PR executive Bhawana Joshi could never have imagined that her two-year Master’s degree in Public Relations and Advertising would turn out to be inadequate. The Noida-based 25-year-old witnessed the learning gap in her first job itself. “Whether it was data crunching or creating audio-visual aid for campaigns, relationship-building or thinking out of the box, I fell short on all fronts,” says Joshi.
A senior at work suggested she sign up for a micro-credential—an industry-recognised, competency-based nano-qualification—to come up to speed with her peers. Joshi took a 40-hour digital marketing course by Google in June 2020, and a three-month content writing course by Marketing Mantra in July 2021. “The two gave me extensive knowledge of SEO strategies, an understanding of Google’s complex algorithms and nitty-gritties of social media and email marketing, besides comprehensive content and research skills,” says Joshi.
The essential microcredentials
The hype around microcredentials is getting louder with free online certificates attracting learners. Given that the demand for higher cognitive skills such as creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving is expected to increase by 20 percent by 2025, according to the Future of Jobs Report by the World Economic Forum, the unbundling of education into bite-sized courses has made re-skilling and up-skilling easy and accessible. “Since employers today are interested in demonstrable skills, such courses help spruce up the resume quickly,” says Raghav Gupta, managing director (India and APAC) at Coursera, a global online learning platform.
Coursera’s findings published in its recent report—Advancing Higher Education with Micro-Credentials—states that employers are recognising and valuing industry microcredentials, with 88 per cent of the respondents agreeing that a professional certificate strengthens a candidate’s application and 72 percent are more likely to hire a candidate who has earned a microcredentail, whereas 77 percent of employers are already using or actively exploring skills-based hiring.
It’s not surprising then that the number of such courses offered by Coursera, edX, FutureLearn, etc. in 2022 rose to 2,500 from about 1,500 in 2021. “Microcredentials are preferred over internships as they help add in-demand, industry-relevant skills to one’s resume,” says Manoj Kumar Pant, associate professor of Marketing and Retail, Birla Institute of Management Technology, Greater, Noida.
Get, set, go
In the ocean of microcredentials, identifying the right one for you can be daunting. Here are ways in which you can make the right choice to soup up your career.
Purpose: “If the aim is to earn academic credit, then Swayam, an Indian government massive open online course platform providing educational opportunities, could be a good starting point. If the purpose is to get certified to get a new job, then pick a well-established, paid certificate programme and pass the associated certification (say, CompTIA A+). If the intention is simply to learn and add
a line to your resume, then free certificate programmes offered by well-known companies or universities are an excellent option,” says Dhawal Shah, founder and CEO of Class Central.
Prioritise: List your top three learning priorities and find a course suited to meet those needs. When 37-year-old, Delhi-based communications professional Garima Sharma Nijhawan wanted to advance her career, she had a long list of academic aspirations, but there was no way she could do it all. “My mentor suggested
I focus on key areas of interest. The three-month Corporate Diva CD+ Programme, which helps transform women professionals into leaders of tomorrow, helped me improve my business communication, expand my professional network and gave me perspective on my professional journey,” says Nijhawan, who recently also took a holistic growth and development course. “Microcredentials are a professional’s greatest security. If one skill becomes obsolete, another one can save the day,” she says.
Recommendations: Find a course recommended by hiring managers or talent acquisition specialists who look out for such credentials. Check with them about what’s most in demand or courses that have endured the test of time. “If there is an institutional leader you can speak to, ask them what skills you can add to better your career prospects. Check with your peers if there are any competencies that have helped them gain an edge in their careers,” says Gupta.
Stack skills: “Stacking microcredentials is a strategic approach to plump up your resume with a broad range of competencies to gain a larger accreditation. It brings educational diversity into your portfolio,” says Shah. That’s what 23-year-old Molina Rana, a digital marketer and content writer, did when she decided to stack five complementary skills from LinkedIn Learning and Udemy. “With the digital badges attesting to my accomplishments and capabilities, I not only gained visibility in the job market but also a better job,” says Delhi-based Rana.
The right resume
● Full name of the course, its provider, start and end date, and the key skills learnt, should be included
● The latest microcredential should come on top, followed by others in descending order
● Credentials should be put under the section ‘work history’ or ‘education’ on the resume and under ‘licences and certifications’ on LinkedIn
● Micro badges (a visual representation of having undertaken a course), should always be included
“The focused learning gave me extensive knowledge of SEO strategies and research skills.” Bhawani Joshi
“Micro-credentials are a great security. If one skill becomes obsolete, another one can save the day.” garima sharma nijhawan
“With the digital badges attesting to my capabilities, I gained visibility in the job market.” molina rana