Good for you. Seriously. I mean it. If you've made it through the past two decades without earning a certification of some stripe, you've actually accomplished a great deal. That's no mean feat. Organizations ritually demand that their personnel become certified in one practice or another, and the challenge for many employees—while they may be the best in the business at what they do—is finding the time, energy, or capacity for certification tests. But how do you sell it? How do you sell the notion that you're a competent professional if you're not MCSE, PMP®, EVP, CPA, CFP or MBA? How do you prove that you're just as good as, if not better than, the next professional?

Let me toss out one more set of initials for you: CV, for Curriculum Vitae. Your professional life story. A PhD friend of mine sent along his CV for an award application recently. It was interesting. It was amazing. It was (and I'm not making this up) 36 pages long. I read through it, page after page. There was a staggering volume of information about his accomplishments, projects completed, groups led, articles written, publications accepted, and a professional life well-lived. It was inspired (if more than just a little too long). Near the top of his list were at least half-a-dozen certifications, ranging from the CPE (Certified Professional Estimator) to the Level II Certified Program Manager's certification issued by the U.S. Department of Defense. But those said little, if not nothing, without the ream of paper that followed, which included detail on courses taught, organizations led, and roles and honors bestowed. It is the detail after the certifications that should matter, but for many organizations, it's the list of acronyms that seems to make the difference.

How do we overcome that? It's a challenge to say the least. I myself pursue certifications just to justify myself and to level the playing field with those who wonder if I'm really up to the task of serving the organizations I serve. But some professionals frankly shouldn't have to. They have the background, history and skills to prove they represent some of the best and brightest that our profession has to offer. Just because they haven't had the time or inclination to chase a given certification, I don't believe they should be written off as inherently lesser professionals. Instead, I believe that CVPMs (Curricula Vitae Project Managers) or CRPMs (Crucible of Reality Project Managers) merit high praise and note. The challenge comes in getting management and others in the organization to recognize the inherent value of these uncertified individuals. Thus, for these individuals, it's important to get a shared understanding of what the certificate is supposed to represent and accomplish. What does management want from the certification? What are their goals for their certified personnel? Meaningful goals should not hinge exclusively on a formal credential. They should hinge on performance, and on the organization's capacity to benefit from that performance.

So what are the benefits of the PMP® certification? What are the benefits of MSCE certification? What are the benefits of the EVP (Earned Value Professional) certification? Different organizations have different perspectives on the value added by these (and other) certifications. For some organizations, it's a function of having credible professionals to add to Requests for Proposal (RFPs). For others, it's a matter of being able to show subject matter expertise. For still others, it's fundamental bragging rights. The challenge is figuring out what the real objective of the organization is and how it can be served.

Certification Alternatives

What's as good as a certification? A degree, for one. While certifications show currency and an effective understanding of the latest and greatest, a degree shows a comprehensive body of understanding. Many degree programs include specialized training. That specialization, while retained by the individual, may be obscured by the generic nature of the degree (e.g., B.S., Engineering) or by the lack of opportunity to flex one's specialist "muscle." We need to reinforce the special training and special nature of our education and ensure that those who seek expertise know that we are available to flex that expertise.

What else measures up? Publications. Articles. Paper presentations. Conference roundtables. Specialized business experiences. Charitable efforts of significance.

Also, don't discount business titles. Vice-president? CIO? Executive director? Executive associate? In one position I held, I explained to my boss that I wanted my business cards to read "Utility Infielder." He refused. He explained that the organization would get far more leverage out of my position as "Director." If the organization wants us to look more impressive, it can be a wonderful opportunity to lobby for an enhanced title. Who would you rather have supporting your project? A PMP®? Or a Senior Director? Granted, those in the project management "know" might contend that a PMP® would be more valuable, but the cultural realities often dictate that title trumps certification.

First Steps

So if you're not oriented toward another professional certification exam, it is time to enhance your professional image. Consider all of the possibilities that might be driving the organizational push for certification, and ask the question, what's the outcome they want? Effective management teams will have an answer. Ask what options build the types of leverage they seek—and pursue them. Look at the possibilities for enhancing your professional status and where those possibilities may take you. Then start down that road.