I have to admit, I was a little certification-happy, early in my career, and have since learned to be more strategic in my approach to certification. My thoughts on how to approach this can be found here - https://www.projectmanagement.com/blog-pos...-you-get-next-.
Since blog posts aren't a great place for conversation or group learning, I thought I would bring the topic here. How have you decided in the past, or how do you decide today, which certifications to pursue? Has your approach changed? Why? Saving Changes...
Attaining a certification is a project and like all projects, there needs to be sufficient expected benefits to offset the one-time and ongoing costs. In my case, the certifications which I paid for myself were pursued as I felt they would help to differentiate me from the competition for roles either as a full time practitioner or as a consultant. Some of them (e.g. DAC, DAVSC) were free given my long time involvement with DA and I valued being part of the initial cohort to earn them even though I did not expect any direct benefit. I made a point of getting a number of different agile credentials (PSM II, PMI-ACP, ICP-ACC) to demonstrate that I had awareness of more than just one approach to adaptive delivery.
Kiron
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1 reply by Aaron Porter
Sep 25, 2025 10:13 AM
Aaron Porter
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Thanks, Kiron. You bring up one of the messages from DA that resonated with my personal style (or how I interpreted it, anyway) - while it may be important to know a specific approach due to the environment you're in, it is incumbent upon project managers to be aware of multiple ways of getting things done so that we can apply what will work best in the situations we find ourselves in.
Senior Projects Manager | Field & Marten AssociatesNew Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Aaron, I believe being strategic is essential when it comes to certifications. Early in your career, it's easy to fall into the trap of chasing credentials for the sake of building your resume, but over time you learn that certifications are most valuable when they directly support your long‑term career path and professional goals.
I actually wrote about this more in “The Added Value of Professional Development”, published in PM World Journal, which touches on how growth comes not just from collecting certificates but from the learning journey itself and how to decide what certificates to pursue: https://pmworldjournal.com/article/the-add...nal-development
When considering a certification, I ask myself whether it aligns with my long-term professional goals, will it support a future role, industry shift, or specialization I’m aiming for. I also look at whether it will deepen my current expertise or broaden my skills into adjacent areas, depending on where I want to grow. Recognition matters too, so the certification should be valued within my industry or by the employers I’m targeting. Finally, I assess the real ROI: will it lead to career advancement, new opportunities, or increased earning potential.
Attaining a certification is a project and like all projects, there needs to be sufficient expected benefits to offset the one-time and ongoing costs. In my case, the certifications which I paid for myself were pursued as I felt they would help to differentiate me from the competition for roles either as a full time practitioner or as a consultant. Some of them (e.g. DAC, DAVSC) were free given my long time involvement with DA and I valued being part of the initial cohort to earn them even though I did not expect any direct benefit. I made a point of getting a number of different agile credentials (PSM II, PMI-ACP, ICP-ACC) to demonstrate that I had awareness of more than just one approach to adaptive delivery.
Kiron
Thanks, Kiron. You bring up one of the messages from DA that resonated with my personal style (or how I interpreted it, anyway) - while it may be important to know a specific approach due to the environment you're in, it is incumbent upon project managers to be aware of multiple ways of getting things done so that we can apply what will work best in the situations we find ourselves in. Saving Changes...
Hi Aaron,
I would say that the approach is changing according to the individual's career stage and aspirations. In my case I started a journey towrd certification in different area due a career change. I strategized but on the way I adopted the ''progressive elaboration''. Knowledge is never enough. Saving Changes...
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