The Truth About Online Certifications: Are They Worth It?
Worth it: AWS/Azure/GCP (top 10 highest-paying globally), CompTIA Security+ (DoD-approved, massive talent shortage), PMP (20%+ salary premiums), Salesforce/HubSpot/Google platform certs, Google Career Certificates (genuine employer partnerships). Not worth it: generic MOOC completion certs. To decide: research 10 job postings for your target role. If a cert appears in 6+ postings, pursue it. If it doesn’t appear, build your portfolio first.