You know how at Jamba Juice, you can get a boost added to your $3 drink magically making it a little more expensive? Well, you can make a similar offering to your employer. You can give your value at the company a boost by getting certified in a field relevant to your career. No matter what industry you’re in, chances are there’s a certification for it. But you’ll have to research the different types of certifications that would be considered valuable by your employer or a prospective employer. If you’re in IT, then you have a wide selection of money-making options. But that trend has spread to other industries as well.

Certification programs have grown exponentially in the past several years. At a minimum, there are nearly 1,600 certifications available, according to the Certification and Accreditation Programs Directory, as well as an additional 227 accreditation programs. You can start your search here.

It’s a lot easier and less expensive than going back to school. People who do it often find it sparks an interest,setting their careers down a path they’re more interested in and passionate for. In other words, you really never know where it’s going to lead, but it could lead to more money and it could lead to some really valuable self-discovery that maybe you haven’t been able to find at work lately. So, I would recommend opting for the boost, it’s worth it.

About NextGen

NextGen is the brainchild of longtime telecom professionals with nearly 50 years of experience and millions of dollars in Telecom Recruiting Services. We focus on establishing long term relationships with our clients and candidates so we can recruit the best and the brightest in the telecom industry. This ‘quality over quantity’ approach is at the heart of everything we do and has resulted in successful job placements at Fortune 1000 firms worldwide.