When you pick a doctor or a lawyer to work with, you almost certainly base part of your decision on the credentials that they have, such as the schools they’ve attended and the cases they’ve worked on. After all, you want to make sure that you choose someone who knows what they’re talking about and who has experience in the appropriate domain.

The same applies to intelligence and investigations – the right board certification not only helps you shore up your understanding and training in the field but also provides quantifiable evidence of competence in this challenging and competitive area.

Certifications Give You a Leg Up When Job Hunting

The end goal of a board certification demonstrates to law enforcement agencies and other companies that you have knowledge and experience necessary to be successful in the role. Many hiring managers in these areas use certifications to distinguish the most qualified candidates from the rest of the applicant pool.

Competition for the top intelligence and investigative careers is stiff, and having relevant certifications gives you an advantage over other candidates. In fact, many HR employees explicitly search for McAfee Institute certification keywords when looking for potential hires. Your resume could show that you have decades of experience in intelligence and/or investigations but if you’re missing that key certification, you’ll never know how many headhunters are passing you by.

Certifications Help You in Your Job

Once you’ve been hired, it should quickly become clear why so many organizations are looking for intelligence and or investigative team members with certifications. From counter-intelligence and cyber investigation to e-commerce fraud and retail crime, your certifications pave the way for you to establish yourself as an expert in your area of specialization – and make you a critical asset for your team.

Of course, there’s the matter of your financial compensation as well, and in that respect, your certification adds extra value. In addition, with the rise of cyber intelligence and investigative needs, the value of a certification in this industry has been steadily increasing. Naturally, not all certifications are created equal, and it’s important to ensure the quality and reputation of any certification before you begin.

Certifications Strengthen Your Career

Time to temper your expectations: getting a single board certification isn’t going to immediately propel you into the C-suite. However, displaying certifications on your resume is a signal that you take your job in cyber security and investigation seriously, and that you intend to enhance your knowledge in the field.

Learning new technologies and improving your skills are essential if you want to keep up in the fast-moving world of cyber investigations. If you have limited experience in a particular area of cyber intelligence and security that you wish to pursue, obtaining a certification is a great way to get your foot in the door as well as to find professional connections and networking opportunities.

Final Thoughts

Although in a perfect world your knowledge would be enough to get you a job, for now, certifications are the best solution. You might be the world’s leading expert on a particular topic, but without external proof, such as a certification, you’ll have no way to demonstrate it. Certifications provide an objective measurement of your capabilities and competencies, proving to companies that you have the skills to do the job.