Abstract:

In an era where career paths are no longer linear and credentials are continuously evolving, many professionals especially immigrants and mid-career changers find themselves navigating an uncertain terrain. Whether you're trying to validate international experience, overcome a lack of formal certification, or pivot industries, credential challenges can feel like invisible barriers to progress.

In this dynamic Fireside Chat, we bring together three extraordinary leaders who have risen above these limitations:

George Al-Haddad, an accomplished executive whose career reflects resilience and strategic reinvention.

Billy Mwape, a credentialed project leader whose journey spans leadership, certifications, and international impact.

Deanna Davies, a college professor championing inclusive pathways to leadership.

Together, they’ll share raw insights, lived experiences, and real strategies for thriving in competitive environments even without checking every traditional credential box.

This session is for professionals who are ready to trade frustration for empowerment, and grow beyond the paper trail.

Objectives:

Demystify Credential Gatekeeping:

Explore how hiring systems and organizational cultures perceive credentials, and how to navigate them.

Showcase Alternative Pathways:

Highlight how practical experience, strategic visibility, and personal branding can substitute or amplify formal credentials.

Strengthen Career Reinvention Strategies:

Equip attendees with tools for skill repositioning, storytelling, and leveraging transferable experience.

Inspire Confidence & Action:

Break the silence around imposter syndrome, and ignite confidence to pursue growth regardless of what’s “on paper.”

Key Outcomes:

✅ Clarity on how to move forward when traditional credential paths are not an option.

✅ Tactical insights on branding, visibility, and positioning in today’s talent economy.

✅ Resilience mindset anchored in real-world stories of overcoming doubt, rejection, and gatekeeping.

✅ Actionable next steps toward career advancement, whether through certification, networking, or storytelling.

Rising Above Credential Challenges: Strategies for Career Advancement