Certifications are the new-age rush. Individuals and aspirants alike are scurrying to dig into the best ones out there in the market. Heavy demand surge is pushing the applicant wait lines to their extremities and, in the flurry to get ahead in the tech race, organizations and individuals are ever-widening their chances of landing on inauthentic institutions’ shoddy program traps. This article can guide you away from such a wreck. But first, let’s understand the core drivers of this certifications explosion.
In 2008, only 9% of sponsors opted for their employees’ certification. This pie has grown to an impressive 48% now. 89% of IT professionals are certified and 64% are either in the process of getting certified or plan to apply for certification soon. 95% of IT-decision makers concede that certified team members are more profitable. 54% said that the benefit from certified professionals exceeds USD 10,000 annually. 27% of these boast their profits spiked up by USD 20,000 annually. These benefits trickle down fast. In the US and Canada, certified IT professionals earn 22% more than their peers. In a survey conducted by The National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) and the Citizen Advocacy Centre, 91% of respondents said they relied heavily on the healthcare provider’s certification from an authorized body. These providers visibly stand apart from their peers. Same applies for other independent consultants in crucial fields.
American Board of Nursing Specialties, in their value of certifications survey, say certifications:
| Enhances professional credibility | 95.4% |
| Enhances feeling of personal accomplishment | 98.0% |
| Enhances personal confidence in clinical abilities | 88.2% |
| Validates specialized knowledge | 97.9% |
| Indicates attainment of a practice standard | 94.4% |
| Provides evidence of accountability | 87.4% |
International Data Corporation, in its research study Benefits and Productivity Gains Realised Through IT Certification, says certified professionals can handle 40% more calls, organizations that promote certifications see 49% less downtime and can reclaim their certification fee with 9 months in terms of increased efficiency and profits.
Proofs of certifications’ success are extensive but our favorite is employee engagement. The new-age workforce aka Millennials and Gen-Zs seek more than pay packages and promotions. Certifications tap in their need to excel in their careers by beefing their career graph up with new knowledge and skills opportunities.
Here are other prominent benefits:
Could these be the reasons for leading tech giants to weave certifications in their L&D processes? Possibly so. Because their list is unending with names like Microsoft, HP, Merrill Lynch, Salesforce, Infosys increasingly adding to it.
This is official. Certified candidates perform better and employers know it. They now look for a combo of a 4-year degree and professional certifications. Benefits of certifications sprawl far and wide. But here are the most apparent ones:
But is any certification, good enough certification? The answer is No. A non-affiliated, inauthentic certification can backfire as wasted time, money and opportunity. The credibility of the certification body is paramount. Answer these 10 questions before making your choice: