Technical or Professional certifications a non-IT professional

June 5, 2015 9:29 AM

Are there any technical or professional certificates that a non-IT professional could obtain that would be appealing to future employers? I'm in my mid-30s and all of my work experience has involved non-technical office work. I'm currently a manager (like, actual manager, not an office manager) of one of the branch offices of a small company and oversee a small staff, but I'm looking for a change of scenery. Other than an MBA, are there any certifications (whether professional or technical) that a beginner can obtain that would be attractive to potential employers? If it matters, I currently make in the mid $50s and would like my next job to pay the same or more. I know, I know... Thanks in advance!
posted by anonymous to Work & Money (3 answers total)

A Project Management Professional certificate could open some doors. I'm not the biggest fan of theirs, but it certainly shows up in preferred qualifications.
posted by advicepig at 10:38 AM on June 5, 2015 [2 favorites]

Maybe you could get some degree of ITIL certification, so you can show you understand service level management? While I'm technical, I don't think there was anything about the training that would preclude a non-IT Pro from getting certified.
posted by JaredSeth at 11:46 AM on June 5, 2015

Depends if you're seeking to work with people or machines. If you go the computer route you can get an A+ Certification or any number of others from CompTiA I have mine at 62 years old and it wasn't that hard to get. For people, why not get a 2 year degree in Management at a community college in either Human resources or business? You can get funding if you need it and do while you're working-even online at night. You ask very good questions-good luck!
posted by ~Sushma~ at 11:05 AM on June 6, 2015