As freshers, most of us enter the job market with similar degrees. That’s why many companies today expect something extra proof that you can apply your knowledge in real world situations.
This is where certifications and online courses make a difference. Recruiters now look for candidates who:
Have practical, job ready skills beyond textbooks
Can adapt to tools and technologies used in the industry
Show initiative by learning on their own
In pharma/healthcare, companies value clinical data management, medical writing, regulatory affairs certifications.
For freshers, a relevant certification can be the deciding factor between just another CV and a shortlisted candidate.
But the question is, should we invest more in certifications or focus on building experience through internships and projects?
This post really speaks to the confusion many freshers feel. Degrees alone aren’t enough now companies want proof we can apply what we know. Certifications show initiative and help us learn industry tools, but internships give us real-world exposure. I think both matter, but choosing based on your career goal is smart. For pharma roles, a mix of certification + hands-on projects can really boost our chances. It’s not about doing everything, but doing what adds value to our CV.
Both matter, certifications can open the door, but internships and projects build real skills. Ideally, combine them: use certifications to get shortlisted, and internships/projects to stand out.
I think For freshers, internships, and projects give more real-world skills and industry exposure, making you job-ready. Certifications are useful when they are well-recognized and match your career goals. The best approach is to build experience first, then add certifications to strengthen your profile and prove your expertise in the field.
I feel internships help more than certifications… because we actually see the work, face challenges, and learn how things really happen in the industry. That experience stays with us more than just a paper certificate.
Internships and projects gives us a glimpse of the actual work that we will be assigned in the future. certifications teaches us the theoretical aspect of the course while projects and internships teaches us the practical application of the subject/ course work.
I think there is greater benefit to gaining experience with internships and projects, where you can actually prove the usefulness of the skills youve gained from courses and workshops.
I’m someone who have both certifications and experience through various internships along with skills but still many recruiters ask for industrial experience. So personally speaking, waiting for the right recruiter who doesn’t judge us based on few certifications or just a interview is the only option we are left with.
Both are required. Certificates and real-life experiences may help improve your chances of landing a better job. As freshers, you are required to prove your skills so that you are more likely to be picked from many others who may have the same qualifications as you.
Certifications are important. One of the issue is that there is not equal awareness about these in masses especially among small town students. The degree program is something more common and needs update, it should include hands on experience so students don’t need to search for that on multiple platforms. The scores are not everything and this statement has become real. No matter what scores are,you need skills ans certificates prove skills. Finding correct, genuine, useful certificate course according to your goal is yet another challenge.
I feel getting hands on experience at an internship helps you more than some certification course, as you get to the technical aspects of the field which usually lack in the textbooks. So, getting certification by an internship is more helpful to get a job.
Certifications without real world experience doesn’t essentially lead to a job. There has to be a balance between the two. The skills on paper should be backed by strong skills on ground.
