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There
are myriad ways to improve yourself through education. These ways are not
limited to university degrees and could include correspondence training or
e-learning, and classroom training etc. However, professional certifications
are also a very valuable way of advancing your career, or indeed jump-starting
it. The value of a good IT certification can never be over-emphasized.
But the IT certification world can be a tad confusing if you’re new to it. One
can quickly become overwhelmed with the choices available and not know exactly
what certifications to focus on or start with.
A
good knowledge of some of these certifications can help you make smart
certification choices that can pave the way for a long successful career in IT.
But it is best to keep in mind that the certification path you follow will
largely depend on your career focus or desired path.
NETWORKING
The
Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification is arguably the best way
to start off a career in networking denoting a specialty in routing and
switching. It is also probably the hardest entry-level certification to pass.
It is a mix, because the exam requires a lot of study (theory) and some
hands-on experience. It is also expensive in comparison to other entry-level
certifications. However, the ROI is incomparable with any other entry-level certification.
CCNA is tough, but good. It starts you at 0 level and takes you to the top.
CCNA is a
prerequisite for most high-level networking certifications such as CCNP. As a
matter of fact, you cannot achieve CCNP status unless you have successfully
passed CCNA. Passing it might look like a daunting task but be assured that
most employers look more favorably upon a CCNA certificate than other
relatively easy exams. Thus you have an edge over other job candidates due to
its difficulty and the topics it encompasses. And with a little more hands-on
experience coupled with other available CISCO products, harder exams will be
much easier to handle. Juniper Networks exams also have some good
certifications, and have been working at grabbing a market share. A number of
people will opt for them considering cost and level of difficulty in exams.
This is especially the case if their company is a partner and footing the bill
for their certification. You might want to give them a try if you’re
considering the perks involved in CCNA certification. But if you want a good
ROI, CCNA is the way to go.DATABASES
An
Oracle Certified Associate exam OCA can give you a head start in database
administration. In recent times, passing the Oracle Sql exam has become a
prerequisite for an OCA certification. So a combination of Sql Fundamentals and
OCA is a good way to start. After that, OCP is the sure way to go. Versions are
9i, 10g, and 11g exist, but it is advisable to start with 9i or 10g and
gradually work your way to the new 11g feature since these versions are still
in use.
SECURITY
Organizations
are not about to joke with infrastructure and security whatever be their
mission, goals, products or services. So certificates such as Cisco Certified
Network Associate (CCNA) and Microsoft Certified System Engineer MCSE are in
high demand. CompTIA Security+ is also a good certification for entry-level
security positions. Although CISSP continues to be the gold standard in
security certifications (and it is vendor-neutral), it requires some level of
experience you might not have as a rookie. It is more like a security
certification for mid and senior level management IT security positions. CISSP
is based on Common Body of Knowledge (CBK) and requires you to possess a
minimum of 5 years full-time IT security work experience before you can take
the exam.
The
Certified Information Security Manager CISM is also in high demand but is
basically for those who are looking to grow their careers into mid-level or
senior management positions. Another new and booming field for aspiring
security experts is the Certified Ethical Hacker certification (CEH). The exam
is offered by EC-Council on the Pearson vue platform. This is a good
entry-level certificate path as you can choose either the EC-Council training
course or engage in self-study. It however requires you to have two years of
security experience and sign an agreement not to misuse the knowledge.COMPUTER HARDWARE
If
you’re interested in computer hardware and you’re comfortable around the
cluster and tangle of wires, plus humming circuits, you might want to get
training in that. A lot of people are already in touch with computer software
in their day-to-day use of the computer, but not everybody can wrap their heads
around the hardware part. So formal training in computer hardware is fast
becoming a popular choice. Training could be for your own satisfaction and if
you want to take it a step further, a certification such as CompTIA A+ is the
way to go. In other words if you want to master all things computer hardware,
getting a vendor-neutral A+ certification is your first port of call. Moreover,
this can be done through study without extensive work experience. After
you master A+ solid hardware and support skills, you can find a niche and get
other vendor specific certifications. But for a real jumpstart in your career,
you can’t go wrong with an A+ certification as it encompasses all the basics of
computer maintenance, repair, and troubleshooting.
WIRELESS
Cisco,
Juniper Networks, Aruba Networks and HP all have certifications in wireless
technology but they are all vendor-specific. For a vendor-neutral certification
in wireless LAN, the Certified Wireless Network Administrator (CWNA) from CWNP
is a good way to go.
INTERNET
If
you have interest in internet technology then you might want to go for a
Certified Internet Webmaster (CIW) certification. This covers html, dhtml,
networking, graphics, and internet history.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Organizations
exist and must as a matter of fact thrive under tough economic conditions.
Getting a PMI certification denotes that you have the much needed project
scheduling, budgeting and management skills. As a starting point is it
suggested that you begin with the Certified Associate in Project Management
(CAPM). This will help you gain experience in handling small projects before
you sit for PMI.
VIRTUALIZATION
If
you are interested in the system virtualization field, then you should start
with VCP from VMware. This certification can equip you with the ability to
deploy, maintain and manage virtual infrastructure solutions are in demand in
today's market. It is a great investment in an IT career because of the ROI
which basically sees your salary grow with each certification from VMware.
MICROSOFT
The
list will be incomplete without a mention of any Microsoft exam because most
business environments run windows in their data centers or staff workstations.
So experience with Microsoft products and Windows is a must have. The Microsoft
Technology Associate (MTA) is a good entry point for anyone desiring to enter
the Infotech world. Depending on your goal and proposed career path, you take
the
· MTA IT Infrastructure (If your interest is in desktop or server infrastructure)
· MTA Database (Business Intelligence or data platform administration)
· MTA Development Track( Software development)
LINUX
While
most organizations run windows and look for people with Microsoft experience,
some other organizations run Linux in their environment. So you can stand out
from the crowd by getting a Linux certification. It is
vendor/distribution-neutral. The basic entry-level Linux certification is the
Linux Professional Institute Certificate LPIC. This certifies basic competency
in both basic operating system components and associated administration tools.
Another entry-level vendor/distribution-neutral certification is the CompTIA
Linux+.
Getting
the right training and certification can open many doors for entry-level IT
workers/job-seekers. Both training and certification cost money, so except your
money “grows like weed”, you have to be focused and choose the right
certifications from the 1001 available in order to jump-start your IT career or
land your dream job fast.
