It is increasingly getting important to gain certification to gain employment nowadays. With unemployment rate rising, getting noticed from tens or hundreds of applicants is increasingly difficult. Everyone has a degree and some even have master’s degree and experience which increases their chances of getting hired.

As a fresh graduate, your chances of being hired against those experienced and with education are virtually next to nothing. For that reason, you need to have certifications which inform the employer of your additional skills. These certifications are usually very easy to obtain since they will take only months rather than years to obtain.

Education Related Certifications

The easy way of earning a certification is to select something related to your education. Graduate certifications offer advanced knowledge based on what you already know.

For example, a degree in computer science could be added with Cisco Certification. This type of certification will get you a job in IT companies and even in non-IT companies as you control their online applications for communication and network. The training could take from 2 to 6 months and you will have to take an exam to be certified.

Other Certifications

Instead of getting certified to what you already know, another option is to seek certification that is not related to your education. This could be very challenging since you may learn concepts foreign to you and education could take longer than six months. It might even be a bit expensive since you have to study a little bit longer.  But consider the advantages: instead of aligning yourself to what you already know, you added a skill not easily found in other candidates.

For example, aside from knowledge in computers, a certification in basic accounting could give you the boost that you want in getting the attention of employers. Instead of hiring two employees, they can get a better deal by just hiring you.

Timing is Everything

An additional certification is certainly impressive but that does not mean an automatic job offer. If you are looking to gain employment as soon as possible, you need to take a look at the current demand in your area. Surely, there are still a handful of companies hiring today near your location or at least in other city. You can adjust to the demand and get certified with the skill they really need.

There are those who contradict the idea of being certified since recession is not permanent. Many experts agree that recession will start to wane in the end of 2009 and the country will start to pick up in 2010. If you start your certification today, the economy would be back on track. You just practically wasted your time in getting certified.

But think of the long term effects of your certification. You will always have something to add to your resume which could be used to gain acceptance in different companies. Although you could end up spending months learning instead of looking for a job, a certification will work to your advantage forever.