Hot take: My 6 month certification took 2 years but still got me a raise

I signed up for a project management cert thinking I'd grind it out in half a year, but between work chaos and life stuff it stretched to 24 months. The course itself was fine but the capstone project kept getting pushed back because my real job demanded overtime. Has anyone else struggled with finishing certifications while working full time?

3 comments

3 Comments

laura_schmidt8221d ago

No way @mia700, dummy data for a real cert?! Thats wild but kind of genius!

mia70021d ago

The capstone was the same thing that killed my timeline. I did a Salesforce admin cert and the project part required real data from my actual job, but my boss kept saying next quarter was better. I ended up using dummy data from a local nonprofit just to get it done. It took me 18 months total and I'm kind of embarrassed about it, but the raise still came through. The thing nobody talks about is how the cert itself is just a checkbox for HR, not actually about what you learned. Maybe it's just me but I think employers care more about the credential than how fast you got it.

alexbennett21d ago

Dummy data works fine for the capstone, most places just want to see you can follow the structure. I'd argue the real skill is figuring out how to get it done without your boss's help. The cert is just a hoop, the raise proves it was worth it.