Business Certifications and IT Professionals

From time to time I will deviate from technical topics and write about topics related to IT careers, the market and such.  Today’s post is about the value (or lack thereof depending on your take) of certifications, particularly business focused ones, for IT pros. 

It’s getting more common out there to see atypical certifications from technology professionals, and even job ads that mention them as a bonus.  The most common likely being the PMP, but there are others, such as the Certified Business Analysis Professional and the Lean/Six Sigma Green and Black Belt, as well as the IT-related certifications in security (CISSP) and IT infrastructure (ITIL).  Obtaining these certifications is no trivial pursuit, each taking time and expense, along with a deliberate effort to refocus the mind on areas typically outside of the comfort zone of technologists.  I speak from experience, as I obtained my Six Sigma Green Belt certification a few years ago.  I learned more than I ever imagined about root cause analysis, Pareto charts, histograms and, of course, calculating standard deviation.

Many would question the value in having a C# programmer obtain a project management certification, for example.  Why would a DBA want to learn about Six Sigma or any sort of process improvement methodology?  Some would argue that certifications themselves are not a reliable indicator of one’s knowledge in any given area, or that they really do little to further your career even if obtained within your core discipline.  In some cases that is true, but it also depends on the individual and where you work (a consultancy vs. corporate IT).  Some people are just good test takers, while others are good at retaining theoretical concepts yet may lack the ability to execute in the real world.  Good points, but there is more to the picture than that.  As with any type of education, there is intrinsic value in the process of gaining knowledge.  Knowledge is growth and the process of learning is as important as the knowledge gained. 

I have spent the majority of my career trying to be as diverse as possible.  The market has not always agreed with my aspirations.  During various periods the market has vascillated between wanting hard-core specialists and those with both breadth and depth – the latter sometimes being labeled “generalists” even if they have the same level of expertise and experience as the so-called specialists.  My goals never involved being specifically one or the other, and at times I have fallen firmly into one or the other bucket.  I simply love to learn and wanted to have as much knowledge as possible, thinking that the more you know about the various facets of business AND technology, the more valuable you are and the greater understanding you have about how a technical solution fits into the bigger picture.  This is why I believe that technical certifications are valuable and certifications outside of your core skillset are equally as valuable, business ones included.   In today’s economy, it’s a wonderful thing to be able to code in C# and be able to lead a project team, analyze and improve a business process, or sit with end users and document requirements.  It’s true you cannot count on certification(s) being the sole criteria for landing a job, getting a promotion or even gaining respect from peers or employers.  However,the more insight you have into how your technical solutions impact the bigger picture, the better, smarter and more strategic your solutions will become.  You will find yourself thinking less of small point solutions and more of innovation, vision and how your solution can impact other areas, other processes and improve the quality of the business.