Paper Number
ICIS2025-1142
Paper Type
Complete
Abstract
How do digital certifications and job transitions interact over time to shape career trajectories? Using a large-scale panel of LinkedIn profiles and a multivariate Hawkes process that treats careers as coupled event streams, we document asymmetric temporal dynamics: certification events are associated with elevated short-horizon transition intensity, whereas transitions show weaker association with subsequent certification activity. Issuer heterogeneity is substantial. Technology-company certifications are more closely associated with mobility, particularly into knowledge-intensive roles, while platform-issued certification acquisition tend to cluster temporally, building momentum in credentialing activity. These event-based patterns complement traditional correlates such as education, prestige, and network size. By introducing a longitudinal, event-based modeling perspective, this study offers new insights into how digital certifications shape careers in platform-mediated labor markets.
Recommended Citation
Liu, Xingwen (Winry); Wen, Wen; and Yu, Yifan, "Temporal Dynamics of Digital Certifications and Career Transitions" (2025). ICIS 2025 Proceedings. 2.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/icis2025/sharing_econ/sharing_econ/2
Temporal Dynamics of Digital Certifications and Career Transitions
How do digital certifications and job transitions interact over time to shape career trajectories? Using a large-scale panel of LinkedIn profiles and a multivariate Hawkes process that treats careers as coupled event streams, we document asymmetric temporal dynamics: certification events are associated with elevated short-horizon transition intensity, whereas transitions show weaker association with subsequent certification activity. Issuer heterogeneity is substantial. Technology-company certifications are more closely associated with mobility, particularly into knowledge-intensive roles, while platform-issued certification acquisition tend to cluster temporally, building momentum in credentialing activity. These event-based patterns complement traditional correlates such as education, prestige, and network size. By introducing a longitudinal, event-based modeling perspective, this study offers new insights into how digital certifications shape careers in platform-mediated labor markets.
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