Careers in informational technology are extremely popular, and just as extremely well paid. In fact, millions of people worldwide have found interest in the IT career field, even if they don’t necessarily have the right educational background or the proper college degree, or even prior experience. What’s more, plenty of startup companies that handle IT-related business are founded by people who have never done anything in the field their whole life.
But can you really succeed in an IT career without a degree or prior experience? Well, yes, but you will have to do some legwork to compete with the other professionals who do have both the experience and the credentials. For instance, if you want businesses to take you seriously as an IT career professional, you will need the proper certifications.
Importance of IT career credentials
In this guide, we will go over the importance of certifications for anyone who is wanting to pursue an IT career . We will also provide you with a list of some of the best IT career specific certificates you will need to progress in the field.
What Are Certifications?
If an individual wants to verify their competence to do a job, or their legitimacy in their choice of career, they will get a certification. Put simply, a certification is a document affirming that the person who owns it has the set of credentials needed for the job. Certification is similar to licensure, but with one key difference. Licenses are usually required by law and you acquire them via a state agency.
Why Are Certifications Important?
Having proper certification in an IT career field is key to your eventual growth and success. In fact, there are quite a few benefits that come with owning certification, and we’ll list a few of them below.
Hiring Advantage
The tech field is fiercely competitive. Literally thousands of people will want the same positions you’re aiming for. So, the best way for the hiring manager to pick you over the others is the proper certification. Sometimes, a small certificate in a certain field can be the deciding factor between two candidates with the same basic skill level and experience.
A Surefire Method for Promotion
Once you have the job, you might retain it simply as is, but if you’re ambitious and want to move up the corporate ladder, then you will require further certification. In other words, by getting certified for working with cutting-edge tech and business practices, you will definitely receive a promotion. To put it simply, you will want to get different certifications throughout your working IT career if you want to progress.
Retaining the Job
If the current COVID-19 pandemic has shown us anything, it’s that anything can disrupt an economy, and that no jobs are safe from widespread negative impact. So, if something were to happen to an IT company, it would cut costs and layoffs would follow. If you don’t want to end up as a casualty of such cuts, you will need something that will convince the company to keep you with them. Proper certification can be your lifeboat in such a situation. Furthermore, you will want to gain additional certificates just to be on the safe side.
Professional Credibility
Aside from earning more money and getting promotions, a certification will get you your much-needed professional credibility. For example, if you have a suggestion or a critique regarding a certain project, few higher-ups will take you seriously unless you have the necessary background. Experts from all walks of life have relevant documents that confirm their expertise. And, certifications are definitely a part of that.
Lots of Networking Opportunities
As is the case with any job, you will need to network quite a bit in an IT career. When you have proper certification, you will rub shoulders with some of the best and highest-ranked experts in your field. That will be an excellent opportunity to learn new info and acquire new skills to help you progress. But more importantly, you will create a network of important colleagues and individuals that can help you professionally, if the need arises. Furthermore, they can recommend you for higher positions within the company or vouch for you if you seek new employment.
Salary Rise
Employees with proper certification will earn promotions quicker than those without in IT career fields, and their salaries will see a significant boost. So, if your aim is to earn more, do some research into your senior colleagues and other industry experts. Take a list of the number of certifications they have and make it a point to get some certificates yourself. A CEO will always value the workers with a willingness to progress. So, the more certifications you have, the higher your chances of getting a raise.
Professional and Personal Development
Of course, not everything in an IT career is about money and positions. Sometimes, creative and ambitious people simply want to grow and perfect their skills. In that regard, certification is the best kind of goal. Firstly, you get to work hard on something that will get you tangible results within the industry. Next, you get the validation that your hard work has paid off. Finally, as we stated earlier, certification will earn you respect, both with your peers and your underlings.
The Top Cloud Computing Certifications for an IT career
Now that you know about all of the benefits of getting certification, it’s time to figure out what type you’ll need for your IT career. Cloud computing, for example, is a huge field with a lot of experts still in demand. But what are the best cloud computing certifications today, and how can you acquire them?
Well, according to the 2021 trends in cloud computing, the certifications you will want to look into are as follows:
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CompTIA Cloud+
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Google Professional Cloud DevOps Engineer
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Certified Cloud Security Professional or CCSP
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Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate
Each of these certifications is guaranteed to pay well in the long run, with median salaries moving into hundreds of thousands of dollars. However, we advise that you don’t pursue a cloud certification just because it pays well on paper. Rather, go after the one which will help you develop professionally. You are guaranteed to earn even more than the median if your certification matches your current skills and aspirations.
The Bottom Line
As you can see, certification will definitely benefit you no matter what aspect of an IT career field you aspire to grow in. Of course, there are plenty of certification options out there. So, let this article serve as a good jumping-off point. We strongly advise that you do additional research until you find the certification that fits your own professional development goals the best.
