5 Certifications for Career Development That Can Elevate Your Business

Career development should be a priority for you and every small business owner. However, personal professional development can easily be sidelined while you focus on the day-to-day management of your business. Also, time and money can make it difficult to obtain an advanced degree. Thankfully, there are some effective and inexpensive ways to forget about that master's degree.?

Leaders need more than just keeping up with trends in their respective industries. As an owner, it's also important to ask yourself if you're developing the skills you need to continue to grow your business and long-term career. Here are some recommended certifications that will take your career to the next level to become a better entrepreneur.??

Digital Marketing Certification

A Digital Marketing certification prepares you to explore many forms of online marketing, from search engine optimization to social media selling. Digital certifications are offered in partnership with leading universities, private companies and are led by industry thought leaders.?

Earn your Digital Marketing certification to learn more about online marketing, content development, social media use, and digital analytics. If you're interested in growing your digital presence, you'll benefit greatly from this certification. For example, Google offers online modules to get certified in his AdWords and other digital tools, and HubSpot offers inbound marketing training.?

Project Management Professional

Innovation is at the heart of growing businesses, but many entrepreneurs don't realize that successful innovation requires effective systems. Running your own business requires tracking many moving parts, from company financial performance to customer support.??

Earning a project management certification will give you the strategies, tools, and communication methods you need to move projects forward and help your employees reach their goals. Learning more about project management will help you become a better manager, deliver more effective client projects, and ultimately create the systems you need to innovate. Local universities offer project management credentials, as do Project Management Institutes.?

Sales Certification

You should always be able to bring new customers into your business, but selling is not natural for everyone. Sales certification teaches us to look at the sales process in a different way and develop this process more effectively for our company.??

Learn about different sales models and how to perfect your approach to prospecting. You will also practice a lot to practice what you have learned. Sales skills will help you grow your existing business and achieve success in whatever area you pursue. The National Association of Sales Professionals offers certification programs to meet your needs.??

Business Management Certificate

Whether your degree is in another field or you don't want to focus on an MBA, a small business certificate can help you better manage your business.?A business certificate usually provides the basis for a functional area of the economy.

For example, marketing, finance, accounting, human resources, etc. As an entrepreneur, a business certificate can help you fill knowledge gaps, acquire more skills in your area of interest, and determine if formal training makes sense for your career path.

Check with your local university to see what types of certificates are available. For example, Harvard Extension School offers online certification courses in a variety of subjects such as marketing management, business administration, and more.?

Data Analysis

Big data, analytics, and information management are hot trends in the business world. There are a growing number of new tools that can measure every aspect of your business, from website performance to employee careers. Our Data Analytics for Business certification provides you with the tools to assess information, how to design programs that demonstrate what you measure, and how to strategically apply those insights to your business. Data-driven management is a key factor in staying ahead of the competition. For example, 591lab offers a course to become a Certified Analytics Professional.?

Investing time and money in career development is a challenge for entrepreneurs with many competing priorities. Still, you can benefit from certification because it helps you reach your career goals faster while developing your skills and growing your business.??