Certifications are crucial in many, but not all, fields and they can set you apart in our current economic climate. There are many things that are good about certifications and just about as reasons they are bad, but there are three very clear reasons you should get a certification, if it makes sense for you and your future career goals.

Differentiation

All things being equal, an applicant with a certification looks more attractive than an applicant without one. While this almost never happens, since two people will rarely have identical experiences and education, the reality is that people respond to certifications just as they respond to college degrees. If you have a degree from a prestigious university or college, people will look at you differently.

You will, of course, have to back up that initial expectation during interviews but having a certification will give you a slight leg up.

Demonstrates Minimum Competence

If you’ve obtained the certification, you’ve demonstrated at least the minimum required to pass the exams and refreshes. When a company can only bring in a few people to interview, you’ll have yet another leg up because the company can at least point to the certification as a reason for bringing you in. The hiring manager can play a little “cover my ass” if he or she brings in someone with a technical certification but that person doesn’t pan out, right? If someone looked good on paper but didn’t interview well, no one will blame the manager.

Completeness of Knowledge

The best type of training and learning is hands on learning, but it often leaves holes because you only learn what you actually do. If you’ve managed a network but never put it together, installed it, or configured it, then you’re missing a big piece of knowledge. If you work long enough, you’ll probably get exposed to it but by preparing for a certification, you will get a complete look at everything you should know and be able to perform.

In the end, remember that you will know when you need a certification. If you feel like you are continually being shut out of security opportunities because you don’t have a CompTIA A+ certification, get one. If you feel like your boss advances people with a CCNA certification faster, get one. If you feel like you have a good handle on Microsoft technologies but might have a few holes, pursue one of the Microsoft certifications.