Power Platform Clinic - Episode 6: Certs, Consultancy, and Career Conversations
Power Platform Clinic Episode 6 – Certs, Consultancy, and Career Conversations
In this episode of the Power Platform Clinic, Duncan and I get stuck into some big-picture questions from the community—about Microsoft certifications, life as a consultant, and how to grow your career across the Power Platform and beyond.
🎓 Are Microsoft Certifications Worth It?
Spoiler: Yes, but with caveats.
I share how I started collecting Microsoft certs back when they were being offered free (shoutout to the days of the 900 series!). But it’s not about collecting badges—certs give you structure, breadth, and that theoretical grounding that helps when you’re diving into something new.
“Certifications are useful, but experience trumps all. Ideally, you want both.”
We talk through the differences between the PL-200 and PL-400, and why broader learning (outside of your usual lane) is such a smart investment—especially when it helps you understand your colleagues’ roles.
💼 Day in the Life of a Consultant
Consultancy looks different depending on where you sit.
I share what it’s like working at a global consultancy like Capgemini, from running projects with deep Azure integration and Power Platform DevOps, to mentoring devs and liaising with senior stakeholders. We chat about coaching vs mentoring, wearing different hats, and being the go-to expert in your domain.
We also break down the three ways we all get paid:
- 💰 Salary
- 💚 Satisfaction
- 📈 Experience
And why aiming for two out of three is the sweet spot.
🧠 More Than Power Platform: Think Strategically
This isn’t just about learning Flow expressions and Dataverse tables. It’s also about building skills that elevate your thinking—like Agile, PRINCE2, TOGAF, and Six Sigma.
“Every Agile project lives inside a bigger waterfall project somewhere.”
We talk about architectural thinking, knowing how to speak the language of the business, and designing with failure (and damage limitation) in mind.
🎥 Watch the Episode
You can watch the full episode on YouTube here: Power Platform Clinic Episode 6
🧩 Wrapping Up
Whether you’re new to the Power Platform, thinking about your next career step, or trying to level up in consultancy, this episode has something for you.
➡️ Got a question for the next episode? Drop it in the comments on YouTube or tag us on LinkedIn.
💬 And if you liked this, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a comment—even just to say “Nice shirt” 😆