What Is Online Certification and How Do You Get Certified?

Online certification is a credential you earn by passing an assessment or completing a course over the internet, rather than in a classroom or testing center. It proves a specific skill to employers and is narrower than a degree: it usually takes hours or weeks, not years. Platforms such as ExpertRating illustrate the model — the company says it offers 300+ widely accepted certifications and 1,100+ skill tests, has tested 25 million people across 160 countries, and develops its certifications under ISO 9001:2015 standards. Use this route when you need fast, verifiable evidence of a defined skill; choose a traditional program instead when the role legally requires a license or an accredited degree.

How Online Certification Differs from Courses and Degrees

The three are often confused, but they answer different questions:

A course certificate often only confirms attendance or completion. A certification is supposed to confirm competence, which is why the assessment design matters more than the video content.

The Typical Certification Process

Most platforms follow the same four steps. Using ExpertRating as the example:

1. Choose a skill area. Browse the certification list and pick the one that matches a job requirement or a gap in your resume. ExpertRating separates individual certifications from its pre-employment and employee testing products, so confirm you are on the individual path.
2. Register and pay (if required). Create an account and enroll in the specific certification. Pricing is not published in the material reviewed here, so check the checkout page for the current fee before committing.
3. Take the test or course. For test-based certifications, you sit an online exam; for course-based ones, you complete the material and then the assessment. Expect a timed, scored test rather than an open-ended project.
4. Receive the credential. On passing, you get a certificate you can list on a resume or LinkedIn profile. Verify how the platform lets employers confirm it — a verifiable ID or lookup page is far stronger than a PDF alone.

How to check you succeeded: you should receive a pass result with a score or pass/fail status, and a certificate that names the skill, the date, and ideally a verification method. If you cannot find a way for a third party to confirm the credential, treat it as a completion record, not a certification.

How to Judge Whether a Certification Is Credible

Credibility is the deciding factor, because a certificate nobody recognizes adds nothing to a job application. Check these signals before you pay:

• Standards and accreditation. ExpertRating states its certifications are developed under ISO 9001:2015. ISO 9001 is a quality-management standard, so read it as evidence of a documented process, not as proof that a specific skill test is psychometrically validated.
• Employer acceptance. Look for named organizations that use the platform for hiring or employee evaluation. ExpertRating cites Walmart, Google, IKEA, Ericsson, GAP, Amazon, Fox News and GE among users of its testing, and says it serves 6,500+ companies. Named employers are a stronger signal than a generic "industry-recognized" claim.
• Scale and track record. Operating since 2001, 25 million people tested, and an 86% reorder rate are the kind of figures that suggest the platform is established. Treat self-reported numbers as marketing until you see independent confirmation.
• Test security. Ask whether the exam is proctored, timed, randomized, or open-book. A certification that anyone can pass in an untimed open tab carries little weight with employers.
• Fit with your target role. The best test is the one a hiring manager in your field would recognize. A widely used platform still may not be known in a niche profession.

Cost, Time, and Outcomes vs. Traditional Certification

Online certification usually wins on speed and convenience; traditional certification usually wins on recognition in regulated fields.

• Time: online tests can be completed in a single sitting, while classroom or exam-center certifications often require scheduled sessions and travel.
• Cost: online platforms generally position themselves as affordable, but confirm the actual fee at checkout — the reviewed material does not list prices.
• Outcomes: for general business, software, and office skills, an online credential can demonstrate competence quickly. For fields with licensing bodies, statutory requirements, or union recognition, an online certificate from a commercial platform will not substitute.
• Employer signal: a certification is strongest when paired with a portfolio or work sample. The credential gets you past a filter; the sample gets you the offer.

When Online Certification Is Worth It — and When It Isn't

Worth pursuing when:

• A job posting lists a specific tool or skill and you can certify it in days.
• You are changing fields and need a low-cost way to show baseline competence.
• Your employer uses the same platform for internal testing, so the credential is already recognized.

Skip it when:

• The role requires a license, registration, or accredited degree.
• The certificate has no verification method and no named employer acceptance.
• You would learn more from a project you can show than from a multiple-choice test.

A practical middle path: take the certification to structure your learning, then build one small portfolio piece that proves you can apply the skill. The certificate opens the conversation; the work closes it.