Why Get Certified?

I recently attended a focus group where one of the key questions was ‘why do you want to get certified’. The responses surprised me, because the majority of participants said their main reason for being certified was to increase their confidence, second to those whose employers expect them to have certifications for their role. I had presumed their main motivation to get certified would be to get hired [which only a small handful of the participants said was why they got certified] or that they wanted to earn more money. And well, for some of you that is a reality [good for you], most people asked said they are doing it for themselves. And I think that is the best reason. It is important to always keep your skills current and learn new things to remain relevant but feeling fulfilled in your career is the best reason to become certified. Afterall, a happy employee is a hardworking, motivated and engaged employee. Employees who are not happy and do not feel engaged are less likely to stay with their employers for as long a period as those who feel good about being in their role. Which could end up costing employers more to try to retain staff. According to the article 5 Things You Can Do to Keep Feeling Engaged at Work, when you feel engaged at work ‘that energy spreads – you’re a joy to be around! And not just for your co-workers, but also your family….Everyone benefits from the ripple effect of engagement”.¹

This January, IIBA is hosting a panel webinar with global training providers to get the inside scoop on why professionals get certified. Join our panelists Dr. Michael White, CBAP, AAC, from The Business Analysis Doctor, LLC a global business analysis training provider and Michael Roberts, Director of Customer Engagement from ASPE, a leading IT professional development company based in the US that has trained all of the Fortune 100 and thousands of professionals across the globe, for Why Get Certified, an online public webinar on January 16th from 12pm – 1pm (EST). In this webinar, Michael and Michael will candidly discuss how certification has affected their students’ career outlook and authority in the industry.

There are so many reasons why certifications are important to organizations and to you in your career. For hiring managers’, the certificate represents more than just a piece of paper. The certificate hanging on your wall or digital badge on your profile proves your proficiency and it also demonstrates you’ve put in the effort of preparing to write the exam to obtain your certification. This shows employers that a third party has recognized your proficiency and it also highlights your commitment to validating your skills. For organizations having certified employees demonstrates their team’s expertise to their clients and that their team embraces a culture of continuous learning.

Sixty-five percent of respondents in IIBA’s 2019 Business Analysis Salary Survey Report² state their employers invest in training, 52% of global respondents report their employer offers multiple BA career levels within their organization and 54% feel great career satisfaction through increased confidence and fulfillment from getting certified.

According to IIBA’s survey² business analysis professionals who hold at least one certification earn 11% higher than non-certified individuals. Certifications can be a win/win for you as an individual professional and for your organization’s team. What are the reasons BAs are getting certified? Do employers look for certifications when hiring? Have you found being certified has made a difference in getting hired? These are all great questions, and in the webinar Why Get Certified we will ask the panelists to answer these questions and more.

 

 

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References:

1. Engagement Multiplier. 5 Things You Can Do to Keep Feeling Engaged at Work. https://www.engagementmultiplier.com/blog/ideas-to-feel-engaged-at-work/

2. IIBA. 2019 Global Business Analysis Salary Survey Report. https://www.iiba.org/professional-development/career-centre/global-ba-salary-survey/