CERTIFICATIONS/EXPERIENCE

Certifications
Certifications are a crucial stepping stone for almost any IT career. According to a CompTIA survey of IT hiring managers, 64 percent indicated that they value certifications and regard certified professionals as candidates with a high or very-high degree of expertise. In a recent report from Network World, 60 percent of the IT networking pros surveyed said "certifications led directly to a new job." Clearly, certifications are resume worthy, but are they the end-all be-all?

While screening resumes, many hiring managers place a great weight on having relevant certifications to move ahead in the interview process. At TrainSignal, we look at certifications to see how up-to-date your skills are. Current certificates are a clear indication that you have put in the time and effort to master the technical skills needed for a particular position.

Beyond giving employers a way to rate your base knowledge, certifications show a personal commitment to learning, a key quality for any IT professional. In an industry that is constantly advancing, the most valuable employee is one who shows a willingness to continue growing and adapting to a quickly-evolving workplace.

Degrees
Certificates may show expertise in highly targeted technical areas, but a degree at the undergraduate or graduate level is a sign of accomplishment and dedication that is universally accepted. A college degree also exposes students to a variety of disciplines and perspectives, helping to develop business acumen and analytical skills. Many already have these degrees before even entering the IT field. But if you don’t, don’t feel trapped! Lacking a degree is not a deal breaker, as long as you have certifications and work experience in your back pocket.

In today’s IT job market, the fear of not having a degree is becoming less warranted. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, only 56% of employers expressed satisfaction with colleges’ abilities to prepare students for success in the workplace. In fact, many of the people who have turned to TrainSignal to boost their IT skills have come to us after finding that a traditional liberal arts degree wasn't sufficient to get them where they wanted. Chances are if you have relevant, up-to-date experience and technical skills, you’re going to be in high-demand with employers, whether you learned these skills from a degree program or in training courses for certifications.

Ultimately, it helps to consider where you’d like to end up in your career. Many colleges and universities are embracing the fast-paced technology domain with the launch of specialized IT courses & degrees based on popular career paths. If you are interested in a managerial position, MBA programs will help you build the leadership skills and personal networks important for those types of roles.

Then again, I founded my company with just a college degree and have found that leadership is best learned through experience.