Home / Human Resources / How a Human Resources Certificate can Advance Your Career April 22, 2019 How a Human Resources Certificate can Advance Your Career By B&SC Human Resources Team A human resources certificate program is a valuable addition to your career portfolio. While work experience is important, there is no way to quantify whether or not a prospective job candidate’s experience has provided the education, knowledge and skill sets a company is looking for. Your human resource certificate will serve to validate your mastery of HR skills. In addition to advancing your human resources career, receiving an HR certificate can also help you to increase your lifetime salary potential. A Human Resources Certificate Program is Your Academic Stamp of Approval Once you receive an HR certificate, you have a stamp of approval from a nationally, and globally, recognized institute, indicating that you have the professional expertise and credibility required to be effective in an HR department. Your certificate can help you to land the jobs you want, as well as increase your ability to be promoted. Certificates oriented towards the field of human resources will also help you to move towards the upper-end of the salary schedule, which will help you to increase your net worth. Get the Job You Want In a competitive economy, companies are flooded with resumes for any available job position. This means employers have to create a base-level of educational, certification, and/or work experience from which to filter their prospective candidate pool. Attending a human resources certificate program is one way to show employers you have the knowledge and skills they are looking for. The fact that you have taken the time to pursue a certificate also demonstrates your drive, and dedication, to become an expert in your field. When the HR department sees you have received a human resources certificate or degree, your application and resume are more likely to make their way into the interview stack. Become Eligible for a Promotion Most companies prefer to hire from within. However, larger businesses and corporations often have academic requirements in order for employees to be eligible for promotion. If you have worked in the same company for a while, but lack an HR degree or certification, now is a good time to return to school and pursue a human resources certificate or apply for an HR degree program. It can also help to think outside the box. For example, if you have your AAS in human resources, but work in the payroll or accounting side of HR, an accounting certificate may be a better niche under the umbrella of human resource educational paths. At Bryant & Stratton College, students who complete our HR certificate program can use those courses as credits towards our AAS in Human Resources degree program. The combination of a certificate and a degree will make your resume that much more powerful. Increase your Lifetime Earning Potential The Bureau of Labor Statistics has conducted several studies proving the connection between education, higher salaries, and lower unemployment rates. Your certificate is another step up the academic ladder, which is often rewarded by a higher starting wage, and overall lifetime earning potential. Because certificate programs often provide credits that will transfer into a related degree program, your HR certificate will place you in an ideal position for finishing a degree in the future. If you are interested in pursuing a human resources certificate program, contact the admissions office of Bryant & Stratton College. Our counselors look forward to helping you achieve your future goals.