I may owe you an apology. If you are one of the 21,000 people who have taken our military transition master classes, you have probably heard me give advice about whether you should get a certification or a degree.

You’ve heard me say that if a particular certification or degree keeps popping up in the “required” or even the “preferred” section of the jobs you want most, then you should take that as a sign to get that certification.

I don’t owe you an apology for that. It is good, job-seeking advice.

I Owe You an Apology for Making it Sound Easy, Obvious or Free

The decision to spend time and money on further education takes a lot out of you as a job seeker, especially during military transition. What if you make the wrong pick? What if you fail at the certification? What if you try really hard, get the cert, land the job and then hate it? The uncertainty makes you crazy.

Why do I suddenly remember this crucial bit of information now? Because I am going through the same thing myself. Recently, our parent company announced a merger with CareerBuilder. It looks like a good thing for all concerned. I personally hope our new parent company will love us all like fuzzy puppies, squealing with joy at the sight of us.

Still, it is pretty well-known that mergers and acquisitions often come with layoffs. According to the Harvard Business Review, roughly 30% of employees are considered redundant when firms in the same industry merge. Instead of freaking out or burying our heads in the sand, employees are advised to use this period as “an opportunity for introspection and growth.” Which sounds a lot like military transition, right?

It does to me. Since my own LinkedIn feed is full of suggestions for jobs that involve executive coaching — and I would like that job — I followed the advice I give all of you to explore certifications and degrees.

6 Things to Do to Decide Whether to Seek a Certification or Degree

1. Ask yourself, “Is it required for the job you want?”

When I find a job listing I like, I always scan down to the “required” section of the job listing. Even though you can work your way around some requirements in a civilian job, certifications are usually not negotiable. If the listing says they require a particular degree, license or certification, they do. If the certification is in the “preferred” section, you might be able to let it slide.

2. Determine whether it is required in any job listing.

Often, I see long lists of certifications on a resume. Sometimes, these are certs used in a past job that are not required for the current job. They don’t really hurt, but they also don’t help. Sometimes, the certifications are for things the internet invented. If no one is asking for a particular certification or degree, I wouldn’t spend my time on it.

3. Dive into the pool of self-doubt.

Go ahead and fill out the application, even if you aren’t sure yet. Applications are designed to fling you into a great pool of self-doubt. I know mine did. Expect to start an application and break into a sweat wondering:

• Oh, no. I didn’t go to an Ivy League school!
• It’s a competitive program. What if I don’t qualify?
• What if my references think I’m a big, dumb bear?
• I don’t understand what they want from this essay!
• What if I get the certification, then find out companies only hire for those positions from within?
• What if I’m so old that it is already too late for me?
• What if this is a giant waste of money?
• Who do I think I am???

4. Stop. Just stop.

When my own coaching clients go through this kind of self-doubt, I tell them it is not a sign to run in the other direction. I’m convinced that this kind of self-doubt is simply part of the process of change.

Because a job hunt inevitably changes you. Even if you get a job in the same field doing the same kind of work, you are a different person with a different employer, different co-workers, different daily activities, different measures of success. They will shape you, and you will shape them. We all need that moment of doubt before we are ready to move forward.

5. Make them say no.

Finish the application and push “send.” Even if you are awash in doubt, finishing the application does not mean you are enrolled in college or you are set up for success. (If it does, that bit of info is telling you something about the program.) While you are waiting for a response, your true feelings about the credential will become less clouded by doubt. If you are not suited for that program, they will reject you. You will have another piece of data about your future. You will live.

6. Continue to explore.

Once you have applied, you have a lot more work to do. Collect job listings requiring the credential. Reach deeply into your network to ask about how people with that credential get brought into their company, whether their company only hires from within and if certain schools have a better reputation than others. Tell people you are considering this credential and ask what they think.

Deciding to get a certification or degree is more than an investment of time or money. The process is designed to help you imagine a future you with a different job and a different life — then prepare you for it.

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