Discover the Epic 9 Professional Certifications That are Setting the Job Market on Fire – Grab Yours Today!

Professional certifications are vital additions and enhancements to your resume. In fact, the right professional certifications can help you qualify for higher-paying jobs or enter new industries, even if you don’t have a specific degree.

Whether you’re looking to improve your current position or change careers, you need to know the most in-demand professional certifications you can earn ASAP. Let’s take a closer look.

What are professional certifications?

Professional certifications are credentials you earn through classes or short-term programs, depending on the subject. Once you earn a certification, you can put it on your resume, join certain organizations, and qualify for different positions.

For example, you may need a professional certificate to become a project manager at your current workplace. To become a certified professional, you’ll attend a certification program from an organization like Google.

Think of professional certifications as additional qualifying credentials in addition to degrees. In many cases, degrees are combined with certifications to demonstrate that a job candidate has the skills and practical experience to meet the requirements of a position.

Professional certifications generally take a few weeks to a few months to earn (although some can take several years), and some only require you to take a test without completing a program beforehand. A certification exam covers the fundamentals of the subject and allows you to demonstrate your competence. They are often required for certificates in information technology, healthcare, and business management.

Many professional certifications require several years of experience or a degree before you can apply. Completing courses online also allows you to qualify for critical career path certificates. Organizations like the Project Management Institute offer certification courses for professional development and continuing education purposes.

Related: Get CompTIA certified in your own time and start your IT career

Why do you need professional certifications?

You may need professional certification for a variety of reasons, including:

• You want to progress in your career. Some high-level, well-paying positions in your field may require you to have one or more certifications in addition to a degree and several years of experience.
• You want to enter a new field or industry. In some cases, a certification can substitute for a degree if you already have a bachelor’s degree in another specialization. For example, if you have a bachelor’s degree in English but want to become a teacher, a teaching certification could qualify you for teaching positions.
• You want to maximize your salary potential and resume attractiveness. Simply put, if you want to get promoted or qualify for a higher salary grade, you may need professional certification so that management can justify the salary increase.
• You just want to learn more about your field or a specific topic. Since professional certificate programs take less time to complete than degree programs, they are optimal opportunities to learn more about a particular subject without committing a few years of your life in the process.

For these reasons and more, you may want to learn about the most in-demand professional certifications to earn. However, you should consider factors like price, continuing education units, and more to find the right certification for your needs.

Related: Climb the career ladder with this certification training

The 9 most demanded professional certifications

Good news: There are dozens of different professional certifications you can earn in the near future. However, it is wise to prioritize your professional certification education.

To that end, here are nine top professional certifications that should help you in a variety of different industries and jobs.

1. Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)

Project management is one of the most in-demand skill sets in business, finance, technology, and more. If you want to become a supervisor or manager in any capacity, you’ll need a certificate that shows you have the necessary skills to succeed.

That’s where the CAPM certificate come into play This associate level certification is perfect if you still need to gain experience managing company projects. You need 1,500 hours of project experience or 23 hours of project management training. You will then need to pass a 150 question exam and pay a fee of up to $300.

2. Project Management Professional (PMP)

Another good project management certificate to complete is the PMP certification. This advanced certification is perfect for professionals with project management experience. It marks you as a capable project management specialist and requires 7500 hours of project leadership experience. If you have a four-year degree, you can reduce the hour requirement to 4,500 hours.

You will also need 35 hours of educational project management. Pass the 200-question exam and pay the fee of up to $555, and you’ll be certified in no time.

3. IIBA Agile Analytics Certification (IIBA-AAC)

Business analytics is a growing field, and it’s no surprise why. Businesses need vast amounts of data to understand their customers, and those who can analyze that data are invaluable employees.

To demonstrate your data analysis skills, consider earning the IIBA Agile Analytics Certification. This independent certification designates you as a high-performing, adaptable data analyst in changing and evolving environments. To acquire this certificate, you must complete an 85-question exam in two hours, plus pay the exam fee of up to $525.

Notably, you don’t have to complete any eligibility requirements other than two to five years of Agile-related experience. To maintain this certification, you must pay recertification every three years.

4. Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP)

Aspiring or current supply chain managers should consider CSCP certification. This is a globally recognized supply chain certificate that shows you are a credible and experienced supply chain management specialist.

Fortunately, many supply chain professionals will already have most of the requirements necessary to acquire this certificate. You need a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, at least three years of related business experience, and at least one other approved certification. Then you only need to pass the exam after paying a fee of up to $969.

5. CompTIA A+ Technician Certification

IT professionals can often benefit from earning certificates that demonstrate specific skill sets. He CompTIA A+ Technician Certification It is perfect for entry-level workers who want to enter the technology field without degrees or formal computer education.

When you graduate from this certification program, you will be able to solve technological problems of all kinds. It’s a perfect certificate for seeking support specialist or help desk technician positions, plus it qualifies you for further on-the-job training. You must pass the written exam and pay a minor fee to acquire this certificate.

6. SHRM-CP Certification

Every company needs a team of human resources professionals. He SHRM-CP Certification It could qualify you for open HR positions, and there are other good reasons to get this HR certification, too.

For example, HR professionals with this certification have more credibility than others, which qualifies them for higher-value positions. Once you have this certificate, you’ll also likely earn 14-15% more than your peers. In other words, it’s a fantastic certificate of progression to pursue if you know you want to continue in the HR field.

To earn this certificate, you must apply for the program and study for three to four months before taking the exam. It takes about four hours to complete, but most candidates complete the exam and earn their certificates before the allotted time expires.

7. Google Digital Marketing and Ecommerce Professional Certification

Google also offers a handful of highly desirable certificates. One of them is the Professional Certificate in Digital Marketing and Electronic Commerce, which is divided into seven courses with different approaches. These help you develop new perspectives and insights into digital marketing strategies and online commerce for your brand.

It is a marketing certification option for those who want to become digital marketers without marketing degrees. It takes about six months to complete with 10 hours of study per week, and you have to pay $39 a month for a Coursera subscription. Still, this adds up to less than $300 over the six-month period for most students.

8. Google Project Management Professional Certificate

Then there’s the Google Project Management Professional Certificate – another sought-after certificate for project management specialists and team leaders across all industries. The certification program includes 140 hours of instruction and many different practice-based assessments.

By completing this certification program, all students can apply for jobs at Google and many other employers in the US. It takes about six months to complete, and again, you have to pay a monthly fee of $39 for the subscription by Coursera.

For this program, you can take advantage of financial assistance from Google. Overall, it’s a great certificate for mid-level managers who want to increase their job skills and responsibilities.

Don’t forget to check out the other Google certificates on Google Analytics, Google Cloud security, machine learning, and more.

9. IBM Data Science Professional Certificate

The IBM Data Science Professional Certificate is a stellar choice for future data scientists and IT professionals. It does not require any prior knowledge of computer science or programming languages, and consists of nine courses in total.

Completing this certification program will not only qualify you to work in entry-level data science jobs, but you’ll also earn an IBM digital badge. You can add this to your portfolio and resume, increasing your chances of getting hired. You can even earn up to 12 transferable college credits since the lessons are ACE recommended.

To complete the program, you will need to take around 11 months of study. You’ll also need to subscribe to Coursera for $39 per month. In total, expect to pay about $429 for 11 months of study.

Related: 4 Benefits of Getting Certified in Your Field of Expertise

Get the certification you need to boost your career

Ultimately, any professional certification could be just the thing for your professional portfolio.

Some other great professional certifications that look great for potential employers include:

• SEO certification.
• AWS Fundamentals Certification.
• Social Media Marketing Certification.
• SFP (Sustainability facility professional) certification.

Consider acquiring one or more certifications in the near future and nurture your career.

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