Why a PDF is not proof
Microsoft states the principle plainly in its college-credit guidance: most institutions consider a certification or transcript official only if it comes from the organisation awarding it, so you should not email a copy or attachment but send a verifiable link instead. The same logic applies to hiring. Anyone can edit a PDF; it is much harder to fake a page on the issuer's own domain.
Verification also has a shelf life. Coursera's Privacy Notice says certificates cannot be accessed, verified or reissued once an account is deleted, and Educative warns its verification URLs can become invalid if the legal name changes. A certificate can be genuine and still fail a check if the link behind it has gone.
Verification mechanisms by issuer
Each row below comes from the issuer's own page on October 30, 2026.
| Issuer | What the candidate shares | What the verifier sees, per the issuer | What breaks it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alison | Credential URL of the Learner Achievement Verification page plus the Cert No. | A verification page for the course; Alison's LinkedIn guidance uses its address as the credential URL | Account deletion: Alison says all linked information is permanently deleted |
| Educative | Link to the certificate verification page | A page showing the certificate holder's legal name | A legal name change can invalidate the URL; changing the name also revokes existing certificates |
| Coursera | The certificate's share link (programme pages list a shareable certificate) | Not described on the pages we could load | Account deletion: certificates can no longer be accessed or verified |
| Coursera partner badges (IBM, Google) | Credly or Acclaim badge link, where the programme issues one | Badge page hosted by Credly; the Google and IBM pages say the credit badge carries the ACE or ECTS recommendation | Depends on the badge issuer |
| AWS Certification | Credly digital badge link | A verify option showing the issue date and that the issuer is AWS Training and Certification | Expiry: AWS requires recertification every three years; AWS does not publish a list of certified people |
| Microsoft Certification | A share link to the Microsoft Learn transcript, created under Transcript, Share link | The official transcript, optionally with legal name and contact email shown | Role-based certifications expire after one year without renewal; Credly transcripts only cover certifications claimed before June 30, 2023 |
Guidance for applicants
If a link has broken because you closed an account, say so up front and offer the downloaded certificate with its date. Being open about it reads far better than a verifier finding a dead link.
- Collect the public verification link for every credential you list, and test each one in a logged-out browser window.
- For Microsoft, sign in to your Learn profile, choose Transcript, open Transcript Settings and turn on Show legal name, then use Share link and Create link (or Copy link if you made one before).
- For AWS, share the Credly badge link rather than a screenshot; AWS says employers should ask for the badge link.
- For Educative, do not change your legal name on the platform after sharing links unless you are ready to reissue them.
- Keep the accounts that host your links open for as long as you might be job hunting.
- Put the link next to the credential on your resumé or in the LinkedIn credential URL field, so the reviewer does not have to ask.
Guidance for hiring managers
For roles where a certification is a legal or contractual requirement, verify directly with the certifying body using its own process, and record the date you checked.
- Ask for the issuer link, not the file. Check that the domain belongs to the issuer or its named badge host.
- Match three things: the name on the page, the exact credential title and the date.
- For certifications, check status, not just issue date. Microsoft role-based certifications are valid for one year, AWS asks for recertification every three years, and Google Cloud professional certifications are valid for two years.
- Remember what is being verified. A course-completion certificate shows completion of that course; it is not an independent certification of competence.
- Treat an unverifiable link as a question to ask, not automatic evidence of fraud: account deletion and name changes break genuine links.
What we could not confirm
CompTIA's public verification page returned a certificate error to our reader, and Coursera's help centre did not render, so we have not described either mechanism. Google Cloud's certification FAQ gives validity periods but does not describe how employers verify a credential. If you rely on one of these, ask the candidate to share the verification link the issuer provides and test it yourself.
Questions before you decide
How do I verify someone's AWS certification?
AWS says to ask the person for their AWS Certification digital badge link. The badge has a verify option that shows the issue date and that the issuer is AWS Training and Certification.
How do I share a Microsoft certification so it can be verified?
Microsoft says to sign in to Microsoft Learn, open Transcript, choose Share link and Create link, and send that verifiable link rather than a copy or attachment.
Why did an Educative certificate link stop working?
Educative's Certificates FAQ says verification URLs can become invalid if the legal name changes, and that changing the legal name revokes existing certificates.
Where is the verification number on an Alison certificate?
Alison's LinkedIn help article says the Cert No. on your Learner Achievement Verification page is the credential ID, and that page's address is the credential URL.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- Microsoft Learn: College credit for certification exams (transcript sharing) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- AWS Certification FAQs Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Microsoft Learn: Credential expiration policies Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Alison Help Center: How do I add my completed course to LinkedIn? Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Alison Help Center: How do I delete my Alison account? Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Educative Certificates FAQ Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Coursera Privacy Notice (rights, organisation programmes, account deletion) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Coursera: Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Coursera: IBM Data Science Professional Certificate Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Google Cloud Certification Help: FAQs Accessed 30 Oct 2026
Sources link directly to providers. Product buttons may use separately labeled affiliate links. Read our disclosure.