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| Importance of IT Certification |
Be it the boom time of the late 90's or the downturn after the
dot-com burst, IT Certification has been an area of constant
growth. In recent times, due to the slowdown in the IT industry,
more and more people have lost their jobs. The requirement for
skills has gone up and to stay above water in such a competitive
environment, an increasing number of people are making efforts
to earn certifications. According to MCP Magazine's annual survey,
following are some of the reasons why people are taking certification
so seriously.
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Skills and Knowledge |
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The most important
benefit of certification is that the
process of certification increases
your skills and your knowledge to a
great extent. Majority (65%) of the
certification holders feel that acquiring
a technical certification has made
them more confident in their jobs and
the work they perform. More than half
(52%) feel that technical certification
has improved their problem-solving
skills on the job, and half of them
feel that their technical certifications
have increased their overall job productivity. |
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Job Security |
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More than three-fourths (79%) of
the professionals having IT Certifications plan to pursue
additional certifications in the coming year. So, despite
the IT market slump, lost jobs, and cut wages, a vast
majority of IT professionals will continue to seek additional
certifications. And the key word is "additional"
- for a typical certification holder already had nearly
4 technical certifications and had been attaining a
new certification every year.
In the face of this down market, why are these certification
holders seeking additional technical certifications? It is
best expressed in two words: job security. In the boom times,
one constantly reviews the rate of growth in salary as a key
personal-success measurement. However, during the down times,
job security is paramount. While the return on investment (ROI)
one receives from a technical certification in terms of salary
increases is always important, the role of the certification
in keeping one's job becomes the crux issue during the down
times.
More than half (59%) of the certification holders said that
they feel more secure in their current jobs due to their certifications.
And more than two-thirds (69%) feel that technical certifications
play at least some role in their job security. |
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Money!! |
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31% of the certification
holders received a job promotion
within the first year of receiving
their primary technical certification.
One can argue whether a technical
certification plays such a major
role in receiving such promotions,
yet 92% of the certification holders
who did receive promotions feel that
their primary certification played
a significant role in that promotion.
Nearly half (43%) of the certification holders surveyed, received
a salary raise within the first year of receiving their primary
certification. 80% of certification holders feel that their
raise was significantly due to their certification. The average
certification holder who did receive a raise within the first
year of earning a primary certification realized a healthy
19% increase. The average certification holder realized a 7% raise within the first year of receiving a primary certification.
The average certification generated a $3,487 increase in salary.
Another economic factor that certification holders consider
is Return On Investment (ROI). ROI from certification is integrally
tied to the cost of the certification. In 2002, the average
technical certification cost $1,100 and generated a $3,487 increase in salary. That is, the average certification provides
a 3.2-to-1 ROI. That is, for every dollar invested in a certification,
the certification holder realizes a $3.2 return in the form
of a pay raise. |
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Respect |
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Another most important
non-economic aspect of certification
is on-the-job respect. 58% of the certification
holders surveyed, feel that they get
more respect from managers and colleagues
due to their technical certifications |
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Career Opportunities |
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Despite the IT
downturn, and relative job scarcity,
certification holders jumped companies
after acquiring certifications in
their desired fields. 16% (lowest
till now) of the certification holders
jumped companies within 6 months
of receiving their primary certification. |
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Entry |
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Whether you're
new to the IT industry or a seasoned
professional, IT Certification makes
you more marketable and gives you
the credentials to land your dream
job. It is extremely difficult these
days to enter your chosen field without
the relevant degrees and work experience.
It is a catch-22 problem "you
can't get the job if you don't have
the experience and you can't get
the experience if you don't have
a job. " Certification is one
of the most powerful ways to break
this cycle and get an entry into
the field of your choice. An ever-increasing
number of people are using certification
as a tool for solving the problem
of getting an entry in their desired
fields. |
Note: All the figures in this article
have been taken from the survey conducted by
CertMag Certification Magazine. |
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