Certificates Of Participation: Passports To Employment And Promotion
In today's economy, many industries require skills which are not acquired through formal tertiary institutions. Sometimes, people can only get trained in these skills at smaller or less distinguished organizations. The training is no less important, however, and potential employers need to see some official record of the person's qualification. No matter how small or specialized your area of training may be, your certificates of participation need to look official and serve their purpose.
There are basic characteristics of certificates which need to be remembered in their design. These features will make the end result look more official, and thereby attract more respect for the qualification. Most of them are easy to implement if the training is officially recognized and the qualification is required in its specific industry.
To begin with, the quality of the paper that has been used is an integral part of how the certificate is received. Higher quality paper, which is thicker and stronger, is far more impressive than ordinary printing paper. It is also more difficult to spindle or tear. Thicker paper always seems more dignified, as is more fitting of a document of this nature.
The degree of sophistication in the printed text is another aspect that requires attention. Standard black and white printing on normal copier paper is hardly remarkable. It may even be seen as excessive, because a simple letter of reference would have sufficed. The worse the printing, the harder it is to persuade others that the document is in fact genuine. Certificates should not be handwritten.
Only the most essential details should appear on the document. The training organization's name and badge, the participant's full identification, and the qualification's title are necessary, as well as the date of issue. Additional information, for example the percentage achieved, is not mandatory but it is optional if the percentage is above average.
Besides those items, it is also essential to provide the official registration information of the course or institution. Industry codes are important in this regard, and should always be present. If the institution is not widely known, its registration number and physical location should also be shown. The official registration data indicate that the qualification is entirely valid and may even be checked by those who see it.
Other features, such as embossed badges, watermarks, or shiny metallic printing are not entirely necessary. They are associated with large, more traditional organizations, and in the case of smaller operations they may even draw criticism due to the expense that they entail.
Of course, a possible objection to any of these requirements is that they require extra expense. High quality paper is not cheap and neither is color ink. However, this is a small investment to make in maintaining the reputation of the issuing organization and it may also be the difference between automatic rejection or acceptance by people who confirm qualifications. A high quality document also gives its recipient a greater sense of achievement, and elicits more positive remarks from those it is shown to.
There are basic characteristics of certificates which need to be remembered in their design. These features will make the end result look more official, and thereby attract more respect for the qualification. Most of them are easy to implement if the training is officially recognized and the qualification is required in its specific industry.
To begin with, the quality of the paper that has been used is an integral part of how the certificate is received. Higher quality paper, which is thicker and stronger, is far more impressive than ordinary printing paper. It is also more difficult to spindle or tear. Thicker paper always seems more dignified, as is more fitting of a document of this nature.
The degree of sophistication in the printed text is another aspect that requires attention. Standard black and white printing on normal copier paper is hardly remarkable. It may even be seen as excessive, because a simple letter of reference would have sufficed. The worse the printing, the harder it is to persuade others that the document is in fact genuine. Certificates should not be handwritten.
Only the most essential details should appear on the document. The training organization's name and badge, the participant's full identification, and the qualification's title are necessary, as well as the date of issue. Additional information, for example the percentage achieved, is not mandatory but it is optional if the percentage is above average.
Besides those items, it is also essential to provide the official registration information of the course or institution. Industry codes are important in this regard, and should always be present. If the institution is not widely known, its registration number and physical location should also be shown. The official registration data indicate that the qualification is entirely valid and may even be checked by those who see it.
Other features, such as embossed badges, watermarks, or shiny metallic printing are not entirely necessary. They are associated with large, more traditional organizations, and in the case of smaller operations they may even draw criticism due to the expense that they entail.
Of course, a possible objection to any of these requirements is that they require extra expense. High quality paper is not cheap and neither is color ink. However, this is a small investment to make in maintaining the reputation of the issuing organization and it may also be the difference between automatic rejection or acceptance by people who confirm qualifications. A high quality document also gives its recipient a greater sense of achievement, and elicits more positive remarks from those it is shown to.
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