Does Certified Equate to Qualified?

In my industry, like any other profession, there are credentials that can set you apart from the masses. If you view any professional association’s directory, you will inevitably find names with a suffix of letters indicating their professional credentials. You may even find a few with a bowl of written alphabet soup after their names. In this modern, “more the merrier” world, it is important to recognize that the more letters one has after their name does not necessarily equate to the more qualified one is in their field of choice. This is a common misconception, albeit an effective marketing tool for some. Those outside the security industry rarely know the difference between one set of initials and another. They wouldn’t be expected to. If you work in Human Resources for a large organization and you are tasked with hiring a security director, you are used to reviewing their qualifications, but are you truly expected to know the background behind one set of credentials over another? That responsibility falls upon the holder of the credential. 

From the holder’s perspective, what determines a certification’s value? If you are in a rush to fill up the space after your name with as many letters as possible, then you likely wouldn’t care about a credentials background. I recently dropped the “4th” credential I held. I failed to pay my renewal fee. After 30 days, I was sent a notice that my certification was suspended until I paid the renewal and now a late fee. This was a credential I achieved early in my corporate security career, shortly after transitioning from law enforcement. I took a test, sent it in, 20 days later I received a nice certificate and a wallet certificate. Each year, on its anniversary, I got a renewal notice. Pay and you are still certified. Don’t and you won’t be. That’s it! If I have to prove nothing to you, than you have no value to me as a professional. The remaining certifications I maintain all have strict re-certification requirements. You must prove you still deserve to use the credential, not just pay to use it. Key point to value: have a specified re-certification period. Taking a test, getting a piece of paper and still claiming 30 years later that you possess the same skills and knowledge- is only fooling yourself, not to mention a huge disservice to your employer or clients. I have to recall a recent post from respected colleague Michael Silva. He found a certificate for “professional security consultant.” Pay a fee, get paper, you are ready for business! Why spend decades honing your craft, hundreds of hours in education and seminar, thousands of dollars in your own professional development-when you can just buy this piece of paper? I’ll have to ask Mike what initials it came with besides “BS.”

A discussion on value of certification wouldn’t be appropriate without delving into the monetary investment. If you have the benefit of a supportive employer that will cover the costs of professional certifications you are at a great advantage. However, you still have an obligation to spend those dollars wisely. If you are in business for yourself, this may be the single most important consideration. Again, even the most successfully self-employed do not want to throw good money at bad credentials. Cost alone does not equate to quality. Cost is calculated on the long term. Most certifications have a fee, a testing fee, and those that have a re-cert qualification will likely have a fee due at that point as well. There are also costs of any specific study materials required and any goodies that may come along with the credential (what good is a certification without trinkets promoting it?) 

In fairness to all opposing points of view, I want to steer the discussion in an unusual direction considering I hold several certifications. In any industry, there are many very successful professionals who do not hold professional credentials. With many years of experience, college educations, and excellent reputations, a certification may not be necessary. Again, certified does not automatically translate to qualified. So yes, you certainly can be very successful in your industry without achieving certification. If you chose to go this route, you should be prepared to defend your position. If candidate “A” has the alphabet soup after her name and you have nothing, perspective employers may ask why. 

In closing, I can summarize my overall thoughts on professional certifications. Are they a must? No, certainly not. Can you succeed in your chosen profession without them? Likely. They can; however, demonstrate a commitment above and beyond the basic qualifications necessary to be a professional in your industry. The caveat: do your homework, research, and talk to others who hold the credential you are considering. Some must haves: a test and a recertification cycle - prove you have the skill set, and prove you maintain the skill set.

If you happen to be in the security field and are exploring professional certifications, please feel free to reach out to me to discuss in detail what might be the best suited for your situation. 

*for purposes of this article, excluded are any professions that require certifications as part of any licensing requirements, such as a physician which must possess either MD or DO to practice. 

Michael S. D’Angelo, CPP, CSC, CHPA is a Board Certified and Independent Security Consultant based in South Florida. He volunteers in providing guidance to military and law enforcement personnel transitioning into the private sector security management fields. He can be reached at: [email protected], www.securedirection.net