Do certifications lead to career boost?
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With so many newly unemployed finding it tough to find a new job right now, some are going back to school to hit the books and either brush up on their current skill set or learn a completely new trade. Some of these adult education programs lead to certifications or diplomas. There’s also a free program in Georgia called Certified Work Ready, where people can earn a certificate for completing a basic skill set program to make them more attractive in the entry-level job market.
Do you think now is the time to go back to school in order to make yourself more competitive in the job market or are you afraid of going into even more debt? If you already have completed one of these adult education programs, has it helped you in your job search?
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23 comments Add your comment
gret fret
March 9th, 2009
10:34 am
not sure
Twindivamomma
March 9th, 2009
11:18 am
NOT YET!!
Ryan
March 9th, 2009
11:32 am
I finished the Emory Paralegal Program in ‘05 as a way of re-energizing my career. It was very worthwhile to do so, especially in light of the fact that a few law firms wanted to train me on the spot and pay me very little in the way of starting salary. A small investment went a long way, as I found employment with starting salary in the low 30’s very quickly and I paid the student loan off in 3 years.
Toni
March 9th, 2009
11:49 am
Absolutely. It hands down has been the best choice I could have made. I have not graduated yet but hope to within the next 3 years.
BCST
March 9th, 2009
12:22 pm
I have never finished school, but have seemed to come out ok when it comes to finding a job. Could I be making more? Probably, but not for the case of my girlfriend. She finished school in four years, graduated with honors, and was very confident joining the work force. That confidence was shattered after being turned down for jobs left and right because of not having experience. I have worked tougher jobs, but worked my way up the ladder so to speak and made it ok. I bought my first home two years ago and I now work for a sound financial institution.
SaveOurRepublic
March 9th, 2009
12:37 pm
Having a BBA, BS & MBA have been beneficial indeed. Other certifications (PMP, Six Sigma) are helpful in career advancement. In my estimation, it’s advisable for folks to pursue further education within their fields of endeavor.
LK
March 9th, 2009
12:47 pm
I finished my BA in 2004…and have worked in terrible low paying jobs ever since. I’m not even making 20K right now. I went back to school and have been working on my Master’s degree, but it’s been a waste of my time, because it’s done nothing for me professionally. If I could get back all the money I’d put into college and start over I would. I’ll probably be switching career fields soon. The friends I know with technical skills are the ones doing great.
Mary
March 9th, 2009
1:07 pm
I received a specialized certification in 2006 that was extremely beneficial. The next job I accepted my base salary was 33% higher.
WTS
March 9th, 2009
1:26 pm
This caught my attention. Being in the IT industry, I’ve been worried about how this economy would affect those in IT. I’m a firm believer in furthering your professional credentials with certification. IT people know the value of having a Microsoft, Oracle, Cisco, or PMI certification. I also believe when the economy is down is a good time to tighten up your skills or acquire new ones. When things get rolling again, you’ll be first in line with the right qualifications.
Misty
March 9th, 2009
2:26 pm
I agree with LK. I, like numerous other friends have our Bachelor’s and Master’s degree and the only thing we are looking at is huge student loan payments. I also am at a low paying job with two degrees like millions of other Americans that believed education was a way out of this mess!
I wish I could get all the thousands of dollars back that went into an education that has gotten me absolutely no where in my career or advancing myself!
Dwayne
March 9th, 2009
2:45 pm
At the age of 40, I went back to school in 2004 to finish my BA. I finished in 2006 and since then I took a job in education and my salary, as of this year, is double what I made in 2004. Would have never been even considered for the job without by bachelor’s degree.
HH
March 9th, 2009
2:56 pm
Not really! Just adds more costs into my student loans. Its who you know in this town on if you get a good job or not.
ripdog
March 9th, 2009
3:07 pm
I don’t know if I would fall in this category because technically I never went back to school. I started working for my current company when I was in school. My education has definitely helped my career. I received my B.S., M.B.A., and another Master’s in Telecomunications courtesy of my employer. I received multiple promotions while I was in school and two addtional promotions after graduating from graduate school. With all that said, it really isn’t about climbing the corporate ladder. I feel the skills I’ve acquired in my degree programs, coupled with over a decade of experience have made me an authority in my field. Education has to be coupled with relevant experience in order to mean anything nowadays.
SMR
March 9th, 2009
3:14 pm
I finished a double major in economics and political science in ‘07 – starting working at a small firm for less than $10 an hour, worked there for a year and then moved to a large firm in Atlanta making 50k. Higher education doesn’t guarantee you a great job to start off and sometimes you have to “pay your dues”. Plus, if you’re going to school for a random, off-the-wall degree, don’t cry when you can’t get a job with your art degree, music degree, philosphy degree etc – double major – get a practical degree to back those up. Think about the job market and the application of your education before you shell out all that money.
SR
March 9th, 2009
3:24 pm
Since graduating in 07 with BBA degree, i have sill not found the job utilizing my degree. I was turned down many times for not having experience. So i settled for an entry level job where i still have to work my way up. However i never regreted going to school.
If you are working and you need that degree to move up the ladder, then you should definetly go back to school.
Matthew
March 9th, 2009
3:35 pm
Most people that are whining about low paying jobs and mountains of student loans probably did very little research about their job prospects for employment after graduation, if I am wrong please give give your example. There was a 20/20 speical similar to this a few months back. I was very disappointed in John Stossels conclusion, that college was “over-rated”. He showed a buch of people who got useless degrees at small, expensive private school and could not find jobs in anthropology, creative writing or the like.
I look at the HOPE Scholarship that I received and the co-op jobs, internships and career planning, I did while in school and came out like a rose. Upon graduation I was debt free and took a great job. College does not guarantee future success, its just another tool to catapult you up the ladder.
JDSV
March 9th, 2009
3:43 pm
My wife and I went back to school and completed our B.S. Degrees in May 2007; Since then I have held two positions both of which required a bachelors degree. My current position actually gave me a 117% pay raise over the previous position. My wife finished her Masters in December and I am still working on my Masters. The greatest reward we have experienced is the impact that our pursuit of educational goals has had on our two daughters. They are more focused and self determined that “they can do this too.”
Al
March 9th, 2009
4:12 pm
I have a BA, MBA, and will earn a MS degree in my field in May. While several of my colleagues have less education, I would not have the job I have without schools listed on my resume. I know I’ve received interviews, offers, and jobs because the schools opened doors for me, allowing me to shine once I had an opportunity. I also agree that education without experience can make lead to less than satisfying results. Remember, its not where you start but where you finish. Be patient, gain experience, master your craft, build your career.
ripdog
March 9th, 2009
4:12 pm
I think a lot of people are in the position of having a lot of debt to go along with their degrees because they didn’t plan their career. The put too much emphasis into the piece of paper instead of actually applying book knowledge to real life scenarios. I see a lot of young people in their 20’s come to my company and think they should have the corner office because of the letters behind their name. They are unwilling to get their hands dirty, they really don’t know as much as they think, and they think they are entitled because of where they went to school. I’m a firm believer in co-oping, internships, working in your industry while in school, whatever gets you experience. I work with individuals that only have high school diplomas all the way up to people who have dual Masters’ degrees. My point is, at the end of the day, all your employer cares about is who can get the job done, not what letters are behind your name. Get a relevent education and stop whining that your philosophy degree hasn’t catapulted you to top of the corporate ladder. Is is really that hard. If you want a job painting houses, hell, learn how to paint.
CobbBlogger
March 17th, 2009
2:26 pm
I obtain a degree from a technical college and I guess you can say I am still working my way up the ladder. I have friends who have degrees higher than mine and are still struggling to find a career in their field of interest, but are paying an outrageous loan in return just for striving for a better future. The agency that I am currently working for, in order for you to make more money, you would have to obtain a degree in this field and after working here for quite sometime, that will not be my next move. I kind of regret not entering into a 4 year college to obtain a BA or MBA after graduating from high school. But guess what, this may be next move, because the grass isn’t greener with a technical degree/diploma/certificate as well.
Facing up to own mistakes
March 27th, 2009
1:56 pm
The certification must carry weight in the field of practice. In looking at the question, if you were the hiring manager and you had two candicates of equal caliber, one with additional certification and the other does not have additional certification, who would you pick? Nuff said.
lynn
April 10th, 2009
2:40 pm
check out SelectCandidates.com to submit your resume
Corn of the Cobb
April 12th, 2009
12:12 pm
Receiving my Associates Degree from a technical college in computer networking has only led me to a greater understanding of computer science, but no job. The reason why is because most IT carriers require certifications and look upon these as experience. Pursuing these certifications while continuing my education in information security from a university has allowed me time to discover that utilizing both can benefit me in building a career for the future. In short, research the field of your choice because some fields need both and others need one or the other or none.