What role does a certification play for those searching for cybersecurity jobs? Does it really give one a leg up against the competition? Does having a certain certification assure a job?
In this article, we answer these questions and more about these questions for certifications and job searches. These answers come from our experiences in searching for jobs, as interviewers, and as coworkers of those who have these certifications.
What role does certifications play in hiring? Certifications can help the candidate get beyond the initial wave of automated resume scanning. These scanners help look for keywords, which can include certifications. Although certifications help make sure that resume gets read by HR people, certifications do not guarantee an interview nor do they require that one will get hired. Just because the candidate has a certification, this does not mean that the candidate will do well on interviews, will be a good fit for the job, nor will do certifications tell about a resume.
Does it really give one a leg up against the competition? Not necessarily as just because one has a cert, it will show knowledge, but it doesn’t say anything about the candidate. Certifications do not say anything about experience or how they will be as a coworker. Certifications just simply are a way to show ones worth and make one look a bit of a better candidate than other candidates.
Can certain certifications assure certain jobs? Nothing in life is assured. It can very much help with getting the job interviews you want, but that doesn’t mean you will do well in the interview or they will offer a salary you like. Certifications are ways to show that one has the knowledge on paper, and can help one stand out in the eyes of peers and HR, but with so many professionals certified, there are more than just certifications.
However, there are some roles that one must have a certification to get the position. In those situations that one must have a certain certification to get a specific job, the certification plays a more outstanding role than other factors.
Now you know more about how certifications and cybersecurity jobs can play together when searching for a new role.
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