We all have been working very hard in our respective careers and wish to accomplish a distinguished set of skill set for ourselves. In this quest of standing out from the crowd we tend to make some bad and insane decisions which gives a negative impact to the recruiters. It would be wise to understand that most hiring managers recruit with a generalized philosophy when comes to hiring a suitable candidate. The generalized parameters are: Matching up with the skill sets, Necessary education, Degree and then comes the distinguished credibility. In this time of competitive era one in every ten resources has a Certification logo on their resumes. This compels the hiring manager to doubt about the candidates fitment. This is where the additional evaluation phase starts where recruiter tries to bombard the candidate with unnecessary questions of high complexity. This is not the fault of recruiter or not even the candidates fault. Every certification evaluates a candidate with a defined set of knowledge only. But the recruiter evaluates a candidate above that defined set of knowledge which are very practical business cases. So how do then plan about what credibility to achieve at what time? Below is the answer.
Always start your credibility journey with a plan. I am here referring to a Business Analyst journey of credibility path.
First 3 years : Exploratory Phase
This is a phase where candidates learn new process and technology. This phase is actually an evaluation phase for both candidates and recruiters to ensure which area the candidate best fits in. To increase your credibility in this phase you need to start with Foundation Level or Entry Level certification from your area of interest. For a Business Analyst this list of certifications that can be achieved would be:
- Foundation Certificate in Business Analysis from BCS
- Entry Certificate in Business Analysis (ECBA) from IIBA
- Certified Professional in Requirements Engineering (CPRE-FL) from IREB
3-8 years : Decisive Phase
This is the when we reach a mid- level career and required to enhance our existing knowledge with a eye towards detailing. Here we are supposed to have a fair understanding of Business, Process and Technology. Here as Business Analyst you are free to choose amongst the Process, and Domain certifications. Typically below list of certifications would help you here:
- Agile Certified Practitioner(ACP) from PMI
- Professional in Business Analysis (PBA) from PMI
- International Diploma in Business Analysis from BCS
- Prince 2 – Foundation level from Axelos
- Certified Scrum Master (CSM) from Scrum Alliance
- AINS from The Institutes for Insurance Professionals
- CFA Level 1 and Level 2 fro Finance Professionals
- CPIM from APICS for Supply chain Professionals
8+ years : Leadership Phase
This year onward we tend to enter a leadership phase where we need more credible credits into our account. This year onward you not only work for your organization but also help grow your organization with the measurable significant contributions. At the same time delighting your customers is of utmost importance here. Below are list of some certifications that you may plan for.
- Certified Professional in Requirements Engineering (CPRE-EL) from IREB
- Certified Business Analysis Thought Leader (CBATL) from IIBA
- Project Management Professional from PMP
- Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) from Scrum Alliance
- CPCU, AIC for Insurance Professionals
Always remember each of these credibility comes with great responsibilities and people are bound to expect that level of contributions from you. Never ever cross the experience line as this may raise unwanted questions on your credibility.
Always keep your experience and certifications In sync
These are just indicative lists and you may plan your own goals the way you like. Although some certifying bodies do not advocate any minimum requirements criteria but its our responsibility to achieve them responsibly and never hype ourselves in the job market which leads to confusion and ambiguous assumptions.
Happy Reading!