracking systems: Certs make your resume more likely to pass ATS screening.
Professional development: Shows dedication to continual learning.
Technical credibility: For specialized skills like coding and analytics.
Differentiator: This could set you apart from other applicants.

Overall, think of LinkedIn Learning certificates as a value-add rather than your sole qualification for a job. The real key is applying your skills from the courses to excel in interviews and on the job.

However, highlighting relevant certificates on your resume and LinkedIn can potentially give you an edge over the competition during the job application process.

What is the Cost of LinkedIn Learning?

LinkedIn Learning offers individual and corporate subscriptions with access to all their courses:

Subscription	Price
Monthly individual plan	$29.99 per month
Annual individual plan	$19.99 per month ($239.88 annually)
Business teams (annual)	$249.99 per user ($2,999.88 minimum annually)

They offer discounts for annual subscriptions paid upfront rather than monthly.

Some companies also provide employees free access to LinkedIn Learning as a corporate e-learning platform.

Overall, LinkedIn Learning offers very competitive pricing compared to other online learning platforms and instructor-led training.

The unlimited access to courses and certificates makes it a worthwhile investment for continuous skills development for professionals.

Are LinkedIn Learning Certificates Worth It for Professionals?

For working professionals, the value of LinkedIn Learning lies more in the skills and knowledge gained from courses rather than just the certificates.

Certificates offer some benefits:

Showcase skills
Demonstrate interest in learning
Potentially improve resume

But the real value comes from applying skills on the job and career progression.

So professionals should use LinkedIn Learning more for continual skills development than just certificate collection. Learn new skills relevant to your career direction.

That said, highlighting those learnings with certificates can validate your knowledge and help you stand out. So they do offer value added on top of skills.

Overall, don’t obsess over certificates alone, but don’t ignore their benefits either. Focus on skills application, and treat certs as the cherry on top.

Can LinkedIn Learning Certificates Help You Change Careers?

For career changers, LinkedIn Learning certificates can be more beneficial to demonstrate skills in your new field.

Some examples:

Show programming certificates to transition into tech
Project management certs to shift into operations roles
Design certs to change to creative careers

The certificates act as proof of credentials and give you credibility in the new domain.

Just make sure to take advanced courses that provide Certificates of Completion to showcase deeper skills.

Combine certificates with projects, networking, and advice from professionals in your desired new career.

So in summary, LinkedIn Learning certs can aid career transitions by validating credentials, but focus on real-world skills application as well. Don’t rely just on certificates alone.

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Do LinkedIn Learning Certificates Help College Students?

For college students and recent grads, LinkedIn Learning certificates can make your resume more impressive by demonstrating skills.

Some examples of beneficial courses:

Data analysis using Excel/Tableau
Programming languages like Python
Creative tools like Photoshop, InDesign
Project management fundamentals

The certificates showcase expanded skills beyond just your academic degree.

They provide proof you are self-driven to build skills. This helps compensate for the lack of full-time work experience.

Just a word of warning again – don’t treat LinkedIn Learning as a magic bullet for employment on its own.

Make sure to apply the skills learned and balance online courses with on-campus learning. The certificates should supplement not replace formal education.

Do Employees Value LinkedIn Learning Certificates?

Many companies now provide employees access to LinkedIn Learning for continuing education.

But how much value do employers truly place on LinkedIn Learning certificates earned by their team?

The answer depends on the organization and culture:

Tech firms more heavily value technical skill certs.
Consulting/legal firms focus on soft skills development.
Traditional companies undervalue informal e-learning generally.

So there is a spectrum based on the field. But some common principles apply:

Job performance matters most – skills application over just certs.
Advanced certs hold more weight than beginner courses.
Encourage learning, don’t mandate arbitrary certificate quotas.

The best practice for employers is to provide access to impactful courses but emphasize real-world job performance. Treat certs as supplemental indicators, not primary qualifications.

Do LinkedIn Learning Certificates Expire? Do You Need to Renew Them?

We’ve covered this in detail already, but to reiterate – LinkedIn Learning certificates do NOT expire once issued.

The certificates remain accessible in your account and profiles indefinitely. There is no need for any renewal or retaking courses to maintain “active” certs.

Some key points:

Certificates never expire – you own them for life
No need to periodically renew certificates
Of course, skills may become outdated over time
Refresh skills by taking new courses in the latest versions
Add new certificates to showcase updated knowledge

So treat certs as lifelong proof of your past skills and continued learning dedication. Keep building future skills by taking new courses in emerging tools, languages, and methodologies.