How you can benefit in a BIG way with certification
by Jamie Radford
Working in the financial industry is a long-held dream for many. And it is not just a job, but rather a career where you can start out in one position and work your way up over the years. Some will find it easier and some more difficult, but most importantly, the manner in which one moves up the ranks will differ.
Those that appear to have a smooth ride or generally find it easier to be promoted have usually undertaken a range of qualifications, certifying themselves. There are a variety of benefits for financial professionals who complete certifications to forward their career, but those benefits are not confined to the individual. Their organisations also benefit from their employees’ commitments to bettering themselves.
The benefits and value of certification:
Credibility
Accounts Payable and other finance professionals add to their credibility with each qualification they complete. Each one that is added to the CV stands you in good stead to have your CV stand out above the rest of the competition.
Confidence
When you have a range of qualifications under your belt, each one adds to the feeling of confidence, knowing that you can handle what is thrown at you during the course of your daily job.
Contribution
The Accounts Payable professional who is certified is able to contribute to the current and future aims of their company and provide a valuable point of view that could benefit their employers.
Efficiency
Certification provides a level of efficiency and expertise unlikely to be as high in non-certified AP professionals.
Expertise
The expertise offered by certified professionals can far surpass those who are not certified. And most often when an employer is sitting with two CVs, one of which is certified and one which is not, even though the two professionals may have very similar experience, the certified professional is much more likely to win the race.
Productivity
AP professionals who have completed one or more qualifications and added certification to their portfolio are more likely to be taking their career in Accounts Payable seriously – and this is clear to employers too!
Drive
Certification proves to employers that you have drive, ambition and want to achieve in their career. The qualifications speak for themselves when so often, CVs get lost in a pile of others and you don’t get the chance to speak for yourself in an interview.
Professionalism
Certification most definitely raises the bar amongst colleagues and peers. Taking on a certification and committing to its completion shows a level of maturity and readiness to succeed. What employer wouldn’t want an achiever?
Ability to take on more responsibility
Achieving one or more certifications demonstrates to employers that you take your career seriously and are probably the type of professional to not only be able to take on challenges but also be willing to.
Access to more information
An AP professional who has completed one or more certifications are more likely to be au fait with policies, procedures and laws applicable to their profession. And even if they don’t know all they need to off hand, they know where to find the information they need.
AP roles are no longer seen as basic back office positions where they may have been some years ago. Instead, now anyone working in AP needs to have a range of skills over and above those basic ones needed to get the job in the first place. Critical skills such as analytical thinking and an eagerness to develop oneself is vital to succeeding in Accounts Payable. As a certified professional, problem-solving becomes somewhat of a second nature.
Adding skills and knowledge to one’s repertoire in the form of certification provides an additional level of confidence in your own skills but also for the employer because seeing that a potential candidate is certified means they took the time and put in the effort to expand their skill set. It brings with it a level of credibility otherwise not present when there is no certification.
With the job market being so highly competitive these days, certification is heading towards becoming a pre-requisite rather than a “maybe complete one day”. Certified AP professionals today are the heart of what makes any organization function and are an integral part of any team.