Are Professional Certifications Worth It?

“Should I get a professional certification in communication?”

Someone new to internal comms asked me this recently. She’s transitioning from publishing and wants to stand out in the job market.

As someone who holds a Communication Management Professional (CMP) certification, my knee-jerk reaction is “yes.” But the real answer? It depends.

Certifications can bring undeniable benefits—to both individual professionals and the field as a whole. Here are a few key advantages:

Why Certification Can Be Worth It

• Enhancing Credibility
  A certification formally validates expertise. In a recent Global Communication Certification Council (GCCC) survey, 69% of respondents said their certification gave them more credibility at work—more than double the percentage from 2020.

• Ensuring Ethical Practices
  Certifications emphasize ethical guidelines, helping professionals navigate complex situations and maintain industry standards. Given today’s misinformation landscape, this isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a necessity.

• Demonstrating Continued Professional Development
  GCCC-certified professionals report improved personal branding (65%) and a stronger commitment to staying on top of trends. It’s a great way to prove you take your growth seriously.

• Elevating Industry Standards
  Certification helps establish benchmarks for excellence. In the same GCCC survey, 57% of respondents reported increased respect and recognition from peers after getting certified.

The Hiring Reality Check

Now, here’s the twist. While I firmly believe hiring managers should prioritize certification, the reality is… most don’t.

In over a decade of reviewing job postings and speaking with hiring managers, I’ve seen exactly one role that preferred a CMP certification. And when I asked the hiring manager and the team about it? None of them were certified themselves. Some didn’t even know CMPs existed until they saw their own job description.

So, should you invest in certification? It’s less about impressing hiring managers and more about investing in YOUR own growth, skills, and confidence. Ask yourself:

• What skills do I want to develop?

• How will this help me grow in my career?

• Is this worth the cost for me, regardless of external validation?

And maybe—just maybe—if enough of us get certified, hiring managers will actually start paying attention.