No.1: English Certificate
College English Certificate IV & VI (CET-4，CET-6): Extremely important;
TEM Level-8:Only the students whose major is English are qualified to take the test, but many position required the certificate, such as Translators or Assistants of Foreign Executive;
College Certificate in Spoken English IV & VI : the certificates are not important, however, the ability and the expression in interview is very important;
Intermediate/Advanced Certificate in English interpretation: very valuable;
TOFEL: only a few companies will ask whether you take a TOFEL test, and mean while they will worry that you may go abroad after you get the job soon.
IELTS: a small number of Commonwealth countries will observe that you take a IELTS test, but not a necessary condition;
Cambridge Business English(BEC):this certificate can show your English ability, and you are a hardworking student at the university.The lazy students will not go to learn it, or will not pass the test. This is what a company concerns. ( I regret that i didnot take the exam with my classmate and gave it up ...)
TOEIC: tasteless but wasteful to discard. It's better than nothing, no training, only a test. The employer will not take much attention on it.
Summary:CET-4 & CET-6 are the most important. It's better than nothing to have the others. In so far as Spoken English, the key is the expression in the interview.
No.2: Computer Certificate
The operation of Office is the basic skill, and is not necessary to have a certificate.
National Certificate in Computer II: It's a necessary condition to apply for registered residence in some large cities, such as Shanghai.
There are also Natinal Certificate in Computer III & IV.
Others, such as ACCP, MCSA, CCNA, as well as numerous special computer skills certificates, are interralated with the work you choose in the future. Not every company will pay much attention to , or even know these certificates.
We have statistics about 50,000 recruitment informations. There is 18.6% recruitment information referred to computer, but less than 0.1% referred to a computer certificate. Most description is vague, such as "two-year experience in java programming", " be familiar with coputer operation". For many students, if you start to study Java from Sophomore, then you have three-year experience when you are senior.
There are various computer skills training, but there are a few certificates recognized by enterprises. Actual operation skill is the key.
NO.3: School Certificate
Include: Certificate of sholarship, Three good student, Excellent graduate, Outstanding student cadres,etc.
Scholarship certificate is very important. Some HR can't understand all kinds of complex algorithms of the GPA, but they will have a general impression of you when they learn if you have scholarships. Scholarship Certificate is one of the necessary condition for enterprises screening curriculum vitae. No scholarships,no chance for an interview. The experience of student cadres is very important. It would be a better proof, if you can get a certificate of "Outstanding student cadres".
Three good student, Excellent graduate and so on, are very useful. You can add some marks when you apply registered residence (especially in Shanghai).
Communist party member, also not a certificate, but it is very useful, when you apply civil servants, or secondary school teacher, etc.
NO.4: The second foreign language certificates
A second foreign language will greatly increase the chance to enter into relevant enterrises .
the second foreign languages which are pop now are as follow:
Japanese (87 Japanese companies listed in the world's top 500)
French (36 French Companies listed in the world's top 500)
German (35 German Companies listed in the world's top 500)
Korean (13 Korean Companies listed in the world's top 500)
Other languages, such as Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, Arabic and so on are prospective, for the ecomonic ties between South American Countries and China, and for the Oil cooperation between Arab and China.
in addition, German and French are not useful for job hunting, but also for study abroad in Germany or France.
NO.5: Financial Certificates
Certified Public Accountant (CPA): Five subjects, RMB 80 for each subject
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA): need 3 years relevant working experience to take the examination. the examination is extraordinary difficult to pass. ( it will cost RMB 20,000 to 30,000 for the examination).
Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) : ACCA are known as " The golden bowl in accounting industry". UK legislation permits ACCA members engaged in auditing, investment advisers and the implementation of insolvency. The certificate holders have the qualification to practice in EU contries. ( The examination fee is less than RMB 20,000)
Financial knowledge is essential for these who want to engage in financial work, or to be the professional managers. The financial certificates and the financial knowledge can make you succeed as soon as possible.
NO.6:Professional qualification certificates
There are lots of professional qualification certificates. It depends on the major and the industry you are in , for example, Attorney's certificate is suited for the students who want to be a lawyer in the future.
CAD Engineer Certificate: mainly used in machinery, interior decoration, construction industry, etc.
Certificate of tour guide: according to state regulations, tour guides must hold this certificates.
Customs certificate: only the person who hold this certificate is qualified to do the job;
Human resources qualification certificate;
National Judicial Examination Certificate
Driver's license: it is not just necessary for driver position.
NO.7:Part-time internship certification
Because of no experience, so we are called "graduate", and it is difficult to find a job.
However, with a related part-time internship experience, you would be the graduat with "working experience" among the students, and you would be outstanding with the advantages.
You would be more likely to remain in the company directly to participate in the intern program in some well-known enterprises, for example: 80% interns stayed in P&G becoming official staffs, 50% in GE,50% in IBM, etc.
It would be a strong competitive advantage in job hunting to have a relative part-time intership certification.
NO.8: Publications & Patents
For graduate students, experience of relative projects, publications of relative quality papers, and the EI/SCI record, would be great help for seeking a relevant work.
In addition, undergraduate or graduate students would be much easier to obtain the foreign professors' favor when applying to go abroad, if you have published quality papers.
Moreover, patent would play the role of adding extra points. Patent application is divided into three types: inventions, utility models and appearance design. The invention patent is difficult, but the utility models patent and the appearance design patent are still very accessible. Both patents and patent-pending would get extra points in the application of registered residence, and also attract the enterprises' attention.
NO.9: Certificates of competition
Award certificates of various competitions, no matter in the university or in society, are also very popular.
A student was hired as the president assistant directly, due to the numerous awards in Debate Competition.
A student in Xi'an Jiaotong University obtain the full scholarship of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, thanks to the winning in the Challenge Cup.
Kai-fu Lee directly called the two students who got winning in ACM competition, studying in Shanghai Jiaotong University, and employed them.
Most of the winner of L'Oreal "Global Business Strategy Competition", would access the opportunity to work in the L'Oreal;
A Student winned USD 200,000 premium accumulated, through participated various types of programming competitions during four years study in Zhangjiang University, and has been employed as Technical Vice-President by topcoder recently. Examples of finding a job through participating competitions, strengthening the ability and getting certificates, are all over.
NO.10: Certificate of Graduation,Diploma, The Second-degree Certificate
These are the most important certificate. There are three differences: first, the brand-name University vs the general University; second, the popular major vs the unexpected major; third, junior college student, undergraduate vs graduate student.
Enterprises value the professional backgroud most. Lots of position just provide the opportunity of interview to the professional student.
It can make yourself to be a versatile talent to minor another curriculum in interdisciplinary, which is valuable for enterprises.
Although enterprises pay more attention on capability than education qualification, famous university and popular major enhance the chance to enter a enterprise. You can show your talent only when you enter a enterprise.
Summary:
Certificates stand for your ability;
Certificates show that you are not lazy in your university;
Certificates represent an aspirant and unordinary outlook on life.