What Is CPD Accreditation? (And Why It’s Great for Your Resume)
Continuing professional development (CPD) is the process of gaining and developing professional skills. CPD has always been a significant driver for career success, but in our current fast-paced world, it’s more important than ever! In fact, 90% of the professionals surveyed by the CPD Standards Office reported that it played a crucial role in their career advancements.
If you want to secure that promotion or catch the eye of potential employers or clients in a competitive job market, you need to be able to demonstrate your dedication to learning and growth. That’s why an increasing number of people are turning to CPD and CPD-accredited courses to help their resumes stand out from the crowd.
In this blog post, we’ll explore what CPD and CPD-accredited courses are, how they can benefit you, and how to list them on your resume.
What Is CPD?
CPD allows professionals to develop and enhance their skills through various learning activities. This could mean honing existing skills, filling knowledge gaps, or learning completely new skills. CPD can help you secure a promotion, advance your current role, or even pursue a new career.
You can carry out CPD inside or outside the workplace, and it can be formal or informal. Examples of formal CPD might include workshops or online training courses, whereas informal CPD could be things like listening to podcasts or reading industry-specific books and blogs. For most people, CPD involves a mixture of formal and informal activities.
In some industries, employers may require their employees to complete a certain amount of CPD each year to maintain their license to practice or even their professional qualifications. For example, in the UK, many healthcare professionals are required to undertake regular CPD to ensure they’re up to date with regulations and are able to continue delivering a high standard of care.
What’s a CPD-Accredited Course?
The CPD Certification Service is a world-leading provider of CPD certification. If an online course is CPD-accredited, it means that the CPD Certification Service has assessed its content and confirmed that it meets the highest possible training standards.
CPD accreditation is recognized globally, with many well-known institutions using CPD certification to support further learning.
Benefits of Listing CPD on Your Resume
1. Show that your knowledge and skills are up to date
CPD helps you keep your knowledge and skills up to date. It ensures that you’re familiar with the latest trends and developments in your field, including emerging technologies, software, and best practices.
For instance, if you work in marketing, a CPD course on the latest SEO tactics or data analytics tools shows that you’re proactively responding to the industry’s rapid evolution, rather than relying on outdated methods. This proactive approach sets you apart as someone who is dedicated to maintaining the highest standards and can bring fresh insights to a company or client.
2. Demonstrate your eagerness to learn
Employers often look for evidence of motivation and professional curiosity when hiring. CPD underscores your commitment to professional growth, especially if you’ve chosen to focus on specialized or in-demand skills nobody else on a team can cover. You’re showcasing not just what you know but also your mindset – one that embraces continuous improvement.
For example, completing a CPD-accredited course in project management or public speaking signals that you’re willing to invest in soft skills as well as technical ones, making you a more versatile and attractive candidate.
3. Fast track a career change
If you’re looking to switch careers but don’t have much experience in a particular field, CPD and CPD accreditation are brilliant ways to show prospective employers (or clients) that you’re actively taking the steps needed to bridge the gap. They add credibility to your work, reflect your passion for the field, and can give you an edge over those who haven’t taken the time to develop their skills.
For example, if you’re transitioning from a finance role to UX design, pairing a CPD-accredited UX course with volunteer or freelance design projects shows that you can both learn and apply new skills in real situations.
CPD also makes for a great talking point during interviews. Perhaps you’ve taken a first-aid course that highlights your empathy and teamwork skills – values that can be beneficial in any field. By explaining the hands-on skills and soft skills you developed through CPD, you stand out to potential employers who appreciate real-world, practical demonstrations of capability.
4. Network with other professionals
CPD frequently goes hand in hand with networking opportunities. Workshops, conferences, and other CPD events gather professionals in the same field – or sometimes multiple fields under a broad umbrella.
By attending CPD events in person (or virtually) and actively participating in group discussions or breakout sessions, you can build a robust professional network. These connections can lead to potential job referrals, mentor relationships, or collaborative projects.
If you’re looking to shift into a new industry, you could meet people who might guide you or alert you to future openings. And if you’re staying in your existing industry, you can forge valuable partnerships with like-minded professionals.
5. Boost your future salary
While pursuing CPD takes time, and sometimes money, it’s an investment that can pay off significantly in the long term. Not all CPD activities are costly (many are free or low-cost) and many employers offer financial support, as they recognize the benefits of building a more skilled workforce.
Depending on your role, specialized qualifications can set you apart to the extent that you become indispensable, strengthening your negotiation power when discussing salary or freelance rates. For instance, if you’ve taken an advanced Excel course or a certification in financial modeling, you can directly connect these skills to increases in productivity or cost savings for the company.
How to List CPD on Your Resume
Begin by keeping a log of your CPD activities – what you studied, when you did it, and how you applied it in practice (or intend to apply it in the future). This record helps you reflect on what you’ve learned and is a handy reference point when writing job applications or preparing for interviews.
When crafting your resume, select the CPD experiences most relevant to the job you’re pursuing. You could mention them:
- In your personal statement or summary, where recruiters can spot them straight away.
- In the certifications section. For each CPD activity, include the course title, the certifying organization (e.g., The CPD Certification Service), the month and year you earned it, any renewal dates, and a concise note on what the course covered.
You could even consider creating a distinct “Professional Development” or “Continuing Education” section. Under each listed course, briefly note the skills you mastered or the learning objectives you achieved. Where possible, connect these skills to measurable outcomes, for instance, “Completed a 12-week, CPD-accredited digital marketing course, leading to a 15% increase in social media engagement for a client’s campaign.” Show employers how you’ve practically applied your newly acquired skills.
Additionally, think about the keywords you use. Many companies employ applicant tracking systems (ATS) to filter resumes by keyword relevance. If your CPD course covers specific, in-demand skill sets – like “data analysis,” “content strategy,” or “customer relationship management (CRM)” – ensure those terms appear in your resume so that you rank highly in automated screenings.
Finally, don’t forget to bring up your CPD experience in interviews. Highlight how each learning activity has improved your work output, broadened your perspective, or helped you solve real challenges in a professional setting. These anecdotes can help employers see the real-world impact of your commitment to ongoing development.
Expand Your Skill Set with Knowadays
Looking to enhance your professional toolkit, explore new career paths, or simply stay ahead of the curve in your current field? Knowadays offers a range of CPD-accredited courses that can help you do just that. From proofreading and copywriting to mastering business communications, our flexible online courses empower you to build valuable skills at your own pace.
Take advantage of our free lessons to see if a course is right for you!
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