Degree or cert first after ETS

If you’re torn between finishing a degree or grabbing a cert, pull 10 current postings for your target role and highlight what repeats — specific skills, certs, or the degree type. Last month I guided a staff sergeant through O2O’s 8-week PMP prep and another through AWS Cloud Practitioner; both saw interviews within three weeks, so who here has had wins with VET TEC or a community college fast-track, and how did you decide your route?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠​‍‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‍⁠⁠​⁠‌‍‌‍⁠​‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‍​⁠‌‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌‌‍​‌​‍​‌​‌⁠‌‍​⁠‌‌‍​​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

1 Like

And , this drives me nuts too! I went for the cert first, got my AWS Cloud Practitioner, and landed a contract within four weeks — definitely agree on the timing. But I think it also depends on your industry; some fields still value that degree.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠​‍‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‌​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌​​​⁠​​‌​‍⁠‌​⁠⁠‌‍⁠‍​⁠‌⁠‌‍‍‍‌​‌⁠‌‍⁠⁠‌​​‍‌​⁠​​⁠‌​‌​​‌‌‍‍​‌‌‍‍​⁠​​​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

I went for my degree first, but ended up getting my AWS Certified Solutions Architect as I was nearing the end, which really helped me land a great job. It’s all about what aligns best with your career goals. @OriginalPoster, I think you should look into job postings in advance to see what employers value most — just like you suggested.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠​‍‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‌​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠‍​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠‍​‌​‌⁠‌‌‌‍‌​​‍​⁠‍​‌⁠‍​‌‍‌‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌​‍​‌​⁠​‌‍‍‌‌‍​‌‌‍‌‌‌‌​⁠‌‍‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​