Do You Need a Copywriting Certificate?

Many new and would-be copywriters think they need a copywriting certificate—some sort of proof that they know how to write copy. After all, how else will employers or clients know that you know how to write copy? But not only is a certificate not necessary, it could actually be detrimental to your job hunt.

What you do need is copywriting training. You need to know how to write copy. But a certificate doesn’t prove that. Here’s why.

The Truth About Getting a Copywriting Certificate

There are a lot of jobs and careers require a degree or a certificate that communicates, “Yes! This person knows how to do this. You should hire them!” So, it’s completely understandable that people want a copywriting certificate.

But a copywriting certificate doesn’t mean that you can write copy—it only means that you can pay for a course that gives you a certificate at the end. Employers and, in particular, creative directors know this.

In fact, in a lot of ways, getting a copywriting certificate marks you as a newbie: You don’t know enough about the business to know that a certificate doesn’t make you anything special.

And getting a copywriting certificate will definitely hurt your job hunt if you’ve put your focusing on getting one in lieu of doing something else…

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What You Need Instead of a Copywriting Certificate

People want to get a copywriting certificate because they want proof that they can write copy. But, as they say, the proof is in the pudding. The very best proof that you can write copy is samples of well-written copy.

In other words, the best proof of your ability to write copy is a great portfolio.

If your portfolio is full of work (whether paid work or spec ads) that shows that you understand the principles of copy, you know how to collaborate with a designer, you can adapt your writing to companies’ various brand voices, and you can write across a variety of media—if that’s the case, you’ll have your proof right there.

And, of course, before you even begin to build your portfolio, you have to actually know how to write copy. Easily the biggest cause of failure among would-be copywriters is people who just decide one day that they are copywriters and start applying for work.

Copywriting is an entire career and, as with literally any other career, it requires training. There are things you need to learn before you can do it. And, by the way, as part of this copywriting training, you should be building your portfolio and learning to find work. Otherwise, it’s useless.

If you’d like more information about our copywriting training, you can check it out here. (And check out just some of our student wins right here!)

Your turn! Have you ever wasted money on a certificate for something and come to regret it? Or do you have a “proof is in the pudding” story? Let us know in the comments below!

Get Our Free Copywriting Training

Want to build a copywriting career—and get the step-by-step training for learning how to write copy, how to build your portfolio, how to land clients (plus a ton more)? Then you’re going to love our Comprehensive Copywriting Academy.

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Want to hear more about landing clients without experience? Check out the video below!