by Makoy

Created on: May 22, 2009   Last Updated: May 24, 2009

In contrast to the traditional college degrees and diplomas, IT certifications offers numerous benefits. It is a more appropriate gauge for one's competence in a certain field. It bolsters resumes, helps in getting higher salaries, and assists in job retention. Having an IT certification is a guarantee of one's specific skill, unlike the usual degree where the skill and knowledge is too general. Generally, being certified puts one at the advantage both career-wise and personally. Here are some reasons why people should get certified.

1.) Earn more money. Certified personnel earn more money than their non-certified counterparts. Survey has shown that 43% of individuals got a raise when they got certified.

2.) Advantages over non-certified personnel. The trend has shifted to certifications than mere college diplomas and licenses. Industries hire certified personnel because of one thing: their specific knowledge of a particular field. In this way, certified personnel are more likely to be accepted than non-certified ones. At the same time, employers can tell how serious one is in his/her career if he/she is certified since that shows that one has put some extra effort, time, and even money for further career advancement.

3.) Strengthening one's weaknesses. IT certification programs are specific and that means they only tackle one particular field. Certification programs and examinations are designed for one to become proficient in not just a part but all aspects of the program. Cisco's certification program focuses mainly on networking and communication while Microsoft's certification program focuses more on the software side. Though it is not wide compared to a general college degree program, the depth of certification programs is what employers are looking for and gives one an edge and guarantee of competence.

4.) More career opportunities. Today's world relies much on technology for convenience and speed. And the fact of the matter, technologies are bound to failures and shut downs. Because of the depth of knowledge and skill, certified individuals are becoming so highly in demand especially for large industries.

5.) Boosting one's self-esteem. Simply put, becoming certified is not that easy. Certification examinations are designed to really prove one's competence and are based on real time scenarios. Passing the examination and getting certified is one of the greatest highlights in one's career.

6.) Access to valuable resources. Different industries give different certification programs and they give access to information. They give an avenue of interaction between different students and certified personnel and it is a good source of learning new things and getting updated whether regarding the latest product and technology or learning new ways and tricks on how to do things. These companies have online forums where people/members interact.

7.) Possibly getting it for free. Many companies let their employees/personnel get into a certification program for free because of the value that it could possibly give to the organization. Simply put, the biggest advantage? Getting it for free. Certification normally comes with a price and that doesn't include the examination yet. Having it subsidized by the company is a great opportunity for a career advancement, learning something new, and getting certified.

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