Introduction:
A job seeker asked, “Is a professional certification worth the effort?” “Are there any advantages to holding a professional certification in your career field of choice?”
Response:
The question is, will the certification pay off as much as completing a degree program? 1) Significant positive impact on your qualifications; 2) Given same consideration as a degree completion; 3) All things being equal, can help you edge out the competition.
Advantages Explained:
Significant Positive Impact on Your Qualifications
First of all, a professional certification can have a significant positive impact on the job-related qualifications that your potential employer perceives you to possess. Some employers place a lot of weight on the additional knowledge or skills that you possess by having passed a certification exam. Even if you have completed a forma degree program directly related to your field, the certification is like “icing on the cake.” So, that is number one.
Given Same Consideration As Degree Completion
Then, number two, is that in some professions or career fields, certifications are given the same or almost the same consideration as degree completion. So, lets say you went to college, but did not complete your degree program; however, you obtained your professional certification that directly related to your field of expertise. An IT professional who was also a hiring manager told me years ago, that he gave a higher level of consideration to candidates who held certain certifications than those with degrees in the field. He did so because his observation was that certification preparation often equipped individuals with more of the workplace-applicable competencies needed on the job than than those gained in a degree program only.
Can Help You Edge Out the Competition
Finally, all things being equal, lets suppose that you are one of two top candidates for a job. You and the other candidate hold degrees in your field, but you also hold a professional certification, but the other candidate doesn’t. Your certification could be enough to help you edge out the competition.
Think about it, isn’t that what we all want to do when we aspire towards our dream job? We want prove that we have that extra “it” that pushes us across the finish line before our competition gets there. So, a certification could be a way to accomplish that.
In Conclusion:
With the cost of formal education rising seemingly each semester, some people are opting for a professional certification in lieu of an additional degree.
I hope that the information that I’ve shared with you today is helpful to those of you who are considering sitting for a professional certification related to your career field of choice.
If you did find this information helpful, please scroll down where ever you’re viewing and leave me a comment. Or, ask your very own job search related question. Who knows, it could be featured as one of my future posts.
So, as always…
Career Search Success to You! Go Get Your New Job!
