Product Manager Certification: Necessary or Not?

Would you recommend #certifications for Product Managers?

In short, I recommend the learning within, not necessarily the certificate.

1. Will it help with getting #interviews?

First of all, there are only a handful of certifications that hiring managers & companies know of in the field of Product Management. Some know about Pragmatic, AIPMM & maybe Product School given it's recent surge in popularity.

Note: Yes, PMP is a solid certification BUT it's for "Project" Management. There's a difference :)

If you're planning to do a series of niche certifications JUST because it will help you land a job, well, chances that decision makers have heard of them is slim.

2. Can I become a better PM with certifications?

Depending on the course content, certain certifications can certainly help with reducing the learning curve & bootstrapping knowledge. I try to gauge how much focus there is on hands-on practical learning along with theory.

If the content is all about feel-good quotes, inspiring anecdotes & jargon, I'd advise you to invest your time elsewhere.

An interesting by-product of some certifications is the network you build. If the course requires group work, the PM connections you make can be helpful later on in your career.