Do certifications help you get jobs?

🎓 Do certifications help you get jobs?

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Last week, I spoke at 3 events. The topic of all 3? Networking and finding jobs.

And during the Q&A session of each event, I was asked this 1 question the most.

"Michael, do certifications help you land jobs?"

The quick answer? No, they don't. But the long answer? It depends.

In this article, I'll explain:

Let's dive in.

For anyone curious, these are the certifications I currently have.

Don’t be fooled by the list. Despite the price tags, I’ve never spent a penny on my certifications.

This is because my courses were covered by the companies I worked at.

Which brings me to why I got them.

I have only invested my time working towards a certification when it was offered by my workplace.

In other words, I get certifications to make me better at my job, not to get a job.

I suggest you do the same.

I have never gotten hired because I held a specific certification, nor have I heard it happen to anyone else in my circle.

But there are 3 exceptions to this.

In the accounting world, having a CPA is practically mandatory.

In investment banking, having a CFA will make you stand out.

And in the 3rd scenario, getting a certification for a job you already have can help you get promoted or a salary raise.

So yes, get a certification if you fit into 1 of these 3 boxes. But for any other case…

A college/university diploma will do just fine.

You can still spend 2 weeks doing that online SQL course but don’t expect it to land you a job.

Closing Thoughts:

Unless it’s a CFA or CPA, don’t worry about having any certifications, they’re not as useful as you think.

I never needed them to start my career, and you shouldn’t either.

Instead, use your time to message people on LinkedIn and send cold emails.

See you next Tuesday 🤝

-Michael Ly

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If you resonated with my advice above and experience any of the following:

Then fill out this survey! It only takes 1 minute.

(If you already filled this out, I’ll reply shortly, thanks!)

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