What are good certifications to earn to advance my business career?

Question

I am currently working on my MBA and Six Sigma Lean & Green belts. What other certifications do employers look for?

Answer 1

The most important thing is that you pursue avenues that highlight your strengths. If you aren't good at math and are highly disorganized, I wouldn't recommend going into accounting or project management. However, since you are already pursuing 6-sigma, I presume you are pretty hard-core. Regardless, it is good training in business process. Other certification programs that emphasize these skills include the CPA (Certified Public Accountant), CFA (Certified Financial Advisor), PMP (Project Mangement Professional), and/or certification in a technical field such as an actuary (SoA/COS), nurse, clinical trials manager, database administrator, registered patent agent, real estate agent, etc.

At the end of the day, when the market turns sour, employers look for people with MARKETABLE skills. If you have a 'certification', they use this as a proxy for in-depth knowledge. An MBA is so general that it in and of itself is of little value. You need to sell yourself on your other skills/experience. The MBA helps you think in terms of value and broadens your business network (though you needn't get an MBA to get the same results).

On the other hand, if you are a highly creative and innovative person, it will be better for your career to get as much experience in a breadth of industries and reinforce your strengths... work on your emotional intelligence. Your EQ is what really gets you ahead in today's new economy... not the letters at the end of your name.

Lesson for the day: Lifelong learning... and constant innovation!