The Kiss of Credibility

Paul Stanley, song writer and rhythm guitarist for the American rock band KISS, once said, “Credibility is someone else’s idea of what I should be doing.” It’s interesting that these words came from an artist who was a member of a band that prided itself on being different — really standing out from the crowd. I’m sure there were a number of “someone elses” who thought that KISS should be doing something different, and yet they were one of the most successful bands of their time, and are still one of the most recognizable rock bands to this day.

So what does it really mean to build or increase one’s credibility? If credibility is related to believability and trust, how can we prove ourselves — especially when seeking employment? We are told that we should be building our resume with degrees from an institute of higher education, but is there a better more unconventional way?

Though certification is often looked down upon in the job credibility sphere, there is actually no better way to set yourself apart from the competition. We train for IT certifications to increase our chances at employment. Whether it’s landing a new job, or getting better at our current one, certifications help.

In December, an article by Ed Tittel popped through at Tom’s IT Pro listing the best IT certifications for 2016. One of those lists is for prospective networking professionals looking to set themselves apart. Here are Tittel’s top five networking certifications:

• Cisco’s CCNP — Prerequisites for the CCNP include the CCNA or CCIE
• Cisco’s CCIE — There are no prerequisites for the CCIE
• Juniper Network’s JNCIE-ENT — The prerequisite for the JNCIE-ENT is the JNCIP-ENT
• CompTIA Network+ — There are no prerequisites for the Network+
• Wireshark’s WCNA — There are no prerequisites for the WCNA

If you want to become a networking professional and are looking for ways to increase your credibility, this list is a great starting point. Colleges and Universities will tell you that you should be getting a degree, but you and I both know better. It’s time to take a lesson from KISS and increase your credibility by standing out and being different.

About the Author — Jake Slater is the social media manager for GoCertify and a graduate of Brigham Young University. Jake owns all seven seasons of Gene Simmons Family Jewels on Blu-ray.