Why This Topic?
Our mentor said something that stuck with me:
“Start building for certifications.”
And suddenly, I found myself wondering… what does that even mean?
What Even Is a Certification?
A certification is basically a formal recognition that you’ve learned a specific skill or set of skills — a digital badge saying:
“Hey, I can actually do this.”
It usually comes from completing a course or assessment from a recognised platform or organisation.
What’s the Purpose?
When you apply for jobs, recruiters look for proof you’ve practiced the skills, not just studied the theory.
A certification signals that you took time outside academics to actually learn and apply something.
It’s a layer of credibility that says:
“I’ve worked on this — and here’s the evidence.”
How Is It Different From College Grades?
College gives us fundamentals — theory, algorithms, concepts.
That’s valuable. But it mostly stops there.
- Grades show how well you can memorize and write exams.
- Certifications show that you applied your knowledge.
It’s one thing to know the definition of an API…
and another thing entirely to build a working web app that uses one.
And let’s be honest — college syllabi don’t update as fast as the tech industry does.
Certifications reflect what companies want right now.
Do We Really Need Them?
Short answer: Yes.
In a digital-first world, you need verifiable proof of what you can do.
Whether you're targeting tech, product, or business roles, the right certifications make your profile stronger. They show initiative, effort, and consistency.
Why Are They Especially Important for Students?
Because we’re still building our foundation.
Certifications can be our launchpad:
- They help us explore beyond the syllabus.
- They help us discover new interests.
- They make us stand out when applying for internships or fresher roles.
How They Add to Your Resume / LinkedIn
Listing certifications isn’t about filling space — it adds structure to your profile.
Instead of “I know Python,”
you can say:
“I completed the XYZ Python course by ABC Institute.”
It looks cleaner. Sounds stronger.
And recruiters often search by skill tags — certifications help you show up in those filters.
A Proof of Skill
Most good certification platforms offer:
- Verification
- Issuing organisation details
- Course curriculum
- Date of completion
This makes your skills more believable — and harder to fake.
Discipline Matters Too
A certification isn’t just a badge.
It’s a sign that you:
- Showed up
- Studied
- Stayed consistent
- Followed through
Even small courses require discipline — and in a world full of big talkers, that’s rare.
Be Smart About What You Choose
There are a LOT of online certificates…
and not all of them are worth your time.
Choose platforms that offer:
- Proper curriculum
- Real assessments
- Projects
- Industry recognition
Avoid fluffy “attendance-based” certificates.
One Last Note
Don’t collect certificates just for the sake of it.
A certificate means nothing if you:
- Can’t talk about it in an interview
- Don’t remember what you learned
- Didn’t apply the skills anywhere
Be honest with yourself and intentional in what you pick.
That mindset will take you way further than a stack of PDFs ever will.