Five Advantages of IT Certifications
Posted by Marbenz Antonio on February 22, 2023
The importance of IT certifications is still a widely debated topic within IT, digital trust, and related industries. With an increasing number of certifications covering a diverse range of topics, aspiring professionals in the field often wonder if they should pursue an IT certification and what are the reasons behind it.
IT professionals often discuss the various advantages of earning an IT certification, which is well-known and widely recognized. However, some lesser-known benefits are not often mentioned. In this blog post, ISACA Now will delve into five frequently overlooked benefits that IT certifications offer to both individuals and their employers.
What are the benefits of IT certifications?
Before we explore the less recognized advantages, let’s review some fundamental aspects of the value of certifications. IT certifications offer numerous benefits, including several well-established advantages, such as:
- Knowledge – Whether you are interested in general, technical, specialized, or executive areas of digital trust, cybersecurity, privacy, risk, audit, governance, or any other related IT field, earning an IT certification is an ideal way to develop a strong foundation of knowledge or build upon your existing skills. Even if you already possess industry experience and expertise, obtaining a certification can help you expand your knowledge base, stay up-to-date with the latest industry trends and information, and further enhance your capabilities.
- Validation – Once you have acquired the knowledge and skills, IT certifications provide a convenient way to demonstrate your expertise to your colleagues, industry peers, and prospective employers. Adding certification abbreviations after your name on your LinkedIn profile and CV indicates that you have invested your time and effort into earning a valuable credential. IT certifications serve as recognized accomplishments that showcase your commitment to your field of expertise and validate your proficiency.
- Marketability – In today’s highly competitive job market, especially for security and digital trust professionals, IT certifications can set you apart from other job candidates. In-demand certifications give you a competitive advantage by highlighting your dedication to your profession and ongoing learning. Moreover, employers can have confidence in your skills and expertise as certifications establish a clear framework of topics, applications, labs, and exams that candidates must successfully complete to demonstrate their proficiency.
- Credibility – Having the endorsement of a well-respected organization lends credibility to your expertise and contributions to the industry. Your colleagues, coworkers, and employers will acknowledge the value of your input and work, knowing that it comes from a position of validated knowledge and experience. This recognition enhances your professional reputation and strengthens the legitimacy of your influence in the field.
- Earning – IT certifications can unlock new job opportunities that require certification, prepare you to qualify for managerial or executive positions, and potentially increase your earnings in roles where specific certifications are highly valued. Certifications not only enable entry- and mid-level professionals to advance in their careers, but they also provide established professionals with the opportunity to transition into positions that may be challenging to attain without the appropriate credentials.
Which benefits of IT certifications are overlooked?
Although many advantages of IT certification are widely known and discussed, others are less apparent and may require additional effort on your part. However, these benefits are often highly valuable and worth pursuing. Some advantages extend beyond your personal career development and can benefit your employer and organization as a whole.
Here are five often-unnoticed advantages of earning an IT certification:
For you,
- Building a case for promotion – Asking for a promotion can be daunting, but having a strong case for yourself can boost your professional self-assurance and bolster your candidacy for the desired position. IT certifications can serve as concrete and measurable evidence of your relevant abilities and credentials for the next level in your career. Your superiors can acknowledge the effort you’re making to enhance your work and educate yourself with current resources, as well as expand your expertise in your area of specialization.
- Expanding your professional network – Earning a particular certification provides you with a shared language with other certified professionals in your industry, which can help foster new relationships. You effectively become a member of a community of professionals who have obtained the same credential, which expands your professional network. Whether you attend an industry event, such as a conference, participate in a conversation on an online forum like Engage’s certification communities, or simply chat with a colleague at work, sharing an IT certification not only provides you with the knowledge to exchange with others, but also offers a starting point for conversations. While earning your certification, you will gain a great deal of knowledge, but you may also gain just as much by conversing with your peers about it.
- Achieving professional and personal goals – Achieving goals is often easier said than done, and it can be challenging to stay on track without a practical and realistic plan of action. Pursuing an IT certification provides you with a concrete step towards expanding your industry knowledge, advancing your skill sets, pursuing executive roles, or even transitioning to a new field. This can be particularly helpful when working towards personal goals, such as learning a new topic or honing existing skills. By earning an IT certification, you can demonstrate tangible evidence of your efforts toward achieving your goals. Whether you are looking to further your education or to rededicate yourself to your craft, IT certifications offer practical proof of your commitment to personal growth and development.For your employees,
- Increasing job retention – During times of economic uncertainty, it is crucial to retain essential talent in a business. Investing in employees’ skills and knowledge is mutually beneficial for both the employee and the business’s future. As noted by ISACA Board Director Rob Clyde in an article for Infosecurity, cutting budgets in areas such as training, certifications, and high-impact security tools may be tempting for security leaders. However, this can lead to the loss of security professionals who will remain in high demand, and if not provided with the necessary resources and professional development opportunities to succeed, they may leave for a competitor.
- Accessing partner programs – To qualify for participation in specific partner programs, such as Google Cloud’s Partner Advantage, companies must maintain a certain number of certified employees with their partner organization. Meeting this requirement enables the company to continue receiving the advantages of their partner organization’s services, while also allowing employees to further develop their abilities and knowledge by obtaining and keeping such certifications. Moreover, this extends beyond the employees and organizations to customers and other professionals who interact and conduct business with them.
IT certifications offer a multitude of advantages for individuals, organizations, and industry peers. These include enhanced knowledge, validation, marketability, credibility, and earning potential, as well as access to promotions, a broader network, achievements, job security, and partner programs. Despite these many benefits, some of them are often overlooked. With the ongoing development and improvement of certifications, you have the chance to improve your education, skills, and commitment to your field.
Here at CourseMonster, we know how hard it may be to find the right time and funds for training. We provide effective training programs that enable you to select the training option that best meets the demands of your company.
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