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Licensure

Obtaining a license gives you the legal right to perform the duties of your profession. Examples of occupations that might require a license are doctors, nurses, contractors, lawyers, teachers, cosmetologists, and electricians. The main reason for a license is to protect the safety of consumers. If you are in one of these professions and you are operating without a license, you could face serious legal trouble and even jail time. However, there are some occupations where licensure is optional. An example of this is a massage therapist. An individual can operate as a massage therapist without being licensed but does have the option to get licensed. In fact, it is strongly encouraged. Having a license eliminates a lot of discrepancy about you as an individual if your business or workplace is under legal fire. All of the formalities of obtaining a license differ state by state and profession by profession. Visit your state’s official website to find more information about the requirements for your state.

Certification

In many cases, a certification is not required to get or work in a profession, but it may help if you are looking for a job. First of all, many employers will put new employees through some sort of industry or company-specific training that properly equips new employees with the skillsets they need. However, if you are struggling to land a job, getting some sort of certification in the industry you are looking to work may vamp up your resume just enough to stand out among other applicants. Certifications are great in order to be properly prepared for what your job title encompasses. Plus, if you are self-employed, advertising to potential clients that you do in fact have applicable certifications may help them to trust you and your company more. This could help you build a larger consumer base.

Essentially, if you are viewing both a certification and a license as documents side by side, the certification is the proof you did the studying, and the license is the gas for your profession. One says “I am qualified” while the other says “I’m legally permitted.” Visit your state’s website for any specific questions you have about a license or certification in your profession.