All Certifications Are Not Created Equal
For hiring managers, experience and qualifications matter. Certifications, however, can be a trickier field to navigate.
While certifications typically reference specific qualifications, skills and knowledge a candidate has acquired, they're not all created equal. So much so that the difference between two seemingly similar certifications may actually bring about significant differences in the workplace, particularly when it comes to compensation.
How Certifications Differ
While two certifications on the same subject matter might have overlap in knowledge areas, research shows they can lead to significant differences in how much employees are paid.
For instance, the study found that employees with the AWS Certified Solutions Architect — Professional certificate were paid an average of $168,080 per year, while those with the Microsoft Certified Azure Solutions Architect Expert were paid $26,000 less.
Anna Talerico, CEO of Corporate Finance Institute, said much like universities and colleges, the reputation of the program and institution often determine the value of the qualification. That value may stem from a variety of factors, including the reviews it receives from those who have taken the program or the experts who teach the curriculum.
But favoritism on the part of the employer can also be at play. Some companies prefer certain courses or institutions and will reward employees for following the "pre-approved" path.
Some companies have also developed their own certifications. There are clear advantages to receiving training on a tool from the very company that developed the tool. But, Blake Burch, co-founder of data workflow platform Shipyard, said it's not always so cut and dry.
"There's a tradeoff regarding certifications," he said. "In my opinion, the knowledge gained from the certification is more valuable when not created by the company whose tool you are getting certified on."
Burch said a person can get a more rounded course when independent companies develop certifications because those courses also teach participants how to use the learned skills to adjust to new systems and tools.
Related Article: Mapping Out Your Company's Skills Set
College Degrees No Longer Required
There's growing chatter about the value of college degrees in today's digital workplace. The argument often centers on the idea that schools aren't keeping up with the speed at which technologies are emerging, which doesn't help prepare students for the workplace.
For those who agree with this perspective, it won't be a surprise to find that a survey commissioned by Coursera shows both employers and students find great value in short-term industry certificates — or "micro-credentials."
For big tech giants like Accenture, IBM and Google, those micro-credentials bear more impact than traditional degrees. Proponents of this approach say that focusing on acquired skills through industry certification helps break the paper ceiling (that barrier that prevents individuals without a bachelor's degree to access certain roles) and provides employers with a more diverse workforce.
Learning Opportunities
While few recruiters have mimicked those companies and done away with the college degree just yet, industry-specific certificates are still increasingly used alongside existing college degrees to make a candidate's resume stand out.
And employees benefit from them because they, on one hand, help bring much-needed skills to the job and on the other, expand the labor pool for recruiters.
Related Article: 3 Things You Need to Know About the Fast-Growing Skills Tech Market
Avoid Saturated Fields
While certifications and micro-credentials are on the rise, they may not be appropriate for every field or function.
"The best certifications include any IT certifications, language education, software development certifications and human resource certifications," said Troy Portillo, head of growth at e-learning company Studypool.
The trick is finding the area where companies struggle with skills gaps.
There are numerous certifications where there are already too many candidates with the same qualifications, he said. When the market is saturated, the value of those candidates isn't likely to increase with additional certification.
If hiring managers are not sure whether or not a certification has value for the company, Portillo suggests they speak with experts in the field or browse LinkedIn to see how common the certification is.
Talerico said the best candidates will have qualifications from courses that include not just theoretical learning but also practical aspects. There are fewer of these courses available, and they are often from high-grade institutions.
About the Author
Kaya Ismail is a business software journalist and commentator with years of experience in the CMS industry.
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