Credential Number on Resume

Question
I have my Project Management Professional (PMP) Credential, which is desirable for many of the jobs I am applying for, so obviously I should put my credential on my resume. Here's my question: should I put my credential number on my resume so the employer can easily verify it?

Answer
There's no right or wrong answer to this question. It's a matter of personal choice.

Most professionals do not include a credential number on their resume; they simply list the credential by name and assume that the employer will ask for the number if or when it's needed for verification.

If you're posting your resume online, consider the risk of personal identity theft. Could your PMP number be used to steal your identity? Remember, once that information is on the Internet, it's out of your control and can fall into the hands of dishonest people. Certainly, your PMP number is not the same as your social security number, but why give the crooks anything if you don't need to? I suggest you keep that number to yourself, and give it out only when you know an employer is interested in you.

As Pam Dixon, founder and executive director of the World Privacy Forum, says, "The likelihood of a job site being victimized by fraudsters is almost 100 percent, because it is just too compelling. There is just so much information that a job site has access to that a fraudster would be interested in.”