The pandemic has prompted millions of people around the world to reassess their career trajectories and job prospects, with many deciding that in order to progress and perhaps even change careers entirely, upskilling with a new certification or diploma is necessary. If you are thinking about going back to college or university, consider the SAT scores necessary for the school and program you are trying to get into and perhaps look into SAT prep courses.
There are other routes besides the academic one, however. Below are the top certifications and diplomas that will boost your career.
Human Resources Certifications
Human resource departments in companies across industries increased their stock and organizational importance during the pandemic as many businesses struggled to deal with an unprecedented and unexpected shift to remote work. This, coupled with the increased role that HR is now playing in social justice and D&I at the organizational level, as well as greater reliance on HR to help find and allocate human capital, makes an HR certification a good choice for future career growth and job security.
There is a wide range of HR certifications that employers look favourably on, including the Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification, the Senior SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP), the Certified Professional in Learning and Performance (CPLP) and many others.
Project Management Certifications
Project management professional training can also help take your career to the next level. Project management certificates are looked upon so highly ¿because they impart the kind of strategic thinking, planning and execution skills that are broadly applicable across industries. Project management education also focuses on many highly valued soft skills, including negotiation and conflict resolution, communication and interpersonal and interdepartmental collaboration.
The mix of soft and hard business skills that project managers bring to the table means that project management certifications and designations like the PMP (Project Management Professional) and the CPMA (Certified Project Management Assistant) are respected by employers and hiring managers throughout the economy, from heavy industry to tech and professional services.
Sales Certifications
Whether you already have sales experience or not, sales certifications are a great way to show employers, and even hiring managers within your current organization that you possess the skills and knowledge necessary to sell the company's products and services and to cultivate client relationships. Almost every business involves directly selling products and services to clients.
Sales certifications can help add credibility to existing sales experience or prepare you for a completely new career trajectory. Some popular and highly regarded certifications in the sales world include the Certified Inside Sales Professional (CISP), the Certified Professional Sales Person (CPSP), and Certified Sales Leadership Professional (CSLP), and the Certified Sales Leadership Professional.
Network Certifications
Network certifications like the CCNA, CCNP and CCIE are great ways to equip yourself with the knowledge and technical understanding required to apply for network engineer and admin jobs. Within the domain of network certifications, you can also choose to specialize in cybersecurity.
Cybercrime has skyrocketed in the past year and the trend looks like it will only continue to rise throughout the 21st century. For this and other reasons, including the rapid adoption of an increasing number of digital tools across industries, and the need to build and maintain digital infrastructure for a remote and hybrid workforce, network certifications are very promising.
Conclusion
Choosing to invest in a diploma or certification to give your career a boost, whether that is to change careers entirely or strategically position yourself for a raise, more authority and more responsibility at work, is something millions of people around the world are considering or in the process of undertaking right now. The economy and the workplace is changing rapidly and there are both opportunities to be taken advantage of and potential career dangers to avoid as the nature of work evolves.
Whether you are interested in adding new skills to your professional repertoire or looking to start transitioning to something else entirely, investing in a certification or diploma can pay big dividends down the line. Keep the above options in mind while making your decision and give your career the boost it needs to withstand the economic forces it is currently or soon will come up against.
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