The Career Benefits of Microcredentials: What Job Seekers Need to Know

Microcredentials are becoming one of the fastest ways to level up your career, especially if you’re short on time, budget, or patience for a full (or additional) degree. Today we’re going to talk all about microcredentials and how they can boost your career. Let’s begin.

What Are Microcredentials?

A microcredential is a short, targeted course or certification that proves you’ve mastered a specific skill or subject. This could be data analytics in Excel, Python for marketing, UX research, or Agile project management, just to name a few.

Microcredentials are often offered online and can typically be completed in weeks. Most recently, microcredentials are exploding in popularity because they help people get jobs, promotions, or explore new careers in an increasingly skill-focused job market.

Types of Microcredentials

Microcredentials come in all shapes and sizes depending on your goals. Here are some examples of common microcredentials:

• Digital Badges: These are earned after completing short programs or skill assessments (think LinkedIn or Credly).
• MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses): These are often offered by platforms such as Coursera, and typically include options to earn verified certificates.
• Industry Certifications: These may not always be labeled as “microcredentials,” but programs from Google, Meta, or Salesforce qualify and are widely recognized by potential employers.
• Skill Bootcamps: These cover one area in-depth, such as coding, UX design, or data analytics, and often partner with hiring companies.

Microcredentials vs. Degrees vs. Certificates

Traditional degrees are broader when compared with microcredentials and often involve a mix of general education and major-specific coursework. On the other hand, certificates are earned in a shorter amount of time when compared with degrees, but can still take months and may require enrollment in a university or accredited institution.

Microcredentials are focused and skill-based, and can be earned far quicker than both traditional degrees and certificates. This makes them perfect for those who are looking to jump right into the workforce, spruce up their resume, or change careers.

How Microcredentials Boost Your Career

So, can microcredentials help take your career to the next level? Let’s take a look at some common ways in which microcredentials can boost your career.

Resume Enhancement

Listing relevant microcredentials on your resume shows employers that you’ve got specific, job-ready skills, and that you’re proactive about learning. This can be particularly useful if your degree is in one area but the job you want requires a skill set in another.

Qualifying for Promotions

Already have a job but trying to level up? Microcredentials can help bridge the gap between your current role and your next one. Employers often hesitate to promote someone who lacks a key skill, but a microcredential shows you’re ready and willing to step up.

Changing Careers

Let’s say you want to pivot from finance to UX design. A traditional degree might be overkill, but a few targeted microcredentials can help you demonstrate transferable skills and new industry knowledge without starting from scratch.

Gaining College Credit

Some microcredentials are now stackable, which means you can apply them toward future degree programs. In other words, you can build toward a bachelor’s or master’s degree one step at a time, or while you’re already working full-time.

Filling in Skill Gaps

Employers like people who know their stuff, but want they really want is someone who can solve problems. Microcredentials let you learn a new software, management technique, or analytical framework in a matter of weeks. This can be a game-changer during job interviews or internal reviews.

Showing Dedication to Continued Education

All employers love candidates who can show that they’re taking steps to improve their skills and knowledge. Microcredentials signal that you’re not just coasting, and that kind of proactive attitude will absolutely grab the attention of hiring managers.

Making You a More Competitive Candidate

If it’s between two candidates with similar experience, the one who has a Google Project Management certificate or a LinkedIn badge in “Business Storytelling” is going to stand out. In this way, microcredentials can act as “tiebreakers,” especially in competitive job markets.

Expanding Your Network

Many platforms offering microcredentials also include built-in networking opportunities in the form of discussion forums, live sessions, or access to alumni communities. In certain cases, the networking opportunities are as valuable as the credential itself.

Keep in mind that while microcredentials cannot replace traditional degrees, they are great for changing careers in a pinch or building towards a degree on your own time. The bottom line is, when it comes to building your career, there are many options available to you—sometimes all it takes is a little research.

Rob Porter is an editor at Vault.