Job Fair insights

[DavidHume]

I went to a job fair for for a company I've been trying to get hired at. Spent ~45 minutes with a recruiter. She said my resume had been forwarded to the hiring managers for several positions, but likely did not hear back because a certification I had is expired. If I was hired, I could renew the certification within a month. I'm just hesitant to pay out of pocket for it, since it would be covered by most employers. The recruiter suggested I go for one of the lower rung positions, specifically one that is 6:30-3 and use that to renew the cert and also start a master's, on tuition reimbursement. Feeling a little deflated. Not sure what direction to take now.

[Ideas]

How much is the certification? It may be worth paying for it rather than get nothing for a couple months, or taking something lower-level

Being enrolled in a Masters can help sometimes, so that would be the added bonus of taking the lower position.

[dfrecore]

If you're being told that you're in the running until they find out a cert has expired, and that's the clincher, then I would renew that cert ASAP. Assuming it's not like $5k or something. If it was less than $1000, I'd do it.

[burbuja0512]

What about targeting companies that are competitors of your target company? Or, what about looking at smaller organizations that might be more willing to wait for you to get a certification?

I don't know your industry, but personally would not make a decision based on what one recruiter told me at a job fair. BUT I don't know your specific situation. Trust your gut feeling and talk to as many people as you can in the industry.

[cookderosa]

I agree with the others, this might not be a guarantee that you'll land the job, but it might be one fewer barrier to being denied!

I don't like the suggestion of going to a lower-rung position. Get your certification renewed and go for the position you're qualified for.

[High_Order1]

I was told I'd be a shoe-in for a slot with a government contractor... except I lacked a credential. If only I had that credential.

So, I went and got it. It was several hundred I didn't have, if I remember correctly. Then the slot was filled; it's been five years and never heard back. lol

Sounds like she needs to fill some lower level slots, OR she wants you, and wants you to do upper level work, but pay you entry level.

How married to this particular company are you? That would be the decider for me...

[DavidHume]

So I talked to a friend of a friend that's a research recruiter in Pittsburgh and he said an expired CITI program cert is likely not the issue and that the recruiter I talked to probably didn't know much about research jobs. The certs are required to work on grant funded positions, but all the major employers have contract agreements that make the courses available to employees. The issue is probably that grants are smaller/rarer under the current administration and the positions I'd usually be hired into are going to folk with MPH degrees or clinical experience, even though that's not a requirement. Suggested looking for analytical assistant positions in non-research departments as the work is basically the same but not grant funded.

[burbuja0512]

So I talked to a friend of a friend that's a research recruiter in Pittsburgh and he said an expired CITI program cert is likely not the issue and that the recruiter I talked to probably didn't know much about research jobs. The certs are required to work on grant funded positions, but all the major employers have contract agreements that make the courses available to employees. The issue is probably that grants are smaller/rarer under the current administration and the positions I'd usually be hired into are going to folk with MPH degrees or clinical experience, even though that's not a requirement. Suggested looking for analytical assistant positions in non-research departments as the work is basically the same but not grant funded.

In my years of working side-by-side with clinicians, I've noted that many of them view their advanced degree as an integral part of their identity.   While I wouldn't make a sweeping generalization, it does seem that in some cases, a degree (or perhaps certifications?) is required just to be viewed as "good enough."

Not that this comment necessarily applies to your specific situation, but it does seem to be true in many cases when working in fields where lots of people have lots of higher ed.

[High_Order1]

In my years of working side-by-side with clinicians, I've noted that many of them view their advanced degree as an integral part of their identity.   While I wouldn't make a sweeping generalization, it does seem that in some cases, a degree (or perhaps certifications?) is required just to be viewed as "good enough."

Not that this comment necessarily applies to your specific situation, but it does seem to be true in many cases when working in fields where lots of people have lots of higher ed.

I've said before, one of the main reasons I went after a degree so late in life was because I've spent about five years in a service position at various colleges, an they love them some degrees. If you don't have one... lol

So, I can see where masters are common and phds are plenty, how other credentials might be what you have to have to sit at the cool academics' table.

NOT saying this is OP's case, just adding an anecdote.

[Sagan]

It's hard to gauge an individual's situation. That said, the bang-for-buck ratio of RELEVANT certifications is pretty good. A PMP or SPHR can be as powerful as a master's degree in one's resume, but they're had for a fraction of the cost.

It's been my experience that an irrelevant master's or doctorate can still do some good, depending on one's situation. I don't feel that way about an irrelevant certification. Counter-intuitive? Not really. A degree becomes part of one's history. Life creates changes--one might not remain on a particular career path. That PhD in Economics might not seem relevant to a career coach, but having the title 'doctor' sure is.

But a certification is current; it must be maintained. Why would one drag around a now-irrelevant certification, paying fees and taking more training to renew it every few years?

Finally, getting a certification is relatively low-risk proposition. You can always decide to drop it later on, and it doesn't cost that much to do.