Do certifications help you get jobs?

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Here’s the route for today

🎓️ Do certifications help you get jobs?

• The certifications I own

• Why I got them

• When getting a certification makes sense

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🏆️ Trump wins 2024 elections | YouTuber arrested in Korea | and more news…

TOPIC
Do certifications help you get jobs?

🔵 Do hiring managers look at certifications?

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:

1. The certifications I own

2. Why I got them

3. When getting a certification makes sense

Let's dive in.

1. The certifications I own

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

• McGill Personal Finance Essentials = Free

• Bloomberg Market Concepts (BMC) = $149 to $249

• Lean Six Sigma White Belt = Free

• Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt = $99

• Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) = $300

• Google AI Essentials = $50

• Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) = $400

2. Why I got them

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.

3. When a certification makes sense

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

P.S. miss last week’s email? Read I interviewed a recruiter! 

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PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
Help me help you

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

1. Trouble finding a job

2. Not knowing how to network

3. Getting ghosted by recruiters

4. Struggling in interviews

5. Or anything else related

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

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

THIS WEEK’S NEWS
Running the web

🏆️ Trump won the U.S 2024 elections, here’s his victory speech

🎥 A YouTuber is facing 10 - 29 years of jail in South Korea for several live-stream antics

🪙 Bitcoin hits a record-high price of $80,000 soon after the election results

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