IT certifications may be dime a dozen right now, but that does not change the fact that possessing the correct certifications on your resume can help you ascend the career ladder in the tech sector. What’s more, good IT certifications are key to bagging higher paying positions in the field because they are proof of your skills and expertise and provide potential employers with some insight into what you’re truly capable of.
When you overcome a thorough examination and fulfill challenging experience demands, you showcase your IT mastery and pave the path for career advancement. As the tech industry continues to evolve and new certification sets enter the fray, it is important to know which IT certifications are considered valuable by external standards. Find out below:
CCNP — R&S
Candidates with mastery over Cisco router and switch planning, configuration, installation, and troubleshooting should opt for the Cisco Certified Networking Professional – Routing and Switching. Three exams of two hours each test your capacity for planning, implementing, troubleshooting, and verifying wide and local area enterprise networks. Plus, you should be able to collaborate with experts on advanced voice, video, wireless, and security options.
CISSP
An (ISC)²-governed information security certification, the Certified Information Systems Security Professionals is aimed at individuals who wish to cement their career in information security. During this course, you pick up key skills required to design, engineer, and establish information security systems in the organization and protect it against malicious attacks from hackers. The exam consists of 250 MCQs and having a minimum full-time work experience of five years in two or more of the eight CISSP common body of knowledge domains gives you an edge.
ITIL v3 Foundation
ITIL Foundation Training is currently the most popular and sophisticated IT management framework, dedicated to meeting customer demands through the best IT service management practices. This certification increases your fundamental knowledge of IT service lifecycles processes, including strategy, design, continuous service improvement, and operation transition.
PMP
Available from PMI, the Project Management Professional certification is meant for experienced project management employees. PMP certifications are extremely lucrative because they enable you to work in almost any location or industry using any methodology. The certification includes the five key phases in the lifecycle of a project, such as initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, control, and closing.
MCSE — Cloud platform and infrastructure certification
Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert certifications have always been in high demand across enterprises and that isn’t likely to change anytime soon. Tech professionals with MS server infrastructure talents draw high salaries in the IT industry. The certification encompasses the role of a cloud architect, cloud administrator, information security analyst, and computer support specialist — all-in-one.
CEH
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably seen the news about high-profile data breaches worldwide. No wonder enterprises are scrambling to hire qualified security experts. If you possess the skills necessary to probe and discover security flaws, you can use that knowledge to boost the security of systems and networks and predict how it could be exploited later.
Candidates who achieve the Certified Ethical Hacker certification not only draw decent salaries but do not have to worry about going out of a job as long as the digital threats persist – which is forever. An offering from the EC Council (International Council of Electronic Commerce Consultants), this certification tests whether professionals know the right way to search for vulnerabilities and weaknesses in target systems. Think of it as using the same tools and knowledge as evil hackers but in a legitimate and lawful way to inspect the security status of the target system.
The CEH examination covers different techniques used by hackers to infiltrate and compromise the security measures. So, you must put yourself in the mindset of a hacker if you wish to pass the certification test with flying colors. Although the examination can be quite challenging, you must strive for this high-paying credential if you wish to gain the recognition and success you deserve in this booming field. The four-hour certification test includes 125 MCQs.
Salesforce
Arguably the most prominent CRM (customer relationship management) tools right now, Salesforce is used by numerous tech companies, including Fitbit, Snapchat, and Hulu. Salesforce is primarily used for delivering efficient business solutions, and earning a Salesforce certification marks your deftness with CRM tools and makes you a lucrative candidate for various organizations. You will learn how to use the platform for meeting the special needs of a business while improving security and implementing automation for app development and debugging.
Digital marketing certification
As the entire world goes digital and organizations embrace the trend, a space has opened up for digital marketers who are savvy to the intricacies of digital marketing and have acquired a certification in the field. There are numerous Digital Marketing certification courses out there and you must achieve some of them if you wish to chart a career in this lucrative field. Once you pass the test, you’ll be able to leverage the power of the Internet for strengthening your business and marketing your product online.
Certified ScrumMaster
You can qualify for the ScrumMaster certification from the Scrum Alliance if you wish to get a high-paying IT job. This is one of the most well-known and respected certifications in the industry as it proves your knowledge and expertise of the Scrum network and how you’re able to apply it in the workspace. If you’re targeting the position of project lead, technical project manager, project manager, program manager, product developer, or Scrum Master, this certification is a no-brainer. On top of your certification, you’ll get a two-year membership with the Scrum Alliance, providing you access to online and local networking events.
Amazon web services certified solutions architect
Different organizations and enterprises rely on AWS to stay in business. Become an AWS solutions architect by gaining the AWS Certified Solutions Architect certification.
IT certifications can get you noticed
The IT industry is vast, and you’re sure to find an area that piques your interest. Once you’ve figured out your specialization, it’s only a matter of securing the correct certifications so that you go from being an anonymous candidate to someone worth taking notice of.
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