Top 5 IT certifications for 2011

Technology Staff Editor
Posted by in Technology


An IT certification is one of the best and easiest ways of getting into the IT job market. Though there has been some decline in premium paid for IT certifications there are some specialties that still command good money. As the economy leaves bad times behind and chances of a double dip recession look bleak, IT recruitment will definitely pick up from next year. Here we detail five of the hottest IT certifications for 2011. 1. Microsoft certified technology specialist Microsoft is still the most dominant player in the desktop market. In September 2010, NetMarketShare showed Windows at 91.08% of the global operating system market. Microsoft has seen a renewed interest in its new operating system Windows 7. In July, Windows 7 surpassed Windows vista in global usage and around 20% of Microsoft users have already shifted to Windows 7. Gartner Inc estimates that 250 million PC’s will be migrated to windows 7 over the next few years and also predicted an acute shortfall in qualified IT staffers to handle Windows 7 migration. A MCTS program with a specialization in configuring and deploying Windows 7 can prepare you for these opportunities. 2. VMware Certified Professional Cloud is transforming IT. Virtualization technology is growing with most of the companies but lack of expertise in this field is a cause of worry for majority of them. “Cloud services have a huge potential and the demand for professionals will be equally high in the coming years" says Nitin Khanapurkar, executive director (advisory) KPMG, who works in the domain of cloud computing. Global cloud computing market is expected to be over $121.1 billion by 2015 growing at a CAGR of 26.2%. 3. Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) IT security professionals had an extremely smooth sailing during the bad times. While IT budgets worldwide came down, companies fearing cyber attacks pushed IT security spending up during recession. The market is further expected to grow at over 12% YoY for next 3 years. The Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) has become one of the most important certifications as employers look this as a validation of candidate’s skills for this profession. 4. Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification The number of IT project management related job opportunities has been down lately but because of a restricted supply of the quality job seekers, it is still a candidate driven market. With economy out of recession there will be a strong demand for candidates with awareness of formal tools and techniques of project management. CWJobs.co.uk, a UK job board specializing in IT recruitment has more than 420 IT project manager vacancies listed on their website currently. 5. Network + The only basic certification on our list, but still one of the most important. Every IT professional must know what drives an organization’s IT infrastructure whether it’s Linux, Apple or Windows. Network+ certifies networking technicians with knowledge in the networking domain. It has consistently been a high-in-demand certification in the networking sector. Totaljobs salary checker data shows a healthy increase in average IT Networking salaries signifying a good demand for qualified professionals. Vishal Sagar is a freelance IT consultant.
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  • John Parris
    John Parris
    Just what are people's experiences regarding job advancement in the security field?I might sooner or later want to end up operating in the police force and I am wondering if I should just move directly into that or test the waters with something lower.Has anybody started off in basic security and got working with the authorities?
  • Dotty
    Dotty
    Thanks for the insight.
  • Cindy
    Cindy
    Posts like this brighten up my day. Thanks for taking the time.
  • Cindy
    Cindy
    Posts like this brighten up my day. Thanks for taking the time.
  • Kaylin
    Kaylin
    All posts of this qualtiy from now on
  • Shawn
    Shawn
    Matt you ask a great question. When considering a certificate, which can require time & money to get, ask yourself two things first. 1) Are you deficient in those skills and want to broaden your skill set and 2) Is this an in demand skill in your geographic area? Certifications often tend to be somewhat expensive, so it's not always a good fit to invest in a particular one if there is little chance of acquiring employment in that area. As well, certifications are demonstrations that you are able to perform at a certain level. Sometimes experience and demonstrable knowledge can get you in the door just as easily as having a certification. The less experience you have the more important certifications are and the more experience you have the less important a certification can be. Just spend some time researching what's needed in your area. Spending time and money for a CCNA wouldn't do much to get you employed if the area is a hotbed of Help Desks (like Texas). Similarly you wouldn’t want to spend much time and money on a CISSP unless you are comfortable being a contractor and not as interested in being a full time employee. Employ-ability is going to really depend on what's in demand in your area; what certificates or education is required for those jobs; and what you ultimately feel is a good fit for you. Good Luck.
  • Matthew
    Matthew
    Which certification do not require work or degrees to take? If these certifications are obtained will the person be employable?
  • Cheryl Yeazell
    Cheryl Yeazell
    This is very brief but informative. Would like to know more about how to obtain 2 of these certs.
  • Atta Ullah
    Atta Ullah
    Those who have a money get certifications.
  • Ricardo
    Ricardo
    The article is interesting to me because I have no experience on IT whatsoever.  I concentrated on my MMBA.  After completing my MBS, I realized that I find myself, interested on finding out how I could market myself in the IT industry.  However, I have no experience in the field.  Any advice or suggestions?   I have experience in Project Management and Program Management. Opinions on Certificates? Cost?
  • Bharati_dutta
    Bharati_dutta
    My question is for the author of this article. I am working at a Networking communication management degree. I am looking to get cetified for CCNA. Is CCNA security a better avenue to pursue or if ccna certification is a prerequiste for ccna security.  What are the steps to CSSP certification?
  • Eric R
    Eric R
    The VM Ware tracks are excellent certifications to consider for an IT career. It is emerging technology that still has tremendous upside Web Hosting, Healthcare and Medical Records, Insurance are just a few of the leading industries driving demand for virtualized servers and workspace.
  • Michaeel Lustfield
    Michaeel Lustfield
    I'd say that MSCE is an important MS cert and that CCSP is an incredibly important cert that says you really do know what's going on in the network. LPIC lvl 1 is about the same as MSCE in the Linux world.  I unfortunately haven't had the time or money to get certified in anything worth putting on a resume. I'm planning on changing that soon though.
  • varun
    varun
    Good Article...

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