Certificates have become an important career credential and can give students an advantage when they enter the workplace. However, many types of certificates exist, and the number of people seeking them and organizations offering them are both growing rapidly. In a time of such growth, the authors review some of the basics about certification--the principles that make it meaningful and some examples of the certificates that apply those principles. The examples are drawn from the experience and assistance in certification initiatives by the nonprofit National Occupational Competency Testing Institute (NOCTI) and its sister company, the Whitener Group (WG). The article concludes that in seeking certification, two important lessons stand out: (1) select a suitable target certification for the outcome desired; and (2) obtain the certification from a reputable source that follows suitable principles.