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Some IT-certifications, like e.g. the certifications by Cisco or CompTIA, expire after three years. Other certifications (e.g. Microsoft) have no expiration-date and are valid lifelong, once they are accomplished.
But I wonder if there's an age at which a certification is too old to be added to an application.
What would you say?
Is a certification obsolet after a certain amount of years?
And if so: After which amount of years? Three, five, ten years?
The knowledge required to gain a certification doesn't disappear the day after the certification expires. Some knowledge may be outdated, but much of it is probably still relevant even many years after expiry. Conversely, even a non-expiring certification can lose relevancy over time as technology marches on.
A resume should be a summary of experience, knowledge, and skills relevant to the job you are applying to. If you can support this summary with (outdated) certification, then you should mention the certificate in a section between work experience and education (if you're still listing your last university/college qualification). As with any qualification, clearly state the precise certificate title, the issuing body (if available), and the year of certification. Possibly include a few bullet points of the parts of the certification most relevant to the job you are applying to.
