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Do You Really Need Certifications to Get a Job? 🤔

Ijay on May 27, 2026

In this edition, let us slow down a little and think. Do certifications actually help people get jobs? This is something I have been thinking a...
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vilan011 profile image
Ana Villar

My five cents:
No, you don't need Certifications to get a job, but you need to show your knowledge during interviews.
I use the certification exams as a goal, forcing me to learn. I prepare labs, and play with them. And setting a date for the exam forces me to focus.
I avoid any certification that is questions/answer based. I can memorize for the exam, but I will for sure forget mostly all after just one week. Instead, I go for certification exams requiring tasks to be performed.

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ijay profile image
Ijay

I agree. Using certifications as a learning goal makes a lot of sense.

Out of curiosity, please, which certifications are task-based? Most of the ones I've seen are mainly question-and-answer exams.
Thank you

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vilan011 profile image
Ana Villar

Here you have a few examples:

But I am not sure those subjects are interesting for you.

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ijay profile image
Ijay

Thank you, I will check them out...

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ijay profile image
Ijay

This topic is one of the reasons I made this video:

AWS Certifications Are a Building Block, Not the Final Destination

Certifications can help you learn and grow, but they are not a substitute for experience, communication, and continuous learning.

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ijay profile image
Ijay

The most valuable part of any certification should be the knowledge you keep after the exam, not the badge you post online.

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ijay profile image
Ijay

Sometimes the certification journey teaches more than the certification itself. The discipline, consistency, and study habits you build can be just as valuable.

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ijay profile image
Ijay

I think many people confuse passing an exam with being job ready. They are not always the same thing.

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ijay profile image
Ijay

The moment I stopped seeing certifications as job tickets and started seeing them as learning tools, I enjoyed the process much more.

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ijay profile image
Ijay

Certifications can build confidence, but confidence without practical experience can sometimes be misleading.

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ijay profile image
Ijay

A certification may help you get noticed, but what you can build and explain is often what leaves a lasting impression.

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ijay profile image
Ijay

A certification validates that you learned something. It doesn't automatically prove that you can apply it in real world situations.

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Richard Djarbeng

Yes, certifications don't guarantee a job. In fact they don't guarantee much, but they can be useful in your personal growth. Nice post I like the part that goes:

Because companies are not only hiring skills.
They are hiring people.

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ijay profile image
Ijay

Yes, exactly. I think seeing certifications as a tool for personal growth requires a mindset shift. Many people expect a certification to automatically lead to a job, but I don't think it's that simple. Certification helps you learn and improve; it's only one piece of the puzzle.
Thanks for reading. 💖