Professional Certification
The business and employment arenas are highly competitive. Many candidates apply for the best jobs with the top employers. Employees with the best skills, experience and work records typically receive the best job offers.
And, employers in most sectors fully realize that they must compete with other organizations to win the customer's business. Manufacturing and service businesses alike are continually trying to distinguish themselves from the competition to entice the customers to buy products or services.
Professional certification provides a way for employees and their employer to distinguish themselves from the competition. Professional certification is a process that measures and attests to an individual's knowledge or experience in a particular occupational field. There are many certification opportunities, as the certification process has been established in nearly every occupational area.
The certification process typically evaluates an individual's education, career experience, and occupational knowledge measured through one or more certification exams. Upon attainment of the certification, the individual's achievement is recognized through receipt of a certificate and permission to display a title or designated initials by their name as a measure of the achievement.
For example, accountants may demonstrate knowledge and skills to receive a Certified Public Accountant or CPA designation; or an engineer may attain certification as a Professional Engineer or PE. A human resource manager may receive a PHR certification demonstrating knowledge as a Professional in Human Resources.
Similar certifications, unique to each field, are seen in many occupational areas, such as insurance, real estate, finance, health care, computer systems, automotive service, quality control, consulting, child care, public administration and others.
The certification process is typically administered by a certification organization or a professional association that serves the occupational area. An employee who has the drive to study, apply for certification and pass requisite exams, demonstrates the initiative that separates himself or herself from other candidates who have not made this extra effort to further their career.
Employers more and more are seeking candidates who possess such career certifications or are more likely to give preference to a certified candidate over a non-certified individual. Further, savvy employers tout to their customers the high level of professionalism of their certified employees.
Clearly, this one area where professional certification aids the employee and the employer alike.
About the author: William S. Hubbartt is a human resources and privacy consultant St. Charles, IL. www.Hubbartt.com. He is the author of 8 books on management and privacy issues. Hubbartt has received two professional certifications in the human resources field.
