It is very common for the IT professionals of today, both aspirants and seasoned individuals, to have a niggling doubt about whether to study for IT certifications or only rely on real-world experience to find a foothold in the job market and rise up the corporate ladder.
But as we discussed last week when talking about the IT certification vs. work experience debate, ideally candidates should couple their experience with certifications, rather than focus on one and not the other. Below are four more reasons why you should work towards IT certifications instead of relying just on your experience, however extensive it may be.
1. Hiring Managers Like Certificate Holders
According to the findings of the Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) Program Satisfaction Study carried out in 2010, a whopping 91% of the hiring managers interviewed said they looked for certifications in a candidate’s resume. A staggering 80 percent of these managers felt that certified candidates are more efficient and, therefore, better performers. So, the answer to the question whether you should invest your time in studying for an IT certification is actually a no-brainer.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, IT jobs are predicted to grow by more than 20 percent through 2020 in the United States. Hiring managers are now under more pressure than ever to recruit competent individuals. When they are bombarded with hundreds of resumes every day, it is only natural that they would tend to rely on parameters to establish the worth of a candidate. An IT certification is, without a doubt, the standard they are looking for.
Reputable organizations award certificates only after rigorously testing an individual, not only on his knowledge of a product or a skill but also on his ability to apply this knowledge to analyze real-life situations, troubleshoot and make sound decisions. A certificate proves your worth as an employee in a way that is more convincing than simply explaining your skills in an interview, although that’s important too. From a manager’s perspective, there are other reasons for only hiring certified professionals, including client demands.
2. It Makes Your Skills Stand Out Without the Experience
As you know by now, competition is stiff in the IT job market, and with little to no experience you stand very little chance of snagging your spot. For instance, how do you compete against people who have decades of hands-on experience in the industry or compete for an entry-level position with hundreds of applicants? Your IT certification is the only tool you can wield to demonstrate your skills to hiring managers. In fact, it is likely that this piece of paper will earn you a nod of approval from those 91 percent of recruiters who stated their partiality to certifications in the MCP survey.
3. It Demonstrates Your Passion
They say that enthusiasm makes the difference between success and failure. So, how do you convince a hiring manager of your passion for a subject? How do you convince them that you are more willing than anyone else to learn the ropes of this trade? This is difficult and almost impossible to get across if you have to do all the communicating in the virtual realm. With more IT professionals vying for jobs than there are jobs, hiring managers today are in a hurry to sift through the countless resumes that reach their inboxes every day. So, your job of convincing them becomes all the more difficult because you have only a few seconds to grab their attention before they makes their way to the next resume. IT certifications can be game-changers on resumes.
An IT certificate is the most convincing proof of your interest in a skill or product. Why else would you invest time, money and energy into acquiring it? The certificate proves the choice you made—you chose to study for a certificate examination instead of watching TV, spending time on Facebook, or tackling other forms of entertainment in your free time.
4. Certifications Set You Apart From the Rest
You are likely to be convinced of the importance of studying for IT certifications through real-world experience. There is a slight hitch here. Other job hunters and competitors have also realized the importance of these certifications. So, when you enter the job market, you will actually be up against candidates who are similarly decorated. How do you stand out? By virtue of your certifications.
Study the trends in your area of IT specialization and especially those technological developments that are currently ruling the market and prepare yourself to acquire expertise and certification(s) in these. The quality and relevance of your certifications will ultimately increase your worth in the eyes of recruiters.
At a time when job markets in the U.S. economy have not really managed to shrug off their recession-driven stagnancy and look to be remaining stagnant despite a little growth here and there, you need to aggressively market your worth to the prospective employers. Your IT certification will prove your worth and intentions. On the other hand, you cannot afford to rest on your laurels once you attain your dream job. You will need to make yourself indispensable at the workplace by adding to your skills as you acquire experience. Studying for IT certifications will increase your repertoire of skills and your bank of knowledge.
So, it is evident that studying for IT certifications is as important for an IT job aspirant as it is for a professional who boasts years of experience. It does not matter which category you fall under, close that Facebook page and start studying!