Whether you are just starting your career or trying to switch your job, you need to face a round of interviews with various companies. During this job hunt, you look for ways on how to convince the hiring managers that you possess the skills required for a given job. Especially if you are in the IT industry, you need to possess some unique skills as the competition is quite high. Your resume may not have any special skill that would keep you ahead of your peers. What can you do in such situations? Well, IT certifications can be your effective step towards achieving your dream job.
There are a couple of IT certifications that demonstrate your motivation, dedication, and technical expertise on a particular platform. If you add them to your resume, you will join a select group of professionals that are known for their demonstrated skills. In stiff competition, an IT certification can be a qualifier for a position you are applying for. Moreover, if there is a volatile job market, businesses often turn to layoffs to cut costs. In such situations, an IT certification can be the reason for your job retention.
Another major reason why professionals prefer pursuing IT certification is the promotion and salary hike expectations. Your salary may become stagnant at a certain stage, and you may wish to climb up the corporate ladder into a more ambitious designation. You can do so by learning some new skills and gaining certifications that are industry-wide recognized. This step often comes with certain perks, and you may later have better job satisfaction.
Now, if you are convinced that IT certifications are worth earning, you may want to look at the top certifications that most professionals prefer taking. So, this article lists some of the most popular IT certifications along with a brief description of each.
Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
Offered by the prestigious organization (ISC)2, the CISSP certification will help you accelerate your career in cybersecurity. It will validate that you have the skills to effectively design, implement, and manage a best-in-class cybersecurity program. Professionals who are seeking security job roles like security manager, security analyst, security architect, and security systems engineer can pursue this certification.
One of the best ways to prepare for its associated exam is to take a CISSP course and learn all the important concepts from scratch.
Project Management Professional (PMP)
This certification is designed by the well-known Project Management Institute (PMI). Professionals who are seeking a managerial role can apply for this certification. A truly global credential, PMP certification demonstrates that you have the skills required to bring a project to successful completion. Surveys indicate that PMP-certified professionals earn around 20% higher average salary than their non-certified peers. It has a rigorous 4-hour exam that consists of 200 multiple-choice questions.
AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate
If you are seeking a career in cloud computing, a certification offered by Amazon Web Services (AWS) is what you need. This Solutions Architect certification demonstrates your understanding of how to architect and deploy applications on AWS technologies that are secure and robust. You will learn how to provide implementation guidance throughout the life cycle of the project based on best practices. The associated exam involves 65 multiple and multiple response type questions, and the time allowed is 130 minutes.
Certified Data Privacy Solutions Engineer (CDPSE)
Are you a data scientist, data analyst, or professional who mines and analyzes data for customer insights? If yes, then the CDPSE certification awarded by ISACA is for you. CDPSE is the first technical certification of its kind and demonstrates one’s ability to develop and implement comprehensive privacy solutions, bridging the gap between data scientists, privacy technologists, and legal professionals. ISACA also offers reliable test prep solutions, expert instruction, and additional guidance required to pass the CDPSE exam.
Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP)
The CCNP Enterprise certification is designed to help professionals verify their skills in the ever-changing environment of enterprise network technologies. There are two exams that you need to pass to earn the CCNP Certification in San Diego – one that covers core enterprise technologies and one enterprise concentration exam of your choice. This certification offers networking professionals a broader range of skills and deeper focus in strategic technology areas like data center, security, service provider, collaboration, CyberOps, and DevNet.
ITIL 4 Foundation Certification
Launched by AXELOS, the ITIL 4 Foundation certification introduces you to ITIL 4 and enables you to look at IT service management through an end-to-end operating model for the development, delivery, and continual improvement of tech-enabled services and products. It is ideal for those who want a basic understanding of the ITIL framework, how ITIL enhances IT service management, and the four dimensions of Service management. The ITIl 4 Foundation exam consists of 40 multiple choice questions to be answered in 60 minutes.
Apart from the above certifications, you will find other valuable certifications based on your areas of interest. All the certifications have some eligibility and experience requirements that you need to fulfill when applying for their exam. A lot of online training courses are available to help you pass these IT certification exams, and you feel free to enroll in them and take charge of your career growth.
