Are certifications resume-boosters or a waste of time and money when you are decades into your career? The answer is not easy: It depends. While adding a certification can be a valuable way for those who may face ageism to demonstrate an added layer of proficiency, it’s a strategy that doesn’t always pay off in a concrete way.
Certainly there are benefits just in stretching yourself. We know from Carol Dweck’s groundbreaking work that a growth mindset in and of itself creates greater success than a fixed mindset. Plus, if you’re at a mid- or late-career plateau, a course or certification work may be just the intellectual boost needed to drag you out of complacency or boredom. Still, it’s wise to think strategically before investing time and money in a particular certification.
These four questions can be useful in investigating whether a certificate may work for you.
Realistically, will you complete the work?
Identifying the way you best learn is important because you want to set yourself up for success, which requires completion. Are you a visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learner? Do you learn better with others or alone? With structure or self-paced? For certifications, if you don’t finish the work, you might as well not have started. There’s plenty of research to show that online classes have a very low completion rate. According to edtech news site EdSurge, “Industry reports and instructional designers alike typically report that only between 5 to 15 percent of students who start free open online courses end up earning a certificate.” You can increase your chances of completing the certification by selecting a program suited to your learning style.
Will your new certificate actually help your career?
Not every certificate will make an employment difference. Investing time and money only makes sense if there’s a payoff, so choose your focus carefully. This article suggests eight certifications that do seem to result in job growth. Be mindful, too, that in tech, more than many sectors, certain certifications pay off better than others.
Should you consider an adjacent field?
It’s natural to look at earning certification in your own area, adding credibility to what you already know or deepening your knowledge. But what if the real value is in adding an adjacent, complementary skill? I loved this tweet from Gagan Biyani: The modern professional has many talents rather than just one: 🎨 Data scientist who knows Figma ✏️ Engineer who writes copy 👨💻 Marketer who can run SQL queries. Learning new skills is made easier by user-friendly tools and an abundance of information. Always be learning. Ask yourself, What additional skill would pair well with what I do and could set me apart?
How can you amplify the benefits?
“Begin with the end in mind” is one of Stephen Covey’s famous 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, so before embarking on a certification, consider concrete ways you will use this to take your career to the next level. In your current role, how will you “market” this to your own manager? As you interview for new roles, how will you position this certification? I’ve heard from several recruiters (and here) that this interview question will become standard: “What have you been doing during COVID to broaden your knowledge base and/or pursue something of personal, perhaps more obscure interest?”
Sure, the value of adding a certification “depends” on many factors. However, thinking thoughtfully and strategically when choosing paths with your certification can result in a sure win.