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The Certification Debate

Posted by Yasmin Parsloe on Thursday Dec 18, 2014 11:37 am

When it comes to advancing your career in the security industry, certifications can set you apart, but how much do they really influence your career path? A recent study finds that there are 117 different certifications issued by 46 separate organizations. Of these certifications, the most highly requested one is the Certified Protection Professional Certificate (CPP) issued by ASIS – mentioned in just 5.5 percent of security job listings. The debate over certification in the selection process for high profile security roles is very controversial, but just how important are these credentials?

With certificates in various sectors of the security industry, including approximately 67 security generalist certificates, 15 crisis and disaster recovery certificates and 35 cyber and technology certificates – there are numerous opportunities for security experts to advance their credentials.

With components like workplace culture, and communication skills coming into play in the hiring process, the addition of certificates are definitely an extra feather for any advancing security personnel. Here’s why:

1. Higher Pay Scale
   Security staffers holding certifications tend to make more than twenty thousand dollars higher than the average staffer without credentials. This higher payscale should be reason enough.
    
2. Make Yourself a Recruiter’s Dream
   Why wouldn’t you add an extra pin to your lapel? According to a Security Workforce study, 70 percent of respondents view certificate recognition as a reliable indicator of competency when hiring, and almost half require certification.
    
3. Makes You Easier to Find
   Perhaps you are looking to advance in your career? Relocate? By adding these certificates to your resume, you are making yourself more apparent to recruiters who use robots and spiders to crawl applications. By entering a long list of keywords, often including certifications, recruiters are able to scan the internet for candidates, putting you on the fast-track for electronic screening.
    
4. Networking Opportunities
   By earning a qualification, you become part of an exclusive club – a group of professionals who have earned the same certification as you. While it may not be a luxurious country club, this new certification allows you to network with like-minded individuals in your industry – opening up a whole new window of opportunity.

Be sure to not write off a security expert who doesn’t have those few letters after his last name. Experience can often speak louder than certifications, but combined, can be unstoppable!

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