Are professional certifications worth it?
A common question on everyone’s mind before taking up any certification – is this useful? Is it worth my time, money and effort? Is it going to help me progress in my career?
Here are some pros and cons.
Pros
- A professional certification helps your resume stand out when there are several candidates with similar skillset and experience.
- Boosts self-confidence that you have successfully obtained an industry recognized certification.
- Demonstrates to employers that you are invested in self-improvement. If you are already employed, your company might be willing to sponsor your certification if you are able to prove that you can add value to the organization.
- Networking opportunities. By joining the study groups, you would meet people that are pursuing the same certification and are willing to help you with your learning journey. You might even find a mentor or a coach along the way. You can learn from others’ experiences and failures. It is amazing to see how willing people are to help you when you are going through the same journey.
- Improves your time management skills. You would need to carve out time from your busy schedule and reprioritize in order to prepare for the certification.
- Negotiate better pay depending on the value you can add to the organization based on the skills/training you gain through certifications.
- Unifying language – you would be able to think and speak in a common language with the people that have obtained the same certification regardless of which geographic region they are from.
Cons
- Takes significant time, energy and money.
- There are too many certifications and just having a certification does not guarantee anything.
- Some certifications have limited validity period.
- Being able to implement what you learn during certifications in real job might not always be feasible.
Pros certainly outweigh the cons. I strongly believe that certifications are worth it. All certifications are not created equally. So you need to research the certifications that would aid with your career goals and also have industry wide recognition.
Instead of going through the exam, would it suffice if you just read the materials so that you can gain the knowledge? My recommendation is if you spent the time reading, you might as well sit through the exam and get the certification. Studying for an exam gives better focus and motivation. Taking tests reinforces your understanding of the concepts.
Summary
Professional certifications are not a sure shot way for career success but definitely help with your learning. They are not only helpful for beginners but for experienced individuals as well. It is very important to figure out who you want to be in your career and then pursue certifications that can help you get there.
Good luck pursuing new certifications!
