How do you combat work experience vs. certifications when clients are needing the most up to date skills?

Thomas asks: How do you combat work experience vs. certifications when clients are needing the most up to date skills? As a consultant, training and certifications are not something that is offered, vs a full time employee who is permitted training on "the company dollar". How would you combat less experienced professionals with up to date certifications against your own work experience, when new employment opportunities arise?

In answer:
For an operational manager, then experience counts more than certificates. For an HR manager, often experience needs to be balanced with adequate proven certification - they like to see ownership of personal development, through both career path as well as education. It is the HR manager who signs off the final job description, as they are legally responsible for employing suitably qualified employees - and its that later agenda item which plays to the risk/safety manager or finance director who is in charge of procuring and sourcing the companies insurance.

For the contractor, its is most often true that they have more experience than certificates - its a common problem. However, in the modern era, particularly as formalised training is a good way for the HR department of getting the best and weeding out the worst, the traditional contractor career needs to be balanced with adequate certified verification of gained experience. There is also the issue of bleeding edge technology - if you have been involved in such leading edge projects, then often the companies will certify via a letter over formal qualification.

I would suggest that your first action Thomas is to note down your work and project experiences, in some form of a work diary or portfolio - what the project brief was, how long it took, skills you deployed, team in which you worked, and the outcome from both a delivery and times scale/financial view point. You may find from that that if you have worked with certified workers of a particular technology, that if they or the person you worked for verify your work experience, the technology company will issue you with a certificate of qualification or experience.

Secondly, when compiling your CV/Resume, focus on delivered projects briefs for named companies and associated systems integration, over the formalised skills required. Focus on delivery and the skills you were required in the successful completion - that way, you have both the skills implied and shown in delivery, as well as the program management skills of career development.

Thirdly, when you apply for jobs and are refused, then ask for feedback and react in your CV/Resume to it. A rejection is a "not now" learning experience, not a total rejection - recruiters and HR managers will react to engaging candidates, and if you are not right for one job you will be in their mind for another soon.

Finally, when you do get an interview, take along your portfolio - "OK, I haven't got XYZ qualification, but I have a got a letter of recommendation from XYZ company where I deployed that technology into their system!" This will stop the HR managers mind of erring towards caution or the need to undertake lots of work verifying your skills, and means you are more likely to get the job.

Skills are what count commercially, particularly when you can show Thomas successful commercial delivery. In the long term, look to formalise your experience in the form of certificates and formalisation, but if you can get independent verification then there should not be any problems in successfully gaining employment. If you have the bona-fide experience and aren't getting the interviews or offers, then have someone review your CV/Resume to see if you are getting the right information across. Do a "role play" interview with someone else to see if you need to fine tune your presentation.

Good Luck, and if I can help further, please - just ask!

When you don't have the qualifications

Candace says: I am looking to break into the pharmaceutical sales industry, but have had much trouble in getting a direct phone number to contact or a face-to-face interview in my area. Any suggestions? Companies in my area include: GSK; Astra Zeneca; Bohinger Ingelheim. Location specific: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Area

In Answer:
I will start by saying - your skills at present seem not to match what most of these companies would be seeking as minimums for the position you seek (each on their websites define their skills requirements). Your sales skills seem low level but with well developed market analysis, marketing - while modern pharmachem sales are based on complex systems and business benefit analysis.

However, there is hope - if that's REALLY what you want to do? If it is, then.... assuming your details are already registered on each of these companies job application sections of their websites (if not - do that now and wait about 3days for the phone call...), and you have not made traction yet in your desired goal, then I suggest (in order of action/preference):

1. Preceptorship - If you know any pharmacutical sales reps, see if you can get one of them to take you into the field with them for a day. It is called a preceptorship and Pharma companies love to see it on your CV/Resume.

2. The graduate - all the companies you mention all have graduate programs. You might be a bit old (three years out of college), and it seems you have a two year degree over a four year degree. You would have to take a pay cut, but it would get you in

3. Sideways - take a job post in another area where your existing skills in marketing analysis and deployment would better presently suit, then move sideways once in

4. Contract - take a position with a contract sales firm or medical supply company and use that to build your credibility. While working at one of these companies continue your education and get a four year degree while simultaneously establishing strong med/pharm sales qualifications.

There is another option, better deployed if you have the right qualifications for a targeted employer, but just can't seem to get through the HR door - but we will save that tip for another day.

Good Luck!