The Information Technology industry can be an extremely tough area to get in to. Many of the high paid jobs in this particular field need advanced technical understanding and more importantly, consistent experience with the enormous assortment of Hardware and Software along with their implementation within a live production network.
The level of practical experience necessary to drive your I.T career forward can be a challenging thing to come by and definitely will require effort and commitment over a long period of time. Each and every I.T specialist will advise you that the learning never halts and I.T is a non-stop which will keep you aligned to most up-to-date technological developments.
So how do you obtain working experience on I.T systems? And exactly how do you prove to your management that you're competent at managing multi-million pound computer networks as well as computer systems where accessibility is the difference between profit and loss? The perfect solution for many newcomers to the I.T sector will come in the shape of I.T certifications and for the remainder of this informative article I'll be centering on the main advantages of pursuing vendor specific I.T Certifications.
I am a self-employed I.T contractor and have worked within the I.T industry for nearly A decade; during this time period I have studied and passed several I.T exams from vendors including Microsoft, Cisco, CompTIA and (ISC) . I.T is my sincere belief that obtaining these qualifications has hastened my career development and permitted me to work in a larger market. Now I am not saying that all you have to do is complete a test and you will get your perfect job because you almost certainly will not; I.T will take time and planning to build a prosperous career in I.T and getting certified is an excellent start. Directly below is my top 4 reasons on why it is beneficial to gain recognised I.T certifications.
1. Company Policy - Most large corps (the kind that you need to be planning to work for) have set in stone regulations that all of their I.T work force will need to have baseline certifications to be able to commence employment. If you do not satisfy these requirements you will not even be selected for interview.
2. Product Exposure - Well known certifications are based around day to day administration or use of the products they govern. Carrying a certification in that industry instantly shows your future employer that you are product aware and capable. Admittedly it does not show your practical knowledge but it does provide evidence of some product exposure.
3. Skill set Identification - The majority of I.T certification tracks vary from entry level through to expert. The level of certification you hold clearly identifies your technical knowledge and comprehension. The levels of your certifications are usually a significant component on determining your job role, responsibilities and income. It is also worth mentioning at this point that competition for jobs is as high as I have ever seen. That one certification maybe all it takes to set you apart from the rest of the competing job seekers.
4. Bonus Incentives - Many businesses operate a system whereby successful completion of certifications will entitle you to some kind of reward, be it monetary or otherwise.
While I cannot stress the value of I.T certifications enough, it is your own experience that will ultimately get you the job. In my opinion, working experience beats paper certifications every time. But if you are new to the industry and have little real life experience, certifications are your only option. The best piece of advice you can possibly get is to start small. Time and time again you hear of overqualified applicants with little or no real world experience. Obtain certifications to suit your degree of experience .
The level of practical experience necessary to drive your I.T career forward can be a challenging thing to come by and definitely will require effort and commitment over a long period of time. Each and every I.T specialist will advise you that the learning never halts and I.T is a non-stop which will keep you aligned to most up-to-date technological developments.
So how do you obtain working experience on I.T systems? And exactly how do you prove to your management that you're competent at managing multi-million pound computer networks as well as computer systems where accessibility is the difference between profit and loss? The perfect solution for many newcomers to the I.T sector will come in the shape of I.T certifications and for the remainder of this informative article I'll be centering on the main advantages of pursuing vendor specific I.T Certifications.
I am a self-employed I.T contractor and have worked within the I.T industry for nearly A decade; during this time period I have studied and passed several I.T exams from vendors including Microsoft, Cisco, CompTIA and (ISC) . I.T is my sincere belief that obtaining these qualifications has hastened my career development and permitted me to work in a larger market. Now I am not saying that all you have to do is complete a test and you will get your perfect job because you almost certainly will not; I.T will take time and planning to build a prosperous career in I.T and getting certified is an excellent start. Directly below is my top 4 reasons on why it is beneficial to gain recognised I.T certifications.
1. Company Policy - Most large corps (the kind that you need to be planning to work for) have set in stone regulations that all of their I.T work force will need to have baseline certifications to be able to commence employment. If you do not satisfy these requirements you will not even be selected for interview.
2. Product Exposure - Well known certifications are based around day to day administration or use of the products they govern. Carrying a certification in that industry instantly shows your future employer that you are product aware and capable. Admittedly it does not show your practical knowledge but it does provide evidence of some product exposure.
3. Skill set Identification - The majority of I.T certification tracks vary from entry level through to expert. The level of certification you hold clearly identifies your technical knowledge and comprehension. The levels of your certifications are usually a significant component on determining your job role, responsibilities and income. It is also worth mentioning at this point that competition for jobs is as high as I have ever seen. That one certification maybe all it takes to set you apart from the rest of the competing job seekers.
4. Bonus Incentives - Many businesses operate a system whereby successful completion of certifications will entitle you to some kind of reward, be it monetary or otherwise.
While I cannot stress the value of I.T certifications enough, it is your own experience that will ultimately get you the job. In my opinion, working experience beats paper certifications every time. But if you are new to the industry and have little real life experience, certifications are your only option. The best piece of advice you can possibly get is to start small. Time and time again you hear of overqualified applicants with little or no real world experience. Obtain certifications to suit your degree of experience .
About the Author:
IT Certs is an online store specialising in IT Certifications and study guides. Find the best CCNA books and get certified today. If you are interested in Virtualisation, view our range of VMware books now!