As a safety professional there are dozens of directions you can take your career after graduation. There are routes in healthcare, construction, manufacturing, oil & gas, insurance, food safety, retail safety, cyber security, or government employment opportunities, just to name a few.

In order to truly excel as a safety professional, it is important you find out which direction best suits your passions. Because let’s face it, if you aren’t fully invested and passionate in the industry you are practicing in, it is easy to lose motivation or second guess the profession as a whole.

Today, we are going to discuss 3 ways to strengthen your resume if you so choose to change directions in your career path. These efforts will make your resume stand out among your peers, and make you a more attractive candidate to potential employers.

1.) Accreditation

If you graduated or are graduating college with a degree in Safety Management/Safety Science, check to see if your program is recognized through the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) as a Qualified Academic Program (QAP).

One benefit of graduating from a QAP, is the ability to apply for GSP (Graduate Safety Professional) designation. Becoming a GSP puts you on track for CSP (Certified Safety Professional) designation. In safety terms, the CSP is “a pretty big deal”.

CSP designation not only correlates to a traditionally higher salary, but it also verifies to employers that you are at the top of the line of potential candidates. Some companies will require CSP designation and won’t even consider resumes without accreditation. Point being, when you are selecting a school or graduating, keep an eye out for QAP’s. The return on investment is well worth it in the long run. For more information on the BCSP and the accreditation process, head to www.bcsp.org.

2.) Certifications

Do you want to increase the likelihood of securing that dream job but don’t know how to stand out against other applicants? Apply for a certification.

Applying for certifications not only gives you an added skill, but it shows employers you can provide focus-based value in areas that may benefit the company. If Candidate A and Candidate B both graduated college with 4.0 GPA, both have limited work experience, and both have club/organization involvement, getting a certification could be the difference of landing that job interview or not.

Some university curriculums have certifications built into the program. If they don’t, you’ll want to go out on your own and get a certification that can differentiate you from your peers. Keep in mind, if you list a certification on your resume, you better be able to produce that certification come interview time. Yes, employers check.

Make sure you stay current and up to date on your certifications you already have, because some do expire. If you do decide to make that career change, we’ve listed some certifications below that are somewhat universally valuable, and won’t break the bank.

3.) Continued Education

As the number of students graduating college with a Bachelor’s degree continues to grow, it is becoming increasingly more competitive in the job market.

The Bachelor’s degree is becoming equivalent to a high school diploma, and a Master’s Degree is becoming the new norm. If you want to strengthen your resume against your peers, continued education may be the route for you. Universities are developing fast-tracked programs that make it easy to graduate with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree. In some cases they can be completed in as little as 5 years.

With more and more universities offering online programs, consider studying for your Master’s degree at night after your day job. Some employers will offer tuition reimbursement for continued education as you are increasing your knowledge to enhance their safety program.

Make sure to ask your company’s human resource department if the company offers a tuition reimbursement or assistance program. You may get that degree at a discounted rate thanks to your employer.

Consider Master’s degrees in:

Safety Management/Sciences

Business Management

Chemistry/Industrial Hygiene

Physics

Final Thoughts

As the job market continues become more competitive, it is imperative you take a proactive approach in your career. Being able to diversify yourself in a competitive market will allow you the flexibility and leverage to jump about the robust disciplines of the safety world. Obtaining accreditation, gaining certifications, and pursuing continued education are all routes that will help you transition in and out of career paths to help you find your passion in safety.

Did this article help? We hope this toolbox talk was informative, helpful and easy to relate to. Please visit B42L.com to learn more about strengthening your safety resume and other safety topics to improve your company’s safety culture.