Certifications and how to improve my resume

I am wanting to update my resume and make it more appealing to potential employers.
Problem number one, I do not have a Bachelor's or Associates degree. I know these are important, but between working 7 days a week, 10-12 hours a day and raising a family, I simply never had the time or money to pour into a college degree. I am now in my late 40's and simply don't see how I could possibly obtain a college degree, so it's off the table. Please don't bash my knowledge, simply because I do not have a degree.
I do enjoy learning and have taken several online courses to obtain certifications that pertain to my field of work. I enjoy the certification programs and like the thought that I can get certified in a short period of time and at a reasonable cost.
My field of work is Lean Manufacturing, I have been a Lean Manufacturing Manager for the last 5 years, before that I was a Lean Manufacturing Coordinator for my company and have been in this field of work for the last 20 years. I enjoy the Lean mindset and take pride in helping the company save money and be more efficient.
Listed below are the current certifications that I hold. Please let me know your thoughts on what Other certifications I could achieve to help boost my resume, show my current company that I am improving my work skills, and help me to improve my working knowledge.
Thank you,

Current Certifications:
Six Sigma Master Black Belt
Six Sigma Green Belt
Six Sigma Yellow Belt
Scrum Master Certification
Project Management Certification
Lean Management Certification
Microsoft Office Certification


Future Certifications?

 

Get a PMP.

I would also challenge your conclusion that getting a degree is "off the table." That's the story you're telling yourself, and it therefore feels like a reality. But it isn't. You can do it if you choose to invest the time and money. Remember, you get the same 168 hours per week that everyone else gets. You choose how you spend them.

 

Seriously, I have about 1 minute to type a reply- but I started from scratch and tested out of an AA degree through a fully accredited legitimate college. It took me about 6 months and cost very little. To that, I added a year of online classes and some work experience that gave me college credit and pushed out a bachelor's degree. From zero to AA & BA for me was 18 months and about $7.000 all in. I could have done it faster, but I worked 1 day / week, volunteered 1 day/week and homeschooled my 4 kids about 35 hours a week. Seriously. Independent study --> testing out is not nearly as hard as it sounds and you can do it on your own time.

 

Thank you for the reply.
I simply can't afford college and can't at this time devote the time to college. I work 7 days a week, 12 hours a day and have 3 kids. Even at $7000, If I could test out like you did, I couldn't afford it. Looked at Thomas Edison $520 per credit (out-of-state) I can't afford it. I have years of experience under my belt, and was looking at more certifications to post on my resume. I can afford most all the Certifications out there and they take a short period of time to complete. I did look at the PMP Certifications and will probably do this. Any Other Choices of Certifications or training that would boost my resume?

 

I agree with Rich on both accounts. The PMP would be a helpful certificate, but you should not exclude the possibility of earning a degree. There are a great many options available that may have the flexibility you need.


Cookderosa also demonstrates that getting a degree despite countless other requirements is still doable. Its great you have all that experience, but a degree can potentially open more doors. Good luck!

 

I will think about a degree...
For now, Any suggestions on Certifications that I do not currently have.
Agree, PMP is on my list.
Any Other Certifications?

 

See if your qualify for a Pell Grant if you can't afford it.

 

There's always certs like this

Certificate in Foundations of Business | www.umassonline.net

Also, I would point out that there's not a substantial difference between taking a course toward a cert and taking a course toward a degree. Maybe in the case of the latter the goal is slightly longer term.

 

Look into the ASQ certifications.
Find the Certification That's Right for You

 

Make to much for a Pell Grant.
There is a Huge amount of people in my situation. Make to much money for Pell Grant, but just make enough to raise a family and pay bills. Can't take on $60 grand in student loans, this is why I was looking at Certifications to help my resume.

Thanks,

 

This is a mistake people make all the time. They assume that they don't qualify for any grants, so they don't bother with applying. The only way you'll know if you qualify for a Pell Grant is by filling out the FAFSA and sending it to a college's financial aid department. You don't need to be in poverty to qualify. Even if you don't qualify for the Pell Grant, there are also state grants that require the FAFSA. I am well above the poverty line for a single-person household and receive a grant from my university and a grant from Texas based on my FAFSA. This is also for a PhD program, and graduate programs don't qualify for the Pell Grant.

Also, the median debt load for a college graduate is much less than $60k. Despite media sensationalism, people who have more than $60k in debt for an undergraduate degree are in a small minority. Besides, there are people completing bachelor's degrees at Thomas Edison State University, Charter Oak State College, and Excelsior College for less than $10k. It's possible to complete a degree at TESU for under $5,000. There are also some public universities that have created $10k degree plans in partnership with community colleges.

 

I'll also support the attainment of a degree. Depending on the culture you're in this may be the resume gap to address. I tell those I'm mentor to (I'm a middle manager in a big bank) that for those with work experience any general degree you can get relatively quickly (assuming it's accredited, genuine, etc - look around this site and you'll find out about fake degrees you *don't* want) is a great choice. With your experience and certs (some of which I'm considering, as well as the PMP) Business would work and round out your practical knowledge with "book learnin'" and interaction with other business people outside your field. I found both valuable.
To answer the question you asked :smile: are there industry-specific certs you might consider? For example, I'm in financial crimes so the Certified Fraud Examiner was a logical choice. The Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist is on my list. We're big on analytics so SAS training & certification make sense too. Ian Anderson's ASQ suggestion might be fruitful here.

Whatever you decide, best of luck.

Phillip

 

I would very seriously reconsider your stance. It looks like you are collecting certifications instead of approaching your learning in a progressive manner.

 

You could almost certainly test out for most of a degree program at one of the Big 3 schools or a self-paced school like Ashworth or Penn-Foster. You're probably an excellent test-taker, so it would probably be easier for you than most.

 

My stance has always been to learn and improve in my job. I have been awarded the certificates over several years. Some have to be renewed every few years, some don't.

 

Can you "test out" before signing up to get an idea of how many credits you can receive? and get an idea of total cost? Ashworth is "per credit cost starts at $430"... 60 credits for associates would be around $26,000... Bachelor's $51,600 ? before "testing out" .
I tried the Pell Grant and FASFA route, made to much money..... Not a lot of option for someone in my shoes, except a loan, which I don't want another payment.
I was reading a while back about higher education in the U.S., a lot of countries offer Free Educations at College and University levels. The story also talked about how prisoners were getting free educations as part of their rehabilitation. Sad that the U.S. is trailing other countries on education... unless your in prison.

 

Ashworth is about $900 per semester, and they usually waive the final semester, so that an entire BS is less than $18k. Penn-Foster also waives the final semester tuition so that an entire BS is less than $10k, and more likely less than $9k. In both cases books are included in the tuition and the payments are interest free.

 

Are you talking this Ashworth? https://www.ashworthcollege.edu/bachelors-degrees/business-administration-degree-online/tuition/

Is their accreditation on the up and up?
Their website says: All of our career diploma, certificate and degree programs are accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC) which is listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a nationally recognized accrediting agency. To find out more about the Accreditation of Ashworth College, see the Ashworth College Accreditation page.

If this college is on the up and up and is a legitimate college with good standing accreditation, this is a realistic option for me.

Thanks,

 

You can complete 30 credit hours through Straighterline for around $1,000. Straighterline has agreements with a number of schools that allow direct transfer of this credit. If you go with one of the Big Three assessment schools, you could probably complete an associate's degree for about $3k (approximate) by using CLEP exams and taking the required capstone course for the remainder.

Online College Courses That Fit Into Your Degree Program | StraighterLine

 

Also, you should be able to qualify for some college credit for these certifications. I haven't checked, but I wouldn't be surprised if they have been ACE evaluated for college credit. If not, then portfolio assessment might be another option.