K4D It's a Wonderful Life

[K4D]

Ugg...

Here is the conversation my BIL had with me. He is pretty high up in his organization and has been both a BA and Project Manager. His responses are frusturating. I am not exactly loaded with contacts.


From me to BIL,

I have about 4k in a 401k plan. I am thinking about pulling it and
getting either a pmp certification or BA certification.

Wise move or not. And if wise, which would be better to get? I need to do something to improve my career.

************************************************************
From BIL to me,

Get a perm position and then get the company to pay for the
certification.

*************************************************************
From me to BIL,

No guarantees either of those will happen anytime soon. I don't see the benefit in continuing to put it off if I have a way to get it. My hope is that it will allow me to do just that in getting a permanent job and career that is better. It would have to help in my prospects. The question really is which one is better to pursue. I wonder if the project management cert would be better career wise.

**************************************************************
From BIL to me,

don't think I would pay for either.

***************************************************************
From me to BIL,

OK. Well thanks for the input. A recruiter that I talked to said a BA cert has a much better chance of being tried by a company than a pmp cert with not much background to go along with it.

***************************************************************
From BIL to me,

Tells me the PMP means nothing without the experience which in the end means the experience is what is important. I don't know to many people that look for a BA cert when hiring for that role, but it may be that certain industries or companies like the BA cert. Seems I recall that being something much newer than the PMP certification, but again people are going to look for experience. If you want to be a BA get a BA job that requires the level of experience you have and build on your experience. Along the way, if you can get the cert fine, but if you're good, the cert won't matter.

****************************************************************
From me to BIL,

That is the problem is getting one. I am trying to figure out how to improve those chances and doing nothing to add to those chances is not very helpful.

*****************************************************************
From BIL to me,

It comes down to first and for most, who you know, and second, how well you interview. That is 99% of landing the specific job.