When you’re in the technology field, it can be hard to know which certifications to choose. That’s because technology is insanely complicated and the choices for classes to take and certifications to achieve are myriad. Choosing the right certification takes a crystal ball so you won’t end up with a useless piece of paper down the road, but instead will be able to use the credentials to land a better job or promotion. Fortunately, we have a few suggestions for what to study that will give you real ROI in the coming years.
Top IT Certifications in 2020
IT certifications can help you if you have 10-months of experience or 10-years. Careers in IT are constantly evolving simply because the technology we use is constantly changing. So, you must weight today’s certification against its possible relevance tomorrow. In 2020, we think these certifications will hold up down the road:
- Agile or Scrum Master
- Security
- Networking
- Cloud provider
Each of these certification areas offers entry to senior-level studies and task-specific designations. For example, if you are new to the field, consider:
- CompTIA certifications, which cover best practices in networking, operations, security, and mobile.
- A Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert certification proves you have the chops around server management, data, storage, private clouds, networking, or other skills.
- Microsoft Office Specialists are certified in Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, SharePoint, OneNote, Access, and Exchange.
Some of the mid-level credentialing that can help take your career to the next level include:
- Oracle Certified Professional is a good certification to have after you’ve experienced the technology basics. Oracle has several different certifications, from database administration, and database application development, to big data and data warehousing.
- If you’re a mid-level developer you may consider a Microsoft Certified Solution Developer certification. It’s an important designation if you want to be a .NET developer on Windows products.
- A Cisco Certified Network Associate is a mid-level credentialing specializing in a number of areas, from cloud, data center, IoT, security, and networking. The step-up from this certification is the Cisco Certified Network Professional.
- Cybersecurity is hot, and the Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) is the cornerstone of an important focus that will be highly attractive to potential employers.
- There is even the Certified Ethical Hacker credential. This is for “white hat” security penetration testers that specialize in probing and trying to infiltrate security software and hardware.
If you’ve been in analytics, or have an interest in big data, these certifications may interest you next year:
- SAP Certified Technology Associate (SAP HANA 2.0). This certification qualifies you to install, manage. Migrate data, and troubleshoot SAP database technology.
- CCIE Data Center is a Cisco certification that shows your expertise in the planning and operation of very complex data center networks.
If you’ve been in the IT field for a while, there are dozens of credentials that can add to your expertise. These all great resume builders that can help you make a change into a new role in 2020. For example:
- The Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) is a high-end designation for IT professionals qualified to create, build, and manage security programs for networks. To even qualify for this certification you must have five years in information security and three as an IT security management.
In 2020, these certifications will matter more than ever. Talk to the team at Blackstone to find out which employers are looking for these kinds of credentials. We have the jobs that will propel your career forward this year. Call us today.