In recent years, online certifications have become increasingly popular as a way for individuals to demonstrate their expertise in a particular subject or field. With the rise of online learning platforms and the convenience of studying from anywhere, more and more people are turning to online certifications to enhance their skills, and boost their appeal to employers, and improve their career prospects. In today’s job market, competition among candidates is high, and the use of educational technology is on the rise. As a result, it has become a common trend for job seekers to showcase the online certificates on their CVs.
Do certifications on a candidate’s profile help them stand out during the application process? JAC Recruitment asked our online community for their thoughts on the topic - surveying both those on the employee and employer sides to get both perspectives. You can view the poll results below.
JAC Recruitment recently conducted a survey on the importance online certifications have for employees and employers. View the results below.
Insights from the survey – the Employee vs Employer perspective
Our recent survey aimed to explore the impact of online certifications on career opportunities. Participants were asked whether studying online could broaden their career prospects. The findings showed that 48% of employees believed that obtaining online certifications could enhance their professional profile. Among other responses, 29% of employees viewed online certifications as a means to ensure their skills remain up to date. However, 21% of respondents believed that experience holds greater value than online certifications.
The survey also assessed employers’ perspectives on online certifications in the hiring process. Employers were asked if job applicants with online certifications had an edge over those without. The responses revealed that 35% of employers saw candidates with online certifications positively but the certificates were relevant to the job. 30% of employers found online certifications to suggest a growth mindset in the candidate, a trait they deemed desirable in candidates. Nevertheless, 33% of employers placed greater emphasis on experience when evaluating job applicants.
Recruiter insights on the importance of online certifications
According to some of our consultants, online certifications can enhance a candidate’s profile. However, they emphasised that candidates ought to consider the relevance of the online certifications to the role they are applying for. If the certificate is relevant to the role, then key achievements they’ve accomplished should be highlighted in their CVs.
Online certifications acquired for niche industries can be a valuable asset in showcasing a candidate’s profile and highlighting the key topics studied from the certificates in their CVs. Key findings from our survey highlighted that work experience is preferred by clients and that holding certificates without relevant experience is not sufficient. Comparatively, a candidate with strong and relevant work experience holds more significant weight in the recruitment process. A candidate with a longer tenure in work experience in addition to relevant certification holds even greater weight.
The impact online certificates have can vary depending on the role, industry, and level of work experience a candidate has. While attaining online certifications can improve the way candidates appeal to employers, the value of each certification still needs to be measured on a case-by-case basis.
If you’re a candidate exploring a new role or would like to have a confidential discussion with one of our consultants on how to tailor your application or profile to suit the role you are applying for better, feel free to reach out to us using the form below.