How Professional Certification Actually Impacts Your Career
Six professionals share what their credentials did for them, and one argues you might not need one at all
We asked professionals across six industries how their certifications affected their careers. Their answers ranged from "it doubled my client trust overnight" to "I built a $10M business without one." Here is what CPA candidates can take from their experiences.
Last updated: March 12, 2026
Featured Experts
The ROI Question Everyone Asks
I think the most common question CPA candidates ask before committing to 400+ hours of study is whether the credential will actually change anything. The Bureau of Labor Statistics puts median pay for accountants and auditors at around $79,880, and CPAs consistently earn 10-15% more than their non-certified peers according to AICPA salary data. Even at the low end of that range, a 10% premium adds roughly $8,000 a year, which compounds into a quarter of a million dollars over a 30-year career before accounting for raises and promotions. That is before you consider the current pass rates, which hover between 42% and 77% depending on the section, meaning the credential carries real selection value. Salary is only one part of the equation though, and honestly not the most interesting part when you talk to people who have been through a difficult professional certification. We asked professionals across six industries what their credential actually changed for them, and their answers went well beyond the paycheck.
When Certifications Change the Work
Kevin O'Shea spent years coaching college football before earning his Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist credential from the NSCA, and he says it gave him "the scientific foundation" to build something he never could have without it. At Triple F Elite Sports Training, O'Shea developed a 12-test assessment system using force plates and normative data to measure elasticity and power, and that data-driven structure helped coordinate an offense that produced the leading receiver in school history. The certification turned what had been intuition-based coaching into something measurable and repeatable. Edith Forestal, a cybersecurity specialist at Forestal Security, made a similar point about her CompTIA CySA+ from the technical side, but she added a detail I think a lot of candidates overlook. Forestal recommends pairing any credential with tangible proof of competence, specifically SIEM exercises, automation scripting, and homelab projects that show employers you can do the work and not just pass the test.
The Trust Factor
Trust. That word came up more than any other, in fields with almost nothing in common. Thomas Carey, a board-certified civil trial attorney at Carey Leisure & Neal in Florida, noted that fewer than 2% of the state's roughly 100,000 attorneys hold his distinction and that insurance adjusters negotiate differently when they know you actually try cases, while David Cochran, an HVAC contractor at Cochran Heating and Air Conditioning, used his NATE certification to diagnose a bad capacitor and restricted airflow on a call where another company had quoted a $6,000 system replacement, saving the homeowner thousands.
The Contrarian Case
Joe Spisak, CEO of Fulfill.com, built and sold a fulfillment company for $10M in annual recurring revenue before he turned 30, and he did it without a single professional credential.
“When I started my fulfillment company at 25 in that vacant morgue, nobody asked to see my credentials. They wanted to know if I could ship their products on time without breaking them. By 28, we hit $10M ARR and I sold the business. Not because I had letters after my name, but because we solved real problems better than anyone else.”
Where the Technical Bar Decides
In entrepreneurial fields where your track record is the product, that argument holds up, and if your clients can see your damage rates and on-time shipping percentages they do not need a certificate to trust you. David Hirschfeld, a partner at Sahara Investment Group who has deployed capital for a multi-billion-dollar family, argues that this logic falls apart in roles with a clear technical bar though. Hirschfeld watched his own CFO's CPA and CGMA credentials "genuinely matter" when walking into rooms managing $8B+ in PE fund accounting, where technical credibility needs to register before you open your mouth.
What This Means for CPA Candidates
Accounting sits on the regulated end of that spectrum. You cannot sign audit opinions without a CPA license, and you cannot represent clients before the IRS in certain capacities without one. A number of states will not let you use the title "accountant" in public practice unless you hold the credential, and the specific requirements vary by state, so for a significant portion of accounting work it is a legal requirement. The professionals we spoke with came from cybersecurity, law, sports performance, HVAC, investment management, and fulfillment logistics, and the ones who got the most from their credentials were the ones in fields where the technical bar is real and visible. If you are weighing whether the 400-600 hours of study and the exam fees are worth it, I would look at whether your target role requires it, and in accounting the answer is almost always yes. Compare the top review courses to see what each one offers before you commit. Take the LIFTS Assessment to find the review course that fits how you study, and check our CPA salary data to see what the credential is worth in your state.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Study Guides
Staying Motivated During CPA Exam Prep
How to maintain momentum throughout your CPA journey
Read ArticleCPA Exam While Working Full-Time
Balancing career and CPA exam preparation
Read ArticleWhy the Most Expensive CPA Course Isn't Always the Best
Challenging the "you get what you pay for" assumption
Read ArticleReady to Start Your CPA Journey?
Take our personalized LIFTS assessment to find the best CPA review course for your learning style, budget, and schedule.
Get Your Personalized Match