0.000000 2.940000 Tech It From Me is an independent and solo-produced podcast. 2.940000 4.960000 Welcome to the Tech It From Me podcast. 4.960000 6.320000 I'm Mike Madole. 6.320000 8.920000 Today we're talking about certifications. 8.920000 11.380000 You've seen the ads, earn this certificate, 11.380000 14.280000 and land your dream job in six weeks. 14.280000 18.720000 Or maybe you've scrolled past a dozen shiny badges on LinkedIn. 18.720000 23.200000 Google Cloud here, AWS there, even Ivy League programs. 23.200000 25.120000 Certifications are everywhere. 25.120000 27.000000 But here's the real question. 27.000000 29.440000 Do they actually help your career? 29.440000 34.200000 The truth is, some certifications can absolutely be game changers. 34.200000 36.600000 They can get you noticed, land you interviews, 36.600000 41.280000 and in some cases even lead to significant salary bumps. 41.280000 44.840000 But others, well, they don't pay off at all. 44.840000 47.360000 So today, we're cutting through the noise. 47.360000 51.040000 We're going to look at when certifications actually pay off. 51.040000 54.560000 Why prestige doesn't always equal results? 54.560000 58.200000 How certifications fit into the bigger career picture 58.200000 61.440000 and finally, how you can pick the right ones 61.440000 63.600000 to move your career forward. 63.600000 66.200000 This is the Tech It From Me podcast. 66.200000 67.560000 Let's go. 67.560000 69.760000 This is the Tech It From Me podcast. 69.760000 71.800000 All right, let's start with the big picture. 71.800000 73.520000 Certifications are booming. 73.520000 75.560000 The Wall Street Journal recently reported 75.560000 80.240000 that there are over 700,000 non-degree credentials 80.240000 83.200000 available in the United States alone. 83.200000 86.800000 That includes digital badges, short online programs, 86.800000 89.800000 professional certificates, you name it. 89.800000 91.680000 And people are scooping them up. 91.680000 93.760000 According to the Burning Glass Institute, 93.760000 97.040000 the number of people earning non-degree credentials 97.040000 100.760000 jumped by about one third in the past decade. 100.760000 103.440000 That's millions of workers all hoping 103.440000 107.640000 to upgrade the resumes and catch an employer's attention. 107.640000 109.600000 But here's the reality check. 109.600000 112.560000 Research shows that only about one in eight 112.560000 116.680000 of these certificates leads to significant pay increases 116.680000 118.720000 within the first year. 118.720000 120.680000 Think about that for a second. 120.680000 123.680000 Millions of people are investing time and money 123.680000 126.160000 into credentials, but the majority 126.160000 129.400000 aren't seeing the financial payoff they expected. 129.400000 131.760000 So should you write them off entirely? 131.760000 135.200000 No, because while many don't deliver, 135.200000 138.800000 the ones that do can really help you stand out. 138.800000 142.880000 The challenge is figuring out which ones are worth your time. 142.880000 145.800000 So let's talk about the success stories. 145.800000 149.360000 One of the biggest areas where certifications consistently 149.360000 153.960000 prove valuable is cloud computing and data analytics. 153.960000 157.360000 These are the skills powering today's digital economy. 157.360000 160.240000 And employers are struggling to hire enough people who 160.240000 162.360000 know how to manage them. 162.360000 165.480000 If you've ever searched for jobs on LinkedIn, 165.480000 168.400000 you've probably noticed how often certifications 168.400000 173.600000 like AWS Solutions Architect, Microsoft Azure Administrator, 173.600000 178.680000 or Google Cloud Professional Data Engineer appear in postings. 178.680000 180.480000 Employers list them because they're 180.480000 184.760000 shorthand for this person knows their stuff. 184.760000 187.320000 I'll give you an example from my own career. 187.320000 191.800000 I earned the AWS Cloud Practitioner Certification a few years 191.800000 194.560000 back, and I can tell you it immediately 194.560000 197.680000 gave me credibility in conversations, 197.680000 200.160000 even helping me land a leadership role 200.160000 202.240000 with a previous employer. 202.240000 205.360000 Even though it's an entry-level cloud certification, 205.360000 207.440000 it opened doors because it showed I 207.440000 210.520000 had a foundation in cloud concepts. 210.520000 213.320000 And more importantly, it gave me the confidence 213.320000 217.320000 to take on projects that I might not have touched otherwise. 217.320000 220.320000 So I've seen firsthand how the right certification 220.320000 224.000000 can change the way people view your skills. 224.000000 226.240000 And these certifications deliver. 226.240000 230.920000 For example, survey show that AWS certified professionals 230.920000 234.840000 often earn salaries well above the industry average. 234.840000 239.080000 Data analytics programs, like those from Corsa or Google, 239.080000 241.600000 are helping people transition into roles 241.600000 243.960000 where demand is off the charts. 243.960000 244.920000 And why? 244.920000 250.000000 Because these are scarce skills with high employer demand. 250.000000 252.960000 Companies are moving their infrastructure to the cloud. 252.960000 255.440000 They're generating terabytes of data, 255.440000 258.600000 and they desperately need people who can secure it, 258.600000 261.080000 analyze it, and make sense of it. 261.080000 262.600000 That's the key. 262.600000 266.080000 When a certification matches an employer's pain point, 266.080000 268.680000 it has real value. 268.680000 272.240000 Now, let's talk about a trap I see far too many people 272.240000 276.640000 falling into, that is, chasing prestige. 276.640000 278.680000 The idea goes like this. 278.680000 282.400000 If I get a certificate from an Ivy League school like Harvard, 282.400000 287.160000 MIT, or Stanford, that's got to open doors, right? 287.160000 288.480000 It sounds logical. 288.480000 291.000000 These names carry a lot of weight. 291.000000 295.000000 But the reality doesn't always match the expectation. 295.000000 297.200000 Take the Harvard graduate certificate 297.200000 300.320000 in project management as an example. 300.320000 301.640000 It's expensive. 301.640000 302.880000 It's rigorous. 302.880000 305.440000 And you'd assume employers would be lining up 305.440000 307.760000 to grab these graduates. 307.760000 310.240000 But the data tells a different story. 310.240000 313.160000 The Wall Street Journal found that this program led 313.160000 319.480000 to just a 3.7% improvement in advancement opportunities 319.480000 322.360000 and no real increase in salary. 322.360000 325.360000 That's a pretty disappointing return on investment, 325.360000 328.600000 considering the cost and the time commitment. 328.600000 330.680000 And this isn't unique to Harvard. 330.680000 332.880000 Across industries, you'll find dozens 332.880000 336.480000 of prestigious programs marketed as career boosters 336.480000 341.640000 that in practice don't translate into higher pay or promotions. 341.640000 342.560000 Why? 342.560000 345.800000 Because employers don't hire brand logos. 345.800000 348.040000 They hire skills. 348.040000 352.120000 As someone who has led IT teams and hired people myself, 352.120000 355.480000 I can tell you that when resumes land on my desk, 355.480000 358.720000 I don't just look for recognizable school names. 358.720000 362.080000 What really matters is whether the certification proves 362.080000 365.080000 you can solve a real business problem. 365.080000 367.560000 Can you migrate systems to the cloud? 367.560000 370.720000 Can you secure an environment against threats? 370.720000 373.280000 Can you deliver projects on time? 373.280000 375.000000 That's what employers are buying. 375.000000 378.320000 Not the name of the school and the certificate. 378.320000 381.560000 This is where credential inflation comes in. 381.560000 385.280000 The job market is flooded with degrees and certificates. 385.280000 390.040000 And the truth is, neither automatically sets you apart anymore. 390.040000 391.920000 I'll be honest, I don't necessarily 391.920000 394.280000 care if an applicant has a degree. 394.280000 397.480000 What I care about is whether they can do the work. 397.480000 399.280000 Can they solve problems? 399.280000 402.200000 Can they adapt when technology changes? 402.200000 405.440000 Can they bring real value to the team? 405.440000 407.400000 It's the same with certifications. 407.400000 410.880000 If everyone has one and it doesn't demonstrate 410.880000 415.040000 scarce, in-demand skills, it won't help you stand out, 415.040000 418.120000 no matter how prestigious the program. 418.120000 420.680000 So here's the lesson. 420.680000 426.120000 Brand recognition feels good, but relevance wins jobs. 426.120000 429.440000 Instead of chasing a name for the sake of prestige, 429.440000 432.720000 focus on certifications that map directly 432.720000 434.760000 to employer needs. 434.760000 438.680000 That's how you get real career value. 438.680000 441.160000 And that brings me to the next point. 441.160000 444.320000 If prestige alone doesn't guarantee results, 444.320000 446.880000 what's the true role of certifications? 446.880000 449.280000 That's where I'm headed next. 449.280000 452.960000 So what's the real role of certifications? 452.960000 457.000000 Well, think of them as evidence, not magic. 457.000000 459.240000 A certification is proof that you've 459.240000 463.200000 taken the time to learn a skill and that matters. 463.200000 464.680000 It shows initiative. 464.680000 467.520000 It demonstrates professional development. 467.520000 471.120000 And it validates knowledge in a way that employers can quickly 471.120000 472.680000 understand. 472.680000 475.760000 But here's the part most people don't realize. 475.760000 480.240000 Certifications don't just impress hiring managers. 480.240000 483.640000 They also help you get past the gatekeepers, 483.640000 487.840000 the applicant tracking system, or ATS. 487.840000 491.280000 Most mid to large companies use ATS software 491.280000 493.280000 to screen resumes. 493.280000 496.760000 Before a human ever lays eyes on your application, 496.760000 499.680000 the system scans it for keywords. 499.680000 504.320000 If the job description says AWS certified or PMP 504.320000 508.120000 certification, and those words aren't on your resume, 508.120000 511.440000 the ATS may never move you forward. 511.440000 514.320000 That's where certifications come in. 514.320000 516.120000 They aren't just nice to have. 516.120000 521.040000 They're often the exact keywords ATS systems are looking for. 521.040000 525.760000 Having AWS Cloud Practitioner, or CompTIA Security Plus 525.760000 530.480000 on your resume means the system recognizes you as a match. 530.480000 533.360000 And that can make the difference between getting a callback 533.360000 536.240000 and being filtered out automatically. 536.240000 538.480000 Now, I want to be clear here. 538.480000 541.440000 Certifications can get you through the filter, 541.440000 543.440000 but not through the interview. 543.440000 545.560000 They're conversation starters. 545.560000 547.400000 Once you're in the room, employers want 547.400000 550.920000 to see how you've actually applied those skills. 550.920000 554.720000 So don't just say, I have a project management certificate. 554.720000 556.600000 Pair it with a story. 556.600000 559.520000 Using those principles, I let a cross-functional team 559.520000 563.440000 and delivered a project on time and under budget. 563.440000 566.360000 That's how you bring certifications to life, 566.360000 569.680000 by connecting them to real results. 569.680000 573.240000 And an interview hack, be sure to print the relevant ones 573.240000 575.160000 and bring them to your interview. 575.160000 577.600000 Handing them to the interviewer gives them something 577.600000 581.680000 to reference after you've left the boardroom for your meeting. 581.680000 585.080000 And this is something I've seen again and again when hiring. 585.080000 587.960000 Candidates who could link their certifications 587.960000 591.440000 to real-world outcomes always stood out more 591.440000 596.320000 than the ones who just listed credentials like bullet points. 596.320000 598.800000 The cert might have opened the door, 598.800000 603.160000 but their story of applying it is what actually landed a job. 603.160000 607.760000 And after you've left, that's what I'm talking about as well. 607.760000 610.040000 The bottom line is certifications 610.040000 612.920000 won't magically transform your career. 612.920000 615.720000 But when combined with ATS visibility 615.720000 620.280000 and real-world application, they can be a powerful edge 620.280000 623.360000 in today's crowded job market. 623.360000 626.240000 All right, now let's get practical. 626.240000 629.680000 With hundreds of thousands of certifications out there, 629.680000 632.760000 how do you pick the ones that actually matter? 632.760000 635.200000 So here's the checklist I suggest. 635.200000 638.560000 Number one, research ROI. 638.560000 639.920000 Look at data. 639.920000 642.200000 The Burning Glass Institute has shown 642.200000 645.720000 that only about one in eight certifications 645.720000 648.800000 leads to meaningful pay increases. 648.800000 651.720000 If the credential doesn't have evidence behind it, 651.720000 653.600000 I'd think twice. 653.600000 656.920000 Number two, scan job postings. 656.920000 660.440000 Go on LinkedIn or indeed and pay attention 660.440000 664.080000 to the keywords that show up again and again. 664.080000 668.520000 If cloud engineer roles list AWS or Azure 668.520000 672.160000 or data roles list SQL and Python, 672.160000 676.600000 those are the certifications that'll actually get you noticed. 676.600000 680.640000 Number three, look for employer partnerships. 680.640000 683.520000 Certifications designed with companies in mind 683.520000 685.640000 tend to carry more weight. 685.640000 691.240000 Think Google career certificates, AWS or Microsoft Azure 691.240000 695.360000 training, employers trust them because they're tied directly 695.360000 698.280000 to the platforms that they use. 698.280000 703.120000 Number four, prioritize relevance over prestige. 703.120000 707.760000 A focused industry recognized credential beats a generic executive 707.760000 711.760000 certificate from a big name school every time. 711.760000 715.320000 Relevance wins jobs. 715.320000 718.880000 Number five, stack strategically. 718.880000 720.480000 Don't stop at one. 720.480000 723.080000 Build a ladder that shows progression. 723.080000 725.920000 So for example, cloud and IT, start off 725.920000 728.160000 at AWS Cloud Practitioner. 728.160000 731.440000 Move on to AWS Solutions Architect 731.440000 735.120000 and finish off with your CISSP. 735.120000 738.600000 A data example, start off with SQL foundations. 738.600000 741.760000 Move towards Google data analytics. 741.760000 745.480000 Then go into advanced Python or machine learning. 745.480000 748.640000 Stacking not only deepens your expertise, 748.640000 751.880000 it also creates a clear career story. 751.880000 755.920000 Employers can see your trajectory and that's powerful. 755.920000 757.960000 So here's the bottom line. 757.960000 760.720000 Certifications are not magic bullets, 760.720000 763.400000 but they can absolutely help your job search 763.400000 765.400000 if you choose wisely. 765.400000 768.080000 The certifications that pay off are in areas 768.080000 770.880000 of high demand and scarce skills, 770.880000 774.680000 like cloud, data analytics and cybersecurity. 774.680000 777.680000 The ones that don't, overpriced, generic 777.680000 780.960000 or prestige driven programs that don't align 780.960000 783.000000 with employer needs. 783.000000 785.640000 If you're thinking about your next career move, 785.640000 789.000000 focus less on logos and more on value. 789.000000 791.680000 Choose certifications that prove you can solve 791.680000 796.200000 the problems employers are hiring for right now. 796.200000 798.800000 If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe 798.800000 802.120000 on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube, 802.120000 804.200000 so you don't miss the next one. 804.200000 807.720000 Until next time, this is Tech It From Me. 807.720000 809.120000 Thanks for listening. 809.120000 813.280000 Tech It From Me is an independent and solo-produced podcast. 813.280000 814.393438 [BLANK_AUDIO]