Certification Insight #6: Which NetSuite Certifications are right for me?

Last updated on March 8, 2023.

In my previous post in this series, I made it clear that I don’t think anyone should strive to get “certiFIVEd” because it’s a waste of resources and may even cause others to question your judgment and motivation. In other words, it might work against you. “If I don’t need all certifications, which ones make the most sense for me?” Good question! Let’s talk about that.

Here’s the answer, in one relatively simple Venn diagram:

Call it a “NetSuite Certification Chooser” or whatever you like. The purpose of this diagram is to help you easily determine which certifications make sense for the NetSuite career path you’ve chosen.

SuiteFoundation is really the foundation

Regardless of which NetSuite career path you’ve chosen, or whether you’re still in the process of determining that, I highly recommend getting the SuiteFoundation certification first. It’s arguably the most difficult of them because it covers a broad range of subjects. And that’s the point. Preparing for this certification, if done right, will expose you to NetSuite at a broad level, and that’s very meaningful. If you have just one chance, go for SuiteFoundation.

By the way, over 97% of our survey respondents so far who are certified, hold the SuiteFoundation certification.

Also, over 70% of those not yet certified are planning to get the SuiteFoundation certification first.

Building on your foundation

For developers, the SuiteScript Developer certification track, which comprises two certifications – Application Developer and Web Services Developer – is the next logical step. Depending on your goals and strategy you might opt to get one or both certifications in this track. If you want to go further, the Administrator certification might be interesting though I don’t find it necessary.

If you’re a consultant, the ERP Consultant certification is clearly for you. Technical consultants who are particularly code-oriented might consider getting the Application Developer certification while functional consultants might find the Administrator certification useful. Again, these are optional.

If you’re a NetSuite administrator, you know where to go next: After SuiteFoundation, the Administrator certification is for you. You might be satisfied with this or realize that you’re interested in exploring NetSuite further either as a developer or as a consultant. The choice ultimately depends on your interests, exposure, and ambition. In my opinion, there’s no point in getting the SuiteScript Developer certifications or ERP Consultant certification unless you’re actively pivoting your career in one of these directions.

Finally, there’s the center region of the Venn diagram which is reserved for those who want to become NetSuite all-rounders. I call them “NetSuite generalists” or “NetSuite specialists”. Yes, these terms might appear contradictory but it just depends on how you see things. Looking from the inside out, they are NetSuite generalists because they want to be broad. Conversely, looking from the outside in, they are NetSuite specialists because they focus on NetSuite (not other ERP systems) and try to cover all aspects. The keyword here is “try” because NetSuite is so broad that it’s almost impossible to truly be an all-rounder and excel in all aspects. Nevertheless, it is possible and if your nature, experience, and orientation move you in this direction, it won’t be strange to have bagged all the NetSuite professional certifications at some point in your career.

Hopefully, this Venn diagram and discussion has provided you with some answers to the question: “What NetSuite certifications are right for me?” The rest of the series will focus on exam preparation tips and post-certification considerations.

The insights in this article represent the views of the author, who, by the way, holds multiple NetSuite certifications. However, the perpetual certification survey that’s been running since January 2021 reflects the collective thinking of the community on the subject matter.

Our hope is that the combination of both resources will provide you with a balanced view. Take the today! Once completed, you’ll unlock the anonymized aggregated survey results with nice charts and stats. Alternatively, you can subscribe to our NetSuite Insights newsletter and email notifications when we publish new insights.

Other Articles in the NetSuite Certification Series

1. Certification Insight #1: What’s your “why”?
2. Certification Insight #2: When is the best time to get certified?
3. Certification Insight #3: How valuable are NetSuite certifications? (Part 1)
4. Certification Insight #4: How valuable are NetSuite certifications? (Part 2)
5. Certification Insight #5: To be “certiFIVEd” or not to be “certiFIVEd”?
6. Certification Insight #7: What are the best resources for exam preparation?
7. Certification Insight #8: What do I need to know for exam day and beyond?
8. NetSuite Announces New Developer Certifications