There is discourse circulating the Engineering Recruitment space currently, speaking for the differences in hiring philosophies between hiring on commercial experience, against validating experience from certifications. This has become of increasing significance for hiring managers in the current market, and especially with so many candidates available of a top quality, the ability to initially screen out and differentiate top talent is mainly separated by these two factors.
The gain from completing certifications cannot be overstated; within the Data industry, gaining AWS certifications for example, is an exemplary advantage when applying for an AWS Platform Engineering role for example. They provide objective proof that can be externally validated on your ability within a certain frame. This then allows you to have an ideal level of knowledge, standardised by an external vendor. It also allows you to have proof of up-to-date skills, and a lot easier for Recruiters to identify suitable prospective jobs for candidates. For example, if someone needed a highly advanced GCP Engineer to develop infrastructure, a sign of suitability is having the correct and appropriate certifications.
The converse of this is to hire based on experience, and infer that experience working with a certain tool over a sustained period of time is better than no experience, and just gaining a certification.Using a specific program or platform will then allow for real-world problem solving abilities, adaptability and deep industry insights using AWS in a commercial setting for example, compared to someone who has just used AWS within a closed circuit certification test. This then applies even more heavily, when looking at roles in leadership positions, as having the ability to recognise patterns within different commercial environments gives you experience to critically think about problems and provide solutions.
Ideally having both certifications and experience is ideal for prospective hiring managers. Being able to learn about the tool within a close-circuit setting and then apply and develop the principles within the relevant commercial field, adding key value to your team, and to the firm around you. It’s a tough choice; whether to pursue additional certifications or focusing on gaining more commercial experience. I personally always veer towards commercial experience – however, I have placed and worked with a multitude of clients that specifically look for certifications. You have to take it on a case-by-case basis, and adjust additionally for the company that you aim to work for.
Both certification and commercial experience have their place in hiring, and the best choice to pursue often depends on the role and the industry. If I were talking to a client, I would advise considering a balanced approach in their hiring strategies, and job seekers to assess firstly your career goals and ideal client profiles to work for, when choosing between certification and experience.