Don’t forget that certs have perks…use ‘em!

In her own most recent blog on August 24 entitled “Remember to grab those certification perks,” fellow certification maven Anne Martinez of GoCertify.com offers some good advice about checking into the privileges that rank sometimes prefers. That is, you’ll often be eligible for various types of special information access (password-controlled Websites or forums, publications, and so forth), discounts on products or trade show attendance, inclusion in directories or online listings, and so forth, once you earn certain certifications.

How do you know if this means you? Dig into the information that the certifying body provides to tout its certifications, and/or to explain their benefits. Once you earn the credential, as with the old American Express ads, you get all the “rights and privileges” (yeah, right! ) that pertain thereto. In some cases, that means a monthly magazine and a one-time shot at free software, but in other cases, it can mean discounts on products, training, or trade show attendance. You won’t really know what’s what until you check–so check, already! Tell ‘em “Ed sent me!”