Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Credential shopping experience:
1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Credential offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Credential at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.
2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about
3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Credential? Wrong! If the Credential is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.
4. Questions - Got a question about Credential then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....
5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Credential? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Credential and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.
6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Credential wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.
7. Feedback - happy with your Credential then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.
8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Credential site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site
9. Contact - got a question about Credential, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.
10. Payment - ready to pay for your Credential, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.
A
credential is an attestation of qualification, competence, or authority issued to an individual by a third party with a relevant
de jure or
de facto authority or assumed competence to do so.
Examples of credentials include academic diplomas, academic degrees, and Professional certifications, security clearances, Identity document, badges,
passwords and
user names, key (lock)s, power of attorney, and so on.
Types and documentation of credentials
A person holding a credential is usually given documentation or secret knowledge (
e.g., a password or key) as proof of the credential. Sometimes this proof (or a copy of it) is held by a third, trusted party. While in some cases a credential may be as simple as a paper membership card, in other cases, such as diplomacy, it may involve presentation of letters directly from the issuer of the credential detailing its faith in the person representing them in a negotiation or meeting.
Counterfeiting of credentials is a constant and serious problem, irrespective of the type of credential. A great deal of effort goes into finding methods to reduce or prevent counterfeiting. In general, the greater the perceived value of the credential, the greater the problem with counterfeiting and the greater the lengths to which the issuer of the credential must go to prevent fraud.
A few examples of credentials and their associated documentation are given below; this list is far from exhaustive.
===Diplomacy===In foreign
diplomacy, credentials are documents that
ambassadors,
diplomatic ministers,
plenipotentiary, and
chargés d'affaires provide to the
government to which they are
diplomatic accreditation, for the purpose, chiefly, of communicating to the latter the Diplomat's
diplomatic rank. It also contains a request that full credence be accorded to his official statements. Until his credentials have been presented and found in proper order, an envoy receives no official recognition. The credentials of an ambassador or minister plenipotentiary are signed by the chief of state, those of a chargé d'affaires by the foreign minister. Diplomatic credentials are granted and withdrawn at the pleasure of the issuing authority, based on widely varying criteria.
Medicine
In medicine, the process of credentialing is a detailed review of all permissions granted a medical doctor at every institution at which they've worked in the past, to determine a risk profile for trusting them at a new institution. Most medical practitioners also must have credentials in the form of licenses issued by the government of the jurisdictions in which they practice, which they obtain after suitable education, training, and/or practical experience. Most medical credentials are granted for life, but may be withdrawn in the event of fraud or malpractice by their holders.
Information technology
Credentials in information systems are widely used to control access to information or other resources. The classic combination of a user account number or name and a secret password is a widely-used example of IT credentials. An increasing number of information systems use other forms of documentation of credentials, such as fingerprints,
voice recognition,
retinal scans, x.509 Public Key Certificate, and so on. Credentials are issued and withdrawn by a central authority for the systems in question based on criteria established or imposed upon that authority.
Operator licensing
Operators of vehicles such as
automobiles, boats, and aircraft must have credentials in the form of government-issued licenses in many jurisdictions. Often the documentation of the license consists of a simple card or certificate that the operator keeps on his person while operating the vehicle, backed up by an archival record of the license at some central location. Licenses are granted to operators after a period of successful training and/or examination.
This type of credential often requires certification of good health and may also require psychological evaluations and screening for substance abuse.
Operator licenses often expire periodically and must be renewed at intervals. Renewal may simply be a formality, or it may require a new round of examinations and training.
Cryptography
Credentials in cryptography establish the identity of a party to communication. Usually they take the form of machine-readable cryptographic keys and/or passwords. Cryptographic credentials may be self-issued, or issued by a trusted third party; in many cases the only criterion for issuance is unambiguous association of the credential with a specific, real individual or other entity. Cryptographic credentials are often designed to expire after a certain period, although this is not mandatory. An x.509 certificate is an example of a cryptographic credential.
Identification
Credentials that simply establish a person's identity are very widely used. Documentation usually consists of an identity card (sometimes a credential that is also used for other purposes, such as an automobile driver's license), a badge (often machine-readable), etc., issued by a trusted third party after some form of identity verification. Many identification documents use photographs to help ensure their association with their legitimate holders. Some also incorporate biometric information, passwords, PINs, and so on to further reduce the opportunities for fraud. Identification credentials are among the most widely counterfeited credentials.
Most identification documents are issued for a lifetime, but some must be periodically renewed, particularly if they have other functions besides identification. For example,
passports often expire after a certain number of years, and while they may still be valid identification after their expiration, they cannot be used for their other purpose as travel documents.
Security clearances
In military and government organizations, and some private organizations, a system of compartmenting information exists to prevent the uncontrolled dissemination of information considered to be sensitive or confidential. Persons with a legitimate need to have access to such information are issued
security clearances, which can be tracked and verified to ensure that no unauthorized persons gain access to protected information.
Security clearances are among the most carefully guarded credentials. Often they are granted to individuals only after a lengthy investigation and only after their need to have access to protected information has been adequately justified to the issuing authority. The most elaborate security-clearance systems are found in the world's military organizations. Some credentials of this type are considered so sensitive that their holders are not even permitted to acknowledge that they have them (except to authorized parties).
Breaches of security involving security clearances are often punished by specific statutory law, particularly if they occur in the context of deliberate espionage, whereas most other counterfeiting and misuse of credentials is punished by law only when used with deliberate intent to defraud in specific contexts.
Documentation of security clearances usually consists of records keep at a secure facility and verifiable on demand from authorized parties.
Security clearances are regularly withdrawn when they are not longer justified, or when the person holding them is determined to be too great a security risk.
Journalism
Some countries impose restrictions on who may work for the Mass media or in a journalistic capacity, and require that anyone allowed to do so carry a government-issued credential. This allows these countries to exert a substantial amount of control over freedom of the press, by selectively granting, withholding, and withdrawing press credentials.
Some government and non-government entities may also require or issue specific credentials of or to persons wishing to interact with them in a journalistic capacity. This may be done to control the dissemination of information about the entity, to ensure favorable reporting, to limit the number of persons acting as press, and so on. These credentials are often independent of any government credentials, although some entities will accept government credentials as a justification for their own, or in lieu of their own.
In the
United States, for example, no national press credential exists because it has been held to violate the freedom of press provisions of the country's constitution, but individual government entities (such as the White House and the military) and many non-government entities issue and require press credentials for their own spheres of influence.
Trade credentials
Some trades and professions in some jurisdictions require special credentials of anyone practicing the trade or profession. These credentials may or may not be associated with specific competencies or skills. In some cases, they exist mainly to control the number of people who are allowed to exercise a trade or profession, in order to control salaries and wages.
Persons acting as merchants, freelancers, etc., may require special credentials in some jurisdictions as well. Here again, the purpose is mainly to control the number of people working in this way, and sometimes also to track them for tax-reporting or other purposes.
Academic credentials
The academic world makes very extensive use of credentials, such as diplomas, certificates, and degrees, in order to attest to the completion of specific training or education programs by students, and to attest to their successful completion of tests and exams.
Documentation of academic credentials usually consists of a printed, formal document designed to last a lifetime without deterioration. The issuing institution often maintains a record of the credential as well. Academic credentials are normally valid for the lifetime of the person to whom they are issued.
Titles
Titles are credentials that identify a person as belonging to a specific group, such as the nobility or the aristocracy, or a specific command grade in the military, or in other largely symbolic ways. They may or may not be associated with specific authority, and they do not usually attest to any specific competence or skill (although they may be associated with other credentials that do). A partial list of such titles includes
- personal titles, such as Lord, Knight, Right Honourable, indicating an earned or inherited rank or position within a formal power structure;
- command ranks, such as Captain, Sergeant, etc., indicating likewise a very specific position in a command hierarchy, e.g. police rank or military rank;
- an academic degree or professional designation such as PhD, P.Eng or M.D., whether this be purely honorary or symbolic, or associated with credentials attesting to specific competence, learning, or skills;
- labor union and club memberships;
- persons allowed access to specific areas during special events, such as concerts and shows;
- citizenship, as in the case of passports and birth certificates.
Internet ID
Since the launch of the people search engines, the problems with spamming and identity theft, credentials are back.
Many companies do search the web for indications about their future employees. HRM has discovered the internet and has taken an interest at sites, blogs and profiles of potential candidates.
In the USA there are companies offering to correct "past mistakes" made by people in form of negative comments of or about them.
In Russia there are companies offering a global service to protect people from scammer, especially by listing fake email correspondents.
See also
External links
- http://credentials.ning.com
- http://www.global7russia.com/scam/scammers.asp
A
credential is an attestation of qualification, competence, or authority issued to an individual by a third party with a relevant
de jure or
de facto authority or assumed competence to do so.
Examples of credentials include academic diplomas,
academic degrees, and Professional certifications,
security clearances,
Identity document, badges,
passwords and
user names, key (lock)s, power of attorney, and so on.
Types and documentation of credentials
A person holding a credential is usually given documentation or secret knowledge (
e.g., a password or key) as proof of the credential. Sometimes this proof (or a copy of it) is held by a third, trusted party. While in some cases a credential may be as simple as a paper membership card, in other cases, such as diplomacy, it may involve presentation of letters directly from the issuer of the credential detailing its faith in the person representing them in a negotiation or meeting.
Counterfeiting of credentials is a constant and serious problem, irrespective of the type of credential. A great deal of effort goes into finding methods to reduce or prevent counterfeiting. In general, the greater the perceived value of the credential, the greater the problem with counterfeiting and the greater the lengths to which the issuer of the credential must go to prevent fraud.
A few examples of credentials and their associated documentation are given below; this list is far from exhaustive.
===Diplomacy===In foreign
diplomacy, credentials are documents that ambassadors, diplomatic ministers, plenipotentiary, and chargés d'affaires provide to the government to which they are
diplomatic accreditation, for the purpose, chiefly, of communicating to the latter the
Diplomat's
diplomatic rank. It also contains a request that full credence be accorded to his official statements. Until his credentials have been presented and found in proper order, an envoy receives no official recognition. The credentials of an ambassador or minister plenipotentiary are signed by the chief of state, those of a chargé d'affaires by the
foreign minister. Diplomatic credentials are granted and withdrawn at the pleasure of the issuing authority, based on widely varying criteria.
Medicine
In medicine, the process of
credentialing is a detailed review of all permissions granted a medical doctor at every institution at which they've worked in the past, to determine a
risk profile for trusting them at a new institution. Most medical practitioners also must have credentials in the form of licenses issued by the government of the jurisdictions in which they practice, which they obtain after suitable education, training, and/or practical experience. Most medical credentials are granted for life, but may be withdrawn in the event of fraud or malpractice by their holders.
Information technology
Credentials in information systems are widely used to control access to information or other resources. The classic combination of a user account number or name and a secret password is a widely-used example of IT credentials. An increasing number of information systems use other forms of documentation of credentials, such as fingerprints, voice recognition, retinal scans, x.509 Public Key Certificate, and so on. Credentials are issued and withdrawn by a central authority for the systems in question based on criteria established or imposed upon that authority.
Operator licensing
Operators of vehicles such as automobiles, boats, and
aircraft must have credentials in the form of government-issued licenses in many jurisdictions. Often the documentation of the license consists of a simple card or certificate that the operator keeps on his person while operating the vehicle, backed up by an archival record of the license at some central location. Licenses are granted to operators after a period of successful training and/or examination.
This type of credential often requires certification of good health and may also require psychological evaluations and screening for substance abuse.
Operator licenses often expire periodically and must be renewed at intervals. Renewal may simply be a formality, or it may require a new round of examinations and training.
Cryptography
Credentials in cryptography establish the identity of a party to communication. Usually they take the form of machine-readable cryptographic keys and/or passwords. Cryptographic credentials may be self-issued, or issued by a trusted third party; in many cases the only criterion for issuance is unambiguous association of the credential with a specific, real individual or other entity. Cryptographic credentials are often designed to expire after a certain period, although this is not mandatory. An x.509 certificate is an example of a cryptographic credential.
Identification
Credentials that simply establish a person's identity are very widely used. Documentation usually consists of an identity card (sometimes a credential that is also used for other purposes, such as an automobile driver's license), a badge (often machine-readable), etc., issued by a trusted third party after some form of identity verification. Many identification documents use photographs to help ensure their association with their legitimate holders. Some also incorporate biometric information, passwords, PINs, and so on to further reduce the opportunities for fraud. Identification credentials are among the most widely counterfeited credentials.
Most identification documents are issued for a lifetime, but some must be periodically renewed, particularly if they have other functions besides identification. For example, passports often expire after a certain number of years, and while they may still be valid identification after their expiration, they cannot be used for their other purpose as travel documents.
Security clearances
In military and government organizations, and some private organizations, a system of compartmenting information exists to prevent the uncontrolled dissemination of information considered to be sensitive or confidential. Persons with a legitimate need to have access to such information are issued
security clearances, which can be tracked and verified to ensure that no unauthorized persons gain access to protected information.
Security clearances are among the most carefully guarded credentials. Often they are granted to individuals only after a lengthy investigation and only after their need to have access to protected information has been adequately justified to the issuing authority. The most elaborate security-clearance systems are found in the world's military organizations. Some credentials of this type are considered so sensitive that their holders are not even permitted to acknowledge that they have them (except to authorized parties).
Breaches of security involving security clearances are often punished by specific statutory law, particularly if they occur in the context of deliberate espionage, whereas most other counterfeiting and misuse of credentials is punished by law only when used with deliberate intent to defraud in specific contexts.
Documentation of security clearances usually consists of records keep at a secure facility and verifiable on demand from authorized parties.
Security clearances are regularly withdrawn when they are not longer justified, or when the person holding them is determined to be too great a security risk.
Journalism
Some countries impose restrictions on who may work for the
Mass media or in a journalistic capacity, and require that anyone allowed to do so carry a government-issued credential. This allows these countries to exert a substantial amount of control over freedom of the press, by selectively granting, withholding, and withdrawing press credentials.
Some government and non-government entities may also require or issue specific credentials of or to persons wishing to interact with them in a journalistic capacity. This may be done to control the dissemination of information about the entity, to ensure favorable reporting, to limit the number of persons acting as press, and so on. These credentials are often independent of any government credentials, although some entities will accept government credentials as a justification for their own, or in lieu of their own.
In the United States, for example, no national press credential exists because it has been held to violate the freedom of press provisions of the country's constitution, but individual government entities (such as the White House and the military) and many non-government entities issue and require press credentials for their own spheres of influence.
Trade credentials
Some trades and professions in some jurisdictions require special credentials of anyone practicing the trade or profession. These credentials may or may not be associated with specific competencies or skills. In some cases, they exist mainly to control the number of people who are allowed to exercise a trade or profession, in order to control salaries and wages.
Persons acting as merchants, freelancers, etc., may require special credentials in some jurisdictions as well. Here again, the purpose is mainly to control the number of people working in this way, and sometimes also to track them for tax-reporting or other purposes.
Academic credentials
The academic world makes very extensive use of credentials, such as diplomas, certificates, and degrees, in order to attest to the completion of specific training or education programs by students, and to attest to their successful completion of tests and exams.
Documentation of academic credentials usually consists of a printed, formal document designed to last a lifetime without deterioration. The issuing institution often maintains a record of the credential as well. Academic credentials are normally valid for the lifetime of the person to whom they are issued.
Titles
Titles are credentials that identify a person as belonging to a specific group, such as the nobility or the aristocracy, or a specific command grade in the military, or in other largely symbolic ways. They may or may not be associated with specific authority, and they do not usually attest to any specific competence or skill (although they may be associated with other credentials that do). A partial list of such titles includes
- personal titles, such as Lord, Knight, Right Honourable, indicating an earned or inherited rank or position within a formal power structure;
- command ranks, such as Captain, Sergeant, etc., indicating likewise a very specific position in a command hierarchy, e.g. police rank or military rank;
- an academic degree or professional designation such as PhD, P.Eng or M.D., whether this be purely honorary or symbolic, or associated with credentials attesting to specific competence, learning, or skills;
- labor union and club memberships;
- persons allowed access to specific areas during special events, such as concerts and shows;
- citizenship, as in the case of passports and birth certificates.
Internet ID
Since the launch of the people search engines, the problems with spamming and identity theft, credentials are back.
Many companies do search the web for indications about their future employees. HRM has discovered the internet and has taken an interest at sites, blogs and profiles of potential candidates.
In the USA there are companies offering to correct "past mistakes" made by people in form of negative comments of or about them.
In Russia there are companies offering a global service to protect people from scammer, especially by listing fake email correspondents.
See also
- academic degree
- Security clearance
- Diploma
External links
- http://credentials.ning.com
- http://www.global7russia.com/scam/scammers.asp
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