CHAPTER 6

Give Your Career a Boost With Certification

Rich Douglas

Harvard University president Derek Bok once said, “If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.” Ask yourself, “Who is looking out for your professional development?” Talent development professionals focus on their clients, customers, and employees. But what about their own growth and development? Who develops the developer? You do.

Your education can make a huge difference as you perform your jobs and roles. But often that’s not enough. It helps if other stakeholders in your career—your employers, clients, and training subjects—know what you’ve learned as well. You can go just about anywhere to learn something, but you need a credential to prove to others that you’ve completed the course or workshop.

Let’s look at your options to earn career-related credentials to boost your career and your position in the talent development profession. We’ll discuss what identifies a profession, the differences between your growth and development, and three categories of credentials, as well as an in-depth argument for one of them. Along the way we’ll hear from practitioners who have earned talent development certifications and how those pursuits influenced their careers. Finally, we’ll wrap with some questions (and answers) about earning credentials.

Talent Development—Occupation or Profession?

Are you a professional at what you do as a talent developer? Is talent development even a profession, or is it an occupation instead? This section answers these questions, makes the argument for why you should be a talent development professional, and offers ways to become one.

An occupation is a job family that is distinct from other job families, such as tollbooth operator, postal carrier, or pool cleaner. A profession, on the other hand, is distinctly different and includes three requirements: a body of knowledge, entry requirements and certifications, and a professional organization.

•  Body of knowledge. Does your occupation have a distinct body of knowledge? The skills, abilities, and values practitioners agree are necessary to practice effectively? Talent development does. The Association for Talent Development (ATD) recently published its first body of knowledge, which is designed around ATD’s Talent Development Capability Model and the knowledge that TD professionals require. The Talent Development Body of Knowledge (TD BoK) describes the personal, professional, and organizational capabilities talent development professionals need to master to practice at the top of their profession. Personal capabilities, for example, include emotional intelligence, communication skills, and lifelong learning. Professional capabilities include skills such as learning sciences, instructional design, and training delivery. Organizational capabilities include knowledge such as business insight, consulting, and change management. Together, these sets of skills describe a talent development professional’s required capabilities.

•  Entry requirements. Typically, a profession has a set of entry requirements. Some, like medicine and law, are controlled by the government, while others, like talent development, HR, and coaching, are prescribed and controlled by members of the profession. Because it is not controlled by law, anyone can call themselves a “talent development professional.” Talent development, as a profession, sets its entry requirements through certification and organizational membership.

•  Certification. An important indicator that you are part of a profession instead of an occupation is the presence of a certification process. Are practitioners in your field being recognized by the field for what they know, what they can do, and what they value? The field of talent development has two—the Associate Professional in Talent Development (APTD) and the more advanced Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD)—which are offered by the Association for Talent Development Certification Institute. Both credentials are earned by meeting the criteria and successfully passing a certification examination. Here are brief descriptions of each:

  APTD. The capabilities covered in the APTD exam are the basics of talent development that professionals can use every day, no matter the level within an organization or company.

  CPTD. The Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD) is a professional certification for TD professionals with at least five years of experience. It is broad and measures a professional’s knowledge and skill application across the breadth of talent development capabilities.

•  Professional organization. The Association for Talent Development was established in 1943 to advance the practice of trainers and developers around the world. The world’s largest organization of its kind, ATD has more than 30,000 members from more than 120 countries, with more than 100 local chapters. As the leading professional organization in our field, ATD sets forth the profession’s standards of practice and certification requirements, and advances the practice of talent development throughout the world.

Clearly, talent development qualifies as a profession. So, are you a talent development professional? There is no one right answer to the question—it’s a sliding scale—but there are many things you can do to establish yourself in the talent development profession:

•  Join ATD and your local chapter. Get involved in activities and take advantage of the resources available to members.

•  Earn a higher degree in a segment of the talent development field, like training and development, coaching, or organization development.

•  Earn a credential. Whether it’s the APTD or CPTD, a certificate, or another degree, get recognized for the abilities you have as a talent developer.

•  Advance the profession (and your career) by being the best talent developer you can be!

A solid rationale exists for choosing talent development as a profession. Knowing a path exists to give your career a boost is helpful. So, how can you focus on your own growth and development?

Growth and Development

The terms growth and development are frequently lumped together, but they are two distinct concepts. When considering the pursuit of a career-enhancing credential, it is vital to know which one you are pursuing.

•  Growth is horizontal, focused on the present. Think about taking a new position. Sure, there are a lot of things you are already good at—they hired you, right? However, typically, you’ll have to learn a lot of other things to become proficient at your new job: things you need to know and be able to do, and values you will need to adopt. Only by consolidating (becoming completely capable) at this level can you be ready to develop to the next.

•  Development is vertical, focused on the future. In career terms, horizontal growth is focused on consolidating what is required in your current situation or position. Vertical development leads to building greater capacity and toward larger responsibilities and opportunities.

Think of yourself as a bucket that can be filled with capabilities. Vertical development is about increasing your capabilities—building a bigger bucket. By paying attention to growth (filling the bucket with more capabilities) and development (making the bucket bigger by increasing capacity), you can progress in your career as a talent development professional. Earning a credential can help you accomplish either one—or both.

Credentials

Credentials document an individual’s mastery of a body of knowledge—and performance-related accomplishments—and are issued by external bodies. They act as proxies—that is, they speak about your abilities when you’re not there. When put on a resume, website, business card, book jacket, or LinkedIn page, they say something about you, your abilities, and your experience. The type of credential issued, who issued it, and what you did to earn it can go a long way in defining your place in the talent development profession.

Credentials matter to professionals. The three most common credentials are certificates, certifications, and degrees, and we’ll look at each in more detail here. Use the Credential Consideration Tool to identify the factors to consider when selecting which credential to pursue. You will find it on the handbook website at ATDHandbook3.org.

Certificates

Not to be confused with certification, certificates document the completion of a learning program. These programs can be as short as one day or as long as several months. There are no controls on who issues a certificate or for what. It’s up to each person—both the recipient and others who see it—to decide how much to make of a certificate. While you might not want to put a certificate issued by your employer for completing a workplace safety seminar on your resume or LinkedIn page, be sure to highlight that three-month executive development program you took over the summer at an Ivy League school!

Certifications

Certifications differ from certificates in many substantial ways. First, certifications are issued by either governmental agencies (these are often called licenses) or professional associations. Second, where a certificate might cover a subject related to your profession, a certification represents mastery of the knowledge, skills, and values of the entire profession. Finally, certification typically requires passing an examination, demonstrating extensive experience in the profession, and adhering to a code of ethics. Certifications also differ from certificates in that they must be maintained—through additional education and/or experience—and renewed periodically. If your profession has a certification—and talent development does—being a member of that profession means you should be certified by it.

Earlier, I mentioned the two certifications issued by the ATD Certification Institute—the APTD and the CPTD. But they are by no means the only professional certifications relevant to talent development professionals. Here are a few others to consider:

•  SHRM-CP/SCP. The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) issues two credentials, which are targeted toward either less-experienced practitioners (the Certified professional; SHRM-CP) or more experienced (the Senior Certified Professional; SHRM-SCP).

•  PHR and SPHR. Some HR professionals hold credentials from the HR Certification Institute—the PHR (Professional in Human Resources) and SPHR (Senior Professional in HR).

•  PMP. The Project Management Institute issues the Project Management Professional (PMP) designation. Talent developers are often faced with creating a learning project that requires scheduling, staffing, communication, risk management, and so on. Having a solid background in project management—a sure thing once you’ve obtained the PMP certification—can contribute to every talent development engagement’s success.

•  ICF. The International Coaching Federation is the most prominent professional association in the burgeoning field of coaching, offering three levels of certified coaches (associate, professional, and master). Coaching can contribute mightily to talent development because you’ll be working with clients far beyond the classroom (or online) curriculum and can help alleviate the challenge of transferring learning into performance.

Degrees

Another form of professional credentialing is the degree. Unlike certificates (which can be issued by just about anyone) and certifications (which are managed by professional associations), degrees are awarded only by colleges and universities. They require one to several years of full- or part-time study. Earning a degree, especially one related to your profession, can be extremely valuable. While they come in many forms, there are three basic types to consider:

•  Bachelor’s. Awarded for four years of study (or the equivalent), this degree covers a batch of knowledge, both in the area of specialty (major) and across a wide array of general educational topics. Earning a bachelor’s degree demonstrates you have learned the basics of your profession. (This assumes your degree is related to your profession. It may not be.)

•  Master’s. Typically requiring one or more years of study beyond the bachelor’s degree, master’s program graduates have mastered the skills and knowledge in their fields. Unlike the bachelor’s degree, the entire curriculum of a master’s degree is focused on the major field of study.

•  Doctorate. With two or more years of study beyond the master’s degree, people who complete a doctorate go beyond their field’s established body of knowledge, creating new knowledge or practice to advance the entire profession.

Credentials and the Talent Development Professional

When talent development professionals pursue higher credentials—certificates, certifications, or degrees—there are many benefits. Here are a few:

•  Increased relevance of talent development. Our field has been fighting for decades to get the respect and attention it deserves in the organizational culture. Increasing the credentialing—and the professionalism—of its practitioners contributes to that effort.

•  Improved organizational results. If we accept as an axiom that talent development leads to better performance, then so will improving the capabilities of practitioners.

•  Competition. As a talent development professional, you compete everywhere you go. You compete for recognition and respect—and thus opportunities for impact—from your senior leaders. You compete for budgets and other resources. And you compete for future opportunities. Relevant credentials, along with the knowledge gain and recognition that come with them, can make you more competitive wherever you practice.

But it’s not just talent development professionals who benefit from earning credentials. Hiring managers can make better distinctions among job applicants. Employers get better results from more talented and capable staff—both the talent developers and the employees they develop. Finally, all the employees you work to develop will gain from your increased knowledge and capabilities as well.

The Special Case for the Professional Doctorate

There are two types of academic doctorates: scholarly and professional. (A third type, the first-professional doctorate, is for specific fields like medicine and law and beyond our scope.)

Scholarly doctorates typically result in the award of a doctor of philosophy (PhD). These degrees are primarily (but not exclusively) designed to make original contributions to an academic discipline and prepare one for entering academia. However, many people earn a PhD and enter the workforce, and many who are already in the workforce opt for pursuing a PhD.

The professional doctorate is similar to the scholarly doctorate, with three big differences:

•  The degree is designed for working professionals to continue in their careers.

•  The research usually contributes to practice instead of scholarship or theory.

•  PhD is not the degree designation—it is instead profession-specific, like doctor of education (EdD), doctor of business administration (DBA), or doctor of social science (DSocSci).

A person can also hold scholarly and professional degrees; for example, I have both a PhD and a DSocSci.

So, why would a talent development professional or other working professional consider pursing a professional doctorate? Let’s look at a few reasons:

•  Become a thought leader. If you’re so inclined, completing a doctorate can lead to other means and situations where you can share insights regarding your field. You can actually shape its future by mastering your field, connecting not only with the most forward-thinking people in your profession but also with the underlying scholarly theory and thinking that makes your field go.

•  Contribute to your field. Not only will you master the knowledge of your particular field, you’ll contribute to it. In a professional doctorate, you will develop methods and thinking that other practitioners can use to advance the profession.

•  Develop yourself. You will also learn a lot as you’re pursuing your doctorate. Not just from the curriculum, but also from the research you’ll do for class assignments and your dissertation. It will light a fire under you to push the boundaries of your profession and learn what lies beyond.

•  Advance in your career. Earning a doctorate can be a career enhancer. Some employers will be intrigued by what you studied and what you learned—thinking that those are the people to work with.

•  Go into private practice. Whether due to retirement, a need to get out of the rat race, or a desire to define and conduct your own practice your own way, there often comes a time when it makes sense to stop working for someone else and begin working for yourself. Earning a doctorate can help define who and what you will be in the future, a key aspect to understanding how you will practice. Plus, the credential can add credibility when engaging your clients.

Is pursuing a professional doctorate right for you? If you want to learn more about the complete field of study, as well as contribute to advancing it, then starting a professional doctorate in a field related to talent development might be an option for you.

Practitioners’ Stories

Talent development professionals have a variety of credentialing experiences. Here is a sample:

•  “On a day-to-day basis we fill a role, but we don’t have a real understanding of an organization. I have 10 years of experience working in the industry and four of them with a more open-minded and contextual vision that my APTD certification gave me. Today, I realize how important it is for every employee to understand their contribution to the business objectives. An organization with employees who are clear about the vision and mission of the company will always be high performing. Change and transformation in a society and in organizations are possible thanks to the commitment of its members. My APTD helped me better understand what the business is about, and how each employee contributes to the organization’s success and social evolution.” —Patricia Torres, APTD

•  “After earning the APTD and landing in my current role, I went back to college to complete a BA in education studies from the University of Arizona Global Campus. Last year, I also took advantage of the CPTD pilot and am now proud to hold that credential. To me, the biggest value of earning both credentials is that I now have the confidence to present myself to my current and future employers as a valuable asset to the teams I will be asked to support in the future.” —Rob Hoitt, CPTD

•  “The APTD and CPTD credentials gave me far more than four letters. They gave me guidance, direction, and a seat at the table. I may still be unsure of where I want to be, but I know where I stand now. Preparation made me aware of my strengths and development areas, which made setting my next learning goal easier. After all I went through, I can confidently say the most important lesson from this experience is, ‘Now is the time.’” —Aya Medhat, CPTD

•  “In my eyes, completing the APTD and CPTD gave me courage. In others’ eyes, it gave me legitimacy—what an excellent combination for ongoing success.” —Craig Engstrom, CPTD

•  “Few of us said, ‘I want to be a learning and development professional when I grow up.’ We all come from different backgrounds in this field, which makes it beautifully diverse. We are a group of people, each with our own stories, who are passionately driven to help others succeed. I am now able to firmly say, ‘I want to be a learning and development professional when I grow up.’” —Madeline Mbeh, CPTD

•  “Pursuing the CPTD widened my perspective about the field. Learning and development is complex, yet simple at the same time. This field incorporates both art and science. The credential’s impact on my own learning is a deeper hunger for knowledge, and it sparked my desire to contribute research.” —Shermaine Perry Knights, CPTD

Questions (and Answers)

Still have questions about credentials? Here are a few more things to think about.

What Does It Take to Get a Credential?

The commitment depends on what kind of credential you pursue and from where. But here are some basic guidelines: When you go after a credential, you give two things and receive two. First, you give your hard work and money. In return, you receive an education and recognition—a certificate, certification, or degree. You can get an education anywhere—sitting on opposite ends of a log discussing things with a mentor is one example. But you go to an institution to get a credential. Certificates tend to be the easiest and least expensive, certifications are typically more expensive and more difficult, and degrees are the longest and most costly to obtain. But individual choices vary widely.

Which Kind of Credential Should I Get?

This is a complicated question. The kind of credential you pursue really depends on two things: your current professional experience and education, and what you want to do with the credential. So, why might you pursue each?

•  Certificates. These are effective in getting highly specialized learning quickly—sometimes as short as a day or a few hours. Short certificates are helpful in consolidating your current work role, while longer ones are helpful in developing yourself for future roles and responsibilities. However, certificates are not always powerful as credentials go—employers and clients may not recognize them, or even know you have them!

•  Certifications. Being a professional means knowing the profession’s body of knowledge and participating in its activities, growth, and development. You get that from earning one of the profession’s certifications. Because of that, employers tend to recognize and know about certifications in many industries. Earning one can be a powerful career booster, sometimes even as much as a degree.

•  Degrees. These are the most widely recognized credentials. Although having a bachelor’s degree might not have a strong impact on your career, the lack of one can really hurt. A master’s degree, on the other hand, can really separate you from other practitioners. A doctorate? It’s a mixed bag—the degree itself may or may not enhance your career prospects. However, the knowledge you gain and the work you produce in a doctoral program will help identify who and what you are for the rest of your career.

In general: If you don’t have a bachelor’s degree, get one. If you have one, consider obtaining a master’s degree or your industry’s certification. If you have a junior certification, consider going after the senior version. If you have specific learning needs, take a look at certificates offered by training companies, organizations, and universities. Finally, if you’re interested in taking your place in your profession at the pinnacle of its practice, take a look a professional doctorate.

Who Will Pay for My Credential?

There are a number of possibilities for financial assistance when it comes to paying for credentials. Some employers have tuition reimbursement or payment programs. Colleges and universities are often able to provide financial aid (loans and grants). Each situation is unique—be ready to negotiate payment and support for your professional ambitions. You should also be willing to pay for your own credential. If you see the value, invest in yourself. It’s something you should do. After all, if you won’t invest in yourself, why should anyone else?

Final Thoughts

Talent development is a profession. To take your place in it and be as effective as possible, consider earning credentials—certificates, certifications, or degrees—that advance both your capabilities and the profession as a whole.

About the Author

Rich Douglas, PhD, CPTD, is a performance consultant and principle of Rich Douglas Consulting. He has extensive public- and private-sector experience in training, management, leadership, and delivering talent development solutions. Rich has served as a faculty member for several universities. He holds a PhD specializing in nontraditional higher education from Union Institute and University and a doctor of social science in human resource development from the University of Leicester. He also holds the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD), and Professional Certified Coach (PCC) designations. Rich resides in Phoenix, Arizona, with his wife, Paula.

References

“Association for Talent Development.” td.org.

“HR Certification Institute.” hrci.org.

“International Coaching Federation.” coachingfederation.org.

“Project Management Institute.” pmi.org.

“Society for Human Resource Management.” shrm.org.

Recommended Resources

Bear, M., and T. Nixon. 2006. Bear’s Guide to Earning Degrees by Distance Learning. Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press.

Biech, E. 2021. Skills for Career Success: Maximizing Your Potential at Work. Oakland, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

Douglas, R. 2020. Purposeful Leadership Development: Advance Your Leadership for Results That Matter. Self-published.

Phillips, J., P. Phillips, and T. Elkeles. Chief Talent Officer: The Evolving Role of the Chief Learning Officer, 2nd ed. New York: Routledge.

Smith, N.-J. 2008. Achieving Your Professional Doctorate: A Handbook. Berkshire, England: Open University Press.