Professional and Technical Certifications – should I or shouldn’t I?
Some companies want them, and for others, it does not impact their operations….. but you have to ask yourself what benefit they can bring YOU!
Bottom line: Professional and Technical certifications are valuable if they are considered valuable in your field.
What benefit can professional certifications bring you now and in the future:
What added value could they bring to your current position?
Could a course or cert help advance you into an area of interest?
Make you more competitive among your peers?
Help you become a subject matter expert in a particular area, and/or
Would they help differentiate you from the crowd?
Some examples of situations where certifications are advantageous:
Job Applications:
Envisage the volume of CVs a company will receive and your competition. Think about what can differentiate you from your peers.
Having technical certifications, shows the company your initiative and interest in personal development and interest in your area of expertise.
All things being equal, if you were a company and received one CV with certifications and one without – who would you choose?
Money & Promotion
Again, consider the employers’ viewpoint. With certifications, you are validating your knowledge and expertise. Have you become an expert within the company? Have you differentiated yourself from your colleagues?
If your professional skill set and knowledge are in line with the company’s business, and you are expanding upon this by getting certified, you are giving yourself a strong business case for salary negotiation and advancement at promotional reviews, this can also encourage the company to invest and develop your skill set with you.
Some companies align salaries with certifications, I’m sure that’s motivation enough.
Subject Matter Expert (SME)
In such a competitive market, it is not just years of experience and expertise being sought, rather top-level certifications are being demanded.
Ensuring you are up to date with the latest sector-specific training and technologies and having the certifications to prove it, assists employers in validating skills and experience.
What to do?
You must do your research and find certifications that complement your current skill set and work environment (keeping you competitive in your current position) as well as develop upon these for future growth and progression. Yes, there is a financial outlay, but consider it an investment in yourself and your future.
In my opinion, it is very simple…. Certifications help to validate your skills and experience.
