Certifications: Gotta Catch 'Em All!
Posted by TestOut Staff on
“It’s an Onix!” came a yell from within the large crowd. Nearly 200 phone-fixated folks who had gathered on the library lawn that night immediately turned and bolted across a busy street to catch the rare Pokémon hiding there. Upon returning to the library, one could hear the same phrase being shared throughout the crowd: “Gotta catch ’em all!”
This has been the scene outside the Provo City Library in Utah every night for the past two and a half weeks since Pokémon Go was released in the United States. Hundreds of young adults gather in front of the library each night to take advantage of the four “Pokéstops” located in close proximity there. Random users consistently place lure modules at each of these stops to attract Pokémon to that location. The users then sit there for hours leveling up, obsessed with their shared goal of catching ’em all.
The game play is complicated and active, unlike anything the world has seen before, but the overall premise of Pokémon Go is simple. The more Pokémon you catch, the more experience you gain, and the better Pokémon trainer you become. This is much like the game of finding IT employment. The more certifications you have, the more experience and credibility you gain, and the more employable you become.
I had a recent conversation with a friend in the IT industry (who happens to be a Level 17 Pokémon trainer) who believes that certifications are the only thing IT employers care about. There are plenty of people who have four-year degrees in a related field, but certifications are what sets potential employees apart. Those who use certain certifications to specialize are the ones who have the edge on the competition.
Whether you are seeking your first job, or bored with your current job and needing a new adventure, certification is the way to get you on the right track. There is a common misconception that a new career will take you years to launch, but this is not the case with certification. An entry-level certification will get you an entry-level IT position. Boom. Done.
The more certifications you have, the more likely you are to land the position you want. The employers of the world will want you because of your specialization. This is why, when it comes to certifications, you “Gotta catch ’em all!”
About the Author — Jake Slater is the social media manager for GoCertify and a graduate of Brigham Young University. Jake caught them all. But then his phone crashed and he had to do a factory reset. Sigh.