Walking into a career expo with nothing but a basic CV is… risky. Employers meet hundreds of students in a single day, and the ones who stand out usually show one thing clearly: They’ve done something extra to prove they’re serious.
Certifications, especially practical, job-focused ones, help you do exactly that. You don’t need expensive diplomas or six-month bootcamps. Even one free or affordable certification can show HR that you’re proactive, skilled, and ready to work.
This guide lists reputable certifications across different fields, most of them free or low-cost, that you can finish before or after the expo and proudly add to your CV.
Customer Service Certifications
Perfect for roles like call centre agent, support representative, client services, or helpdesk.
- Google Customer Service Professional Certificate (Coursera)
• Cost: Free trial, then a monthly fee
• Why it’s useful: Covers real workplace scenarios like call handling, communication,
email responses, and using support tools like Zendesk. - HubSpot Customer Service Certification
• Cost: Free
• Why it’s useful: Quick, modern, and widely recognized. Helps you learn the language
of today’s support platforms. - Zendesk Support Administrator Certification
• Cost: Free
• Why it’s useful: Zendesk is used everywhere. This cert proves you can actually
navigate and manage a ticketing system from day one.
Finance Certifications
Great for entry-level roles like junior analyst, accounts assistant, finance trainee, or data clerk.
- CFI – Intro Finance Courses
• Cost: Free
• Why it’s useful: Build fundamentals in accounting, Excel, and financial modeling. A strong foundation for interviews. - Bloomberg Market Concepts (BMC)
• Cost: Around $150
• Why it’s useful: Highly respected by financial firms and professionals. Shows interest in markets and analysis. - Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel Courses
• Cost: Free to learn (optional paid exam)
• Why it’s useful: Excel is the backbone of finance—pivot tables, formulas, dashboards are interview requirements.
HR Certifications
Best for roles like HR coordinator, HR assistant, recruitment support, or HR trainee.
- HRCI Associate Professional in HR (aPHR)
• Cost: Paid exam (around $300)
• Why it’s useful: A formal, recognized HR certification that proves your professional commitment. - Coursera – aPHR Preparation
• Cost: Free to audit
• Why it’s useful: Learn everything needed for the aPHR exam even if you take the test later. - LinkedIn Learning – HR Foundations
• Cost: Free with trial or library access
• Why it’s useful: A beginner-friendly introduction to HR functions and responsibilities.
Networking Certifications
Networking knowledge opens doors to IT support, infrastructure, and cyber security roles.
- Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST)
• Cost: Paid exam
• Why it’s useful: A simpler entry before CCNA, showing understanding of networking basics. - Cisco Networking Basics – Skills For All
• Cost: Free
• Why it’s useful: Direct from Cisco—covers networks, routers, protocols, and more. Perfect for beginners.
Cyber Security Certifications
Cybersecurity is in massive demand—these beginner certifications help you get interviews.
- Google Cybersecurity Professional Certificate
• Cost: Free trial, then monthly fee
• Why it’s useful: Teaches SIEM tools, incident response, Python, and real analyst workflows. - ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity (CC)
• Cost: Often free (training + voucher)
• Why it’s useful: Globally respected cert—rare to get something so valuable for free. - Fortinet NSE 1 & 2
• Cost: Free
• Why it’s useful: Vendor-specific knowledge of security tools used widely in the industry.
Data Analytics Certifications
Data skills are useful in marketing, finance, HR, sales, supply chain—everywhere.
- Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate
• Cost: Free trial, then monthly fee
• Why it’s useful: Learn SQL, Tableau, dashboards, insights, and real-world projects. - Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst (PL-300)
• Cost: Training free, exam paid
• Why it’s useful: Teaches dashboard building for top-tier reporting roles. - SQL for Data Science (Coursera)
• Cost: Free to audit
• Why it’s useful: SQL is the most required skill in analytics jobs.
Cloud Computing Certifications
Useful even for non-tech roles like sales, operations, or product teams.
- Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900)
• Cost: Training free, exams often free
• Why it’s useful: Microsoft often gives free exam vouchers—great free certification. - AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
• Cost: Free training, paid exam
• Why it’s useful: Entry-level certification for the world’s leading cloud platform. - Google Cloud Digital Leader
• Cost: Free training, paid exam
• Why it’s useful: Business-focused cloud knowledge that’s not too technical.
How to Add Certifications to Your CV
Create a clean “Certifications” section and include:
- Name (e.g., AWS Cloud Practitioner)
- Issuer (e.g., Amazon Web Services)
- Date (e.g., Expected November 2024)
- Key Skills:
- Ticketing Systems
- SQL Queries
- Incident Response
- Financial Modelling
- Dashboard Development
This layout helps recruiters at career expos quickly see what you bring to the table, even if the certification is still in progress.
If you want to learn more about a practical resume writing guide, click here: Practical Resume Writing Guide
Final Words
You don’t need big degrees or expensive bootcamps to prove your potential. One or two strategic certifications can boost your CV, show initiative, and help interviewers understand your skills instantly.
Start small, pick one certification from the field that matches your direction, complete it, and step into that expo with confidence.
Want to join the Career Expo on 10th December? Register now through the link:
Link
We wish every student and fresh graduate the best of luck at AshreiTech’s BPO and Tech Career Expo 2025 on December 10th.
