“The reality of life is that your perceptions — right or wrong – influence everything else you do. When you get a proper perspective of your perceptions, you may be surprised how many other things fall into place.”~ Roger Birkman
People often ask me about the need for additional certifications to land the job they want. The bottom line? Sometimes it is necessary to have a certificate or special training for a job.
Yet, when the question I hear starts with a statement like, “I think I need a certification or training to get a job, what do you think?” my radar goes into overdrive.
In most cases, I am very direct (yes, I’m known for being direct and to-the-point) and say, “It doesn’t matter what I think or what an employer thinks, your perception is your truth. Therefore if you think need it, you must acquire it.”
Of course, that’s not helpful to most people. As a coach it is my job to help the person exploring a certification understand their motivations. I ask questions to help them discover a solid perspective on the additional training and then assess the need and value of that certification in the marketplace.
It is critical to remember the employer’s perception of what you need is one of the keys to getting hired. Forget that and you may stay in your current position indefinitely or quickly become unemployed.
If you’re contemplating a certificate or additional training, ask yourself the following questions:
- Why do I want a certification?
- How will this certification increase my capacity to do the job?
- How does this certification help me use my best-loved skills in my ideal job?
- What is the cost of the certification over 5 years?
- What is my return on investment over 5 years?
- Do I think a certificate is an easy solution?
Then pause and ask yourself, “Am I using a certificate or training as a crutch to avoid addressing a different issue?”
Are you telling yourself you need training just to avoid taking action, making a commitment or shifting a habit/belief that is really slowing your search?
Are you using a obtaining a certificate or additional training as a reason not to face your fears? Explore carefully or you may just be ‘kicking the can down the road,’ leaving the real issue to be dealt with at a later time.
If you want to discuss the above questions with someone, contact me. We can dig into the answers and move forward together.
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