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By Jeffrey T. Fowler, Ph.D.
Faculty Member, School of Security and Global Studies, American Public University

When you are building a career and searching for a job, you must consider multiple factors because human resources departments and managers who conduct employment interviews carefully consider these same factors. The three most important considerations in career building are experience, formal education and professional certifications.

The Value of Job Experience

Experience is your actual work history over time and is important because it demonstrates your competency in the hands-on aspect of performing assigned tasks. Experience also demonstrates that you can effectively apply formal and informal education and any personal certifications under actual field conditions.

Experience is valuable because it cannot be taught, it must be lived. This is what makes it unique.

However, experience can be positive or negative. You might improperly learn a process or a managerial skill and damage the work environment. For example, when an instructor teaches firearms skills, it is sometimes easier to train people with no experience, as opposed to those who have learned improper shooting techniques and must now unlearn them.

Nevertheless, experience is incredibly valuable in career building. For example, when you are hiring a leader for an executive protection high-risk team operating in Afghanistan, it would be unwise to hire an unproven candidate with no experience to participate on such a team in that environment. It would also be unethical, due to the seriousness of the position and environment.

Never forget that while experience is important, you must allow talented individuals to gain experience by giving them the opportunity to learn and grow over a career. A talented amateur can be an amazing asset.

One way that organizations manage talented candidates is through internship programs. This type of training allows people to gain useful experience under the mentorship of a more experienced employee.

Formal Education Develops Character and Creates Networking Opportunities

The definition of formal education is a college degree from an accredited institution in some specialized field. That would include an associate degree, a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree or higher. Formal education could also come from a government agency, such as the Department of Defense or the State Department.

In many cases, a formal education results in intangible benefits unrelated to the discipline in which the degree is awarded. A formal education provides a broad educational base and places you in a diverse environment with the opportunity to exchange ideas, which is important to character development and networking.

Many positions today require at least a bachelor’s degree. Other positions might require an established number of credit hours or perhaps a caveat that if you are hired, you must complete a formal degree program within in a stated time period.

Professional Certifications Ensure Your Job Skills and Knowledge Remain Current

Professional certifications are specific to a certain level of expertise within a stated profession. Professional certifications are similar to established educational requirements for a skilled trade. But instead of being broad in scope, professional certifications are typically narrowly focused on a specific skill set.

I particularly value certifications that contain a continuing education requirement. Continuing education credits (or units) tend to ensure that employees remain abreast of current thought and developments in their profession.

Some certifications require experience in certain positions or a formal degree for entry into the certification class. For instance, there are numerous certifications and skill levels in the fields of criminal justice and security management that require enrollees to have a four-year college degree.

One popular area for certification today is in homeland security. There is also an opportunity to gain certification in executive protection or in anti-terrorism.

Which Is Most Important In Career Building – Experience, Formal Education or Professional Certifications?

How a human resources team or an interviewer prioritizes experience, formal education or certifications varies across organizations and individuals. In my profession of law enforcement and security management, I prioritize these considerations in descending order of importance — experience, formal education and professional certifications.

But in some circumstances, I would certainly accept a talented and motivated intern who had yet to gain the necessary experience for a position. As senior leaders, we have a responsibility to ensure that the next generation is prepared to meet the challenges of this complex and dangerous century.

Also, I value formal education. There are many positions that require a formal degree to gain entrance into an employee candidate pool.

Formal education tends to create educated job candidates who are well versed in the world and can state their ideas effectively. They are also able to move in the management circles where most people today are college graduates.

Furthermore, I value professional certifications because they help us to remain current in our profession. Professional certifications with a continuing education requirement force us to remain cognizant of changes. Also, many professional certification organizations hold conventions and summits, which are excellent networking opportunities.

There will always be outstanding individuals who do not possess one or more of the three career building criteria discussed in this article. But they are the exception and not the rule.

As you plan your career, carefully consider your experience, formal education and certifications. Visualize where you want to be in your career five or 10 years from now. Ensure your goals are realistic ones, develop a career building plan and stick to it.

Learn more about degree programs at American Public University.

About the Author

Jeffrey T. Fowler, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the School of Security and Global Studies at American Public University. He holds a B.A. in law enforcement from Marshall University, an M.A. in military history from Vermont College of Norwich University and a Ph.D. in business administration with a concentration in criminal justice from Northcentral University. Jeffrey is also a published author, a former New York deputy sheriff and a retired Army officer, having served over 20 years in the U.S. Army.

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