#219 Is That Career Credential Right for Your Kid? How to Boost Outcomes

Flourish Coaching

Mar 24, 2026

There are more than 23,000 career credentials available today—so how do you know which ones are worth pursuing?

In this episode, Lisa Marker-Robbins breaks down how families and young professionals can cut through the noise using the Credential Value Index, a data tool created by the Burning Glass Institute that analyzes thousands of certifications across industries.

Lisa explains why credentials should never be chased randomly and how they can be used strategically to validate career fit, build skill capital, and accelerate career opportunity. She also shares seven essential questions to ask before investing time or money into any credential.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

The growing role of career credentials in building employability and skill capital
How data tools can help evaluate the real value of workplace certifications
Strategies for helping young people gain career clarity before investing in education
Using credentials as both career exploration tools and advancement accelerators

Key Takeaways:

The Credential Value Index, developed by the Burning Glass Institute, analyzes 23,000+ non-degree certifications from over 2,000 providers, giving users data on wage gains, job access, labor demand, top employers, and related roles so they can evaluate which skills actually improve career outcomes.
Credentials should not be pursued randomly; they should follow a career filter based on self-awareness and realistic career directions, because browsing thousands of credentials without direction can overwhelm people and lead to decision paralysis.
Strategic certifications can serve two different purposes: testing whether a career path truly fits by experiencing the skills involved, or strengthening an existing direction by adding skills that improve employability and advancement potential.
Before investing time or money in any certification program, individuals should evaluate factors like goals, skill relevance, labor market demand, transferability, cost in time/energy/money, and whether the credential would still move them forward even without a salary increase.

“Credentials are not about replacing degrees… they’re about signaling skills to employers.” – Lisa Marker-Robbins

Episode References:

Credential Value Index https://credentialvalueindex.org
#214 “You Can Be Anything”: Why This Advice Backfires with Your Young Person https://flourishcoachingco.com/214

Get Lisa’s Free on-demand video: THE CAREER IDENTIFICATION COMPASS: How To Be Certain Your 15 To 25 Year Old is On The Right Path to Launch With Confidence–Not Confusion: flourishcoachingco.com/video