Table of Contents
Are certifications useful? Tl;dr: Yes and no.
ISTQB, AgilePM, Prince2, AWS CCP – if those abbreviations ring a bell, it means you might be interested in reading further. In my career as a project manager, I can’t count the times I have heard them.
I was never a person who needed a paper to prove my skills. I always had these mixed feelings: “Do I really need to spend (a lot) of money to add a piece of paper to my resume?” Do I really need to pay some teacher, then again for an exam which not only is stressful but also offers no refund if you fail (in most cases)?
There are certifications that open doors, which means they give more opportunities, ensure more business meetings and provide “points” to win a project or to be hired.
But never in my career, I was rejected from a job interview or a project only because I lack the certification. The interviewer always asked about my skills and proven experience, trying to figure out my mindset.
Large Numbers
The numbers speak for themselves. Only with Scrum.org, the amount of certifications awarded is huge. Over 493,200 people were already certified by them as of 2021.
Those who paid for the exam had to spend $150, $250, and $500 if they wanted to go through each level (from PSM I to PSM III). And you can’t skip levels. In most cases, you have to take the course too, so even more money goes to the industry. And the wheel is turning.
Looking at those numbers, I cannot get rid of the feeling that there’s a big market for the services surrounding certifications. Let’s create a philosophy/method: let’s create a market need for it and then let’s get money selling courses and certifications. Sounds genius, right?
Are Certifications Useful? Final Thoughts
My article is not meant to dissuade you from pursuing certifications, on the other side of the coin. Training and courses do open minds and broaden perspectives. They may clean and organize the knowledge you already have by showing the antipatterns you’ve learned with time. They allow you to meet with professionals and ask questions.
The courses also give you hints on how to pass the exams and can provide long-lasting contact with other course members.
Project Manager Certification Recommendations
As a Project Manager of IT projects, important certifications for me are:
- Scrum Master Certification (Scrum.org)
- Certified Scrum Master (Scrum Alliance)
- AgilePM Foundation/Practitioner
- PRINCE2 Foundation/Practitioner
What are the certifications in your field?
Should I Get a Certification?
Finally, let me give you a bit of advice when deciding whether to get certification:
- Set the goal (know your motives; if it’s only for the paper maybe it’s not worth doing?);
- Find the right certification agency;
- Find the right course;
- Learn about the course – read the feedback of the previous students about the course, about the teacher;
- Check with your boss if the company can help you achieve your certification;
- Sign up;
- Pass the exam!
