Top 10 Professional Courses that will Increase your Chances of Getting a New Job

See the Top 10 professional courses that will increase your chances of getting a new job by boosting your CV. With the rate of unemployment in Nigeria, getting a well-paying job is a miracle. According to the NBS, nothing less than four million graduates join the labour market every year. This makes job hunting a total rat race.

The question for every graduate hit with such reality is: what advantage do you have over the majority of others? What would make your CV stand out from all others? Connections do work especially as nepotism and favoritism are rife in Nigeria.

However, it is best to improve yourself, improve your CV and make yourself the hot stuff that every organization wants on their team. How do you do this? Professional certification!

Successful completion of a professional course yields professional certification. Professional courses focus on improving your ability to succeed in a particular occupation. If you have a clear career objective and desire to gain valuable hands-on experience through vocational training, taking a professional course is ideal.

Most professional courses and certification are awarded by professional bodies within the relevant industry or sector and oftentimes their basic requirement is a first degree i.e. only graduates can enrol for them.

There are some however that do not require a degree e.g. ICAN courses and exams are taken by Nigerian undergraduates. Apart from giving you the relevant knowledge and skill, professional certifications indicate to employers that you are career-oriented and that you will certainly take your job seriously.

Top 10 Professional Courses that will Increase your Chances of Getting a New Job

In a competitive labour market like Nigeria, you’ve got to do everything to distinguish yourself from other job seekers. Here are top professional courses that will improve your CV.

1. ATS/ICAN Certification

This professional course is offered by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) to both graduates and undergraduates of any discipline whatsoever.

Thus, it is not restricted to accounting students only. There are three stages at the ATS level and three further stages at the ICAN level, making it six rigorous stages before one becomes a chartered accountant in Nigeria.

This comes with a whole lot of job opportunities since every organization needs an accountant. We recommend this to students/graduates who have a flair for finance, tax, accounting and auditing.

2. CCNA/CCNP

Cisco Systems is the largest networking company in the World. The company offers these certification program. Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) is an entry-level certification course which imparts in a candidate the knowledge and skills required to install, operate and troubleshoot small-medium size enterprise branch network.

The certification is targeted at IT/engineering students. Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) is much deeper: it validates the ability of a candidate to plan, implement, verify and troubleshoot local and wide-area enterprise network.

CCNA is a perquisite for CCNP. Altogether, there are about 5 professional level exams one must pass. With these two certifications, telecommunication companies in Nigeria will be all over you!

3. Oracle certification programs

This is also IT-related. Oracle, a global software giant certifies candidates based on skills and knowledge related to its product and technology such as Java and so many others.

The certification is awarded based on a combination of passing exams, training and performance based assignment. Oracle offers its certification in five orderly phases – Oracle Certified Associate (OCA), Oracle Certified Professional (OCP), Oracle Certified Master (OCM), Oracle Certified Expert (OCE), Oracle Certified Specialist (OCS).

Getting certified by Oracle is a big boost to one’s CV. As a matter of fact, an oracle certification is a ticket into anywhere in the world of IT.

4. HubSpot Design Certification course

This course is primarily for web designers who want to get more knowledge and hone their skills.

The benefits are innumerable as prospective employers and clients will most assuredly accord you with respect. The best part about this course is that it is free and it is online!

5. Google AdWords certification

Offered by Google Inc,. the AdWords certification is specifically for digital marketers. This professional accreditation is offered to candidates who are proficient in basic and advanced aspects of AdWord.

The certification shows that the holder is an expert in digital marketing. To qualify for the certification, candidate must pass two exams – AdWords fundamental exams and any of the following: Display Advertising, Search Advertising, Video Advertising, Shopping Advertising or Mobile Advertising. A CV spotting Google AdWords certification is an automatic pick for any digital marketing job.

6. Project Management Professional (PMP

PMP is one of the most recognized and respected professional certifications in the world.

It is offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI) to persons who are interested in managing projects from initiation all the way to conclusion.

Governments, commercial organizations and individuals are notable employers of certified project managers.

7. FRM/CFA

These are two different professional courses but with similar clout in the financial world. Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Financial Risk Management (FRM) are two internationally recognized financial certifications for those in the banking sector and other financial institutions.

With the rate of employee lay-off in the banking sector, a wise employee would consider taking either of these two courses. Holding either or even both will render one easily indispensable to any financial group in Nigeria and beyond.

Apart from bankers, auditors, accountants, valuers and those keenly interested in pursuing a career in the financial field can take these courses.

8. Professional in Human Resource International (PHRi)

Awarded by the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI), the PHRi is a global professional certification program for human resource practitioners.

It is aimed at validating professional level competency, knowledge and skills to help candidates propel their career forward.

The certification is valid for three years. After which practitioners must take the exam again to remain certified. Successful candidates of the PHRi program are highly sought after by big corporations in Nigeria,

9. HubSpot Inbound Marketing Certification course

This is a free online course targeted at digital or online marketers. It is offered by the reputable HubSpot Academy. The certification is valid for only one year after which recertification is necessary.

The course is well packaged and straightforward handled by professors and after successful completion, candidates get a badge and a certificate with a lot of professional weight.

10. Digital marketing Certification

Digital Marketing Certification Training (DMCA) course by our certified Digital Marketing trainers provides advanced skills to help modern marketers succeed.

Most other professional certifications acquired by being a member of the professional body within an industry. For instance, being a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators lends credence that you are competent as the body must have trained you professionally.

There are so many professional bodies in Nigeria who train their members in the relevant courses to boost their CV and career generally.

Hope this is helpful.

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