Credentials do not always equal expertise

Getting hammered with invites on training and certifications lately. Sourcing, recruiting, human capital strategy, analytics etc. Most have the same concept – come for a day or two, or week – or take 40 hours of training and get “credentials”.

I am all for training – take everyone you get invited to, learn, use and share. Pass the learning to friends and colleagues. Even I took all the coursework for being a PMP years ago, and learned a ton.

But you know what – recruiting and sourcing are quite a bit different than they were a few years ago – and they will be different in a few years. So here is my POV

1 – find a program like that mirrors the Project Management Institutes way of thinking – you need to recertify and take new courses all the time. Make sure you have to maintain your credentials or you will lose them.

2 – do a certification that is mandated by one party, but taught by another. HRCI credits are an example. I could make up a “certification” and charge for it – but who is auditing our work? Align with academics if possible here.

3 – expertise is honed by using training and techniques over time. I’m a big fan of the 10,000 hours of time in anything makes you an expert – so think carefully about your certification and if it will stand up 10000 hours from now

Have a great weekend all!!