A certificate worth the effort?

Newcomer

Surely each of us, at some point, has looked for a job. Let's put on the shoes of an unemployed person actively looking for a job for a moment. We find an offer that even meets our expectations in a dreamlike way, and we fit into the qualification requirements of the employer. Certainly in such situations the thought goes through your head, "Surely there are a lot of candidates for this position"... and probably there are, in addition, those who have the "starter package", that is, the required qualifications, will be considered. Naturally, the next thoughts that arise are: "How to stand out? How to improve your chances?" For example, if you have a good command of a foreign language (as presumably other candidates do), it's worth taking the trouble to get your skills certified. Employers very much welcome certificates of competence from potential employees. Definitely more so than mere declarations.

Let's focus on this example, since foreign languages are by far the top in the ranking of the most frequently upgraded competencies. Recognized by far the most are exams under the British Council mark. Having a certificate from this organization guarantees that the owner certainly has the full range of knowledge required at a given level. This is because these exams comprehensively measure knowledge of issues, and thus test knowledge on 5 levels: writing, reading, speaking, comprehension and grammar. They introduce, so to speak, a standard of professional knowledge at a given language level. So let's try to take a closer look at the topic of certification.

Professional

Managers, HR professionals, trainers, negotiators - people who in the training industry can be said to have "eaten their teeth at it" also highly value certification, especially the prestigious one. Earning successive "stars" of development, allows in a very clear way to determine at what point a person is. This is because training courses usually have specific levels culminating in a certificate, so you can clearly earn them. CIPT®- Certified International Professional Trainer® is the first level of the training path, and the CIPTM® - Certified International Professional Training Manager® level is a more advanced example. In addition, these trainings can have internationally recognized accreditation from organizations such as the American Certification Institute® (ACI®) or the British Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development® certifications. For example, the salary of a manager with the required CIPTM® certification at SERCO in London is as much as £78,000K per year. A game worth the candle, right?

What kind of certifications?

Before we decide to certify our skills, it is worth answering the following questions the following questions?

• Is the course relevant to the position?
• Does the employer care about employees with certifications of their skills?

Let's also pay attention to whether the certification body issues those certificates that are recognized, recognized in the industry. There is no point in making a certification just for the sake of having one. Some of them are very time-consuming and very expensive. For example, to become a certified psychotherapist costs about PLN 30,000, and the process itself takes 2 years. If you decide to get certified, let's make sure that they are of the highest quality, and our investment of time and money will prove to be a good investment.

International certifications

If we plan to work abroad, let's make sure the certifications have the appropriate international accreditation. What if we get a certificate of competence that will not be recognized at all at the place of our dream job in another country. Let's carefully make sure that the direction of our development is simply the right direction.

Let's make a small summary of a good certificate:

• Is welcomed by potential employers (e.g., its validity is highlighted in the trade press),
• is international (it is also recognized outside Poland),
• confirms specific competencies (expressed in the certification program or in the certificate itself),
• is issued by an institution that has a mark on the world market - a recognizable brand,
• gives the holder a place on the list of those holding this certificate.

And how to recognize a poor certificate?

Certificates of completion of a two-hour training course - let's be honest, this is not a certificate at all, just information that you managed to lick some knowledge. Certificates issued by companies not known to anyone are also not the best idea. Most likely, they will not be honored or considered at all by a potential employer. Certificates that don't mention the duration of the course, the competencies confirmed or the date the certificate was earned don't look very professional and probably aren't that.