This Week's Herman Trend Alert Purpose Emerging as Important Driver of Engagement

The Herman Trend Alert August 19, 1998 Proliferation of Certifications In our observations as futurists, we’ve noted on several occasions the rising importance of certifications. Becoming legitimately certified in a particular field or specialty is a smart way to validate your credentials and to differentiate yourself from competitors. Individuals and companies should be wary of certifications. We’re seeing a disturbing trend for profit making organizations, some not-for-profits, and some universities beginning to take advantage of the movement toward certifications. Investigate certification programs carefully before accepting the value of the certification itself. Evaluate whether the certification process is rigorous enough to be valid. Inquire about the requirements for re-certification to validate continuing expertise. We uncomfortably predict that certifications will become so narrow that the experienced generalist dedicated to gaining validation of credentials may accumulate a rather long list of initials to add to business cards. Example: a certification offered by George Mason University and a sponsoring organization. The credential: Certified Internet Meeting Professional (CIMP). The sponsoring organization: The Connected International Meeting Professionals Association. Saving grace: applicants must be certified previously by a recognized professional organization in the field, earning designations already widely accepted, such as CCM, CICM, CMP, CMM, CAE, or CEM. Anyone can declare himself a certifying body and attract people hungry for recognition. This could well be an expanding market seeking gullible applicants. Be careful. In our field of management consulting for instance, there are several profit-making organizations offering to certify consultants for a price. Only the Institute of Management Consultants is a legitimate professional organization offering the Certified Management Consultant (CMC) designation. © Copyright 1998- by The Herman Group, Inc. -- reproduction for publication is encouraged, with the following attribution: From "The Herman Trend Alert," by Roger Herman and Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurists. (800) 227-3566 or http://www.hermangroup.com. The Herman Trend Alert is a trademark of The Herman Group, Inc." WHO SENDS OUT YOUR NEWSLETTERS? We are convinced there is no better choice than ours! We have happily used DataBack Systems to deliver The Herman Trend Alert for over 10 years and. Visit their website (http://www.databack.com) or call Byron directly at 503.941.0427. You'll be glad you did. IS YOUR EMPLOYER AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE®? Our effective, onsite seminars, workshops, and consulting can help you get there. We offer 1-, 2-, 3-hour, and full-day programs to help you communicate what it takes to become an Employer of Choice® and inspire your folks to get it done. In the future, being an Employer of Choice® will not be optional. Call Carol at 336-210-3547 to arrange a no-obligation conference call. Or order the electronic version of the Employer of Choice book on your desktop for only $17.80 @ http://hermangroup.com/store/books_all.html#2. STRUGGLING TO FIND THE PEOPLE YOU NEED? VETJOBS CAN HELP! Recently, hundreds of thousands of jobs remain unfilled due to a lack of capable people. If you are looking for qualified candidates, you need to hire a veteran using VFW-sponsored VetJobs, the largest military employment site on the Internet. Thousands of returning veterans are looking for good jobs now. Mention this ad in The Herman Trend Alert and receive a 10% discount on job postings. Call Ted Daywalt at 877-838-5627 or inquire at info@VetJobs.com. Herman Trend Alerts are produced by the Herman Group, strategic business futurists, Certified Management Consultants, authors, and professional speakers. New subscribers are welcome. There is no charge for this public service. The Herman Trend Alert is received by over 30,000 subscribers in 78 countries, in addition to other websites and printed magazines. Do you enjoy receiving this weekly e-mail update? Contact us about our co-branded Trend Alert service. Click here to sign up for the Herman Trend Alert. Subscribe or Unsubscribe to weekly Herman Trend Alert View this week's Herman Trend Alert Archived Weekly Herman Trend Alerts

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