The start of a new year presents so much potential to reinvent and renew oneself. There is no better time to rededicate yourself to your career than the blank slate the beginning of the year offers.
For professionals in digital trust fields such as IT audit, risk management, information and cyber security, privacy and IT governance, performance-enhancing and career-advancing certifications are tangible achievements that have a very real impact on your career. Obtaining an IT certification is a great way to validate your knowledge, increase your marketability, enhance your credibility, increase your earning power and improve your professional reputation.
Here are five reasons to make 2023 the year to pursue a certification:
- Validation of Knowledge
You know what you know—but how can you quickly explain your specialized knowledge to a peer, coworker, employer or interviewer? An IT certification is an effective way to validate your knowledge that others can recognize. With just a glance at the abbreviations following your name in an email signature, on a LinkedIn profile or on a job application, industry professionals can identify your specializations and recognize the hard work and dedication it takes to earn those certifications.
Leading industry certifications are not credentials that just anyone can earn. Certifications require much learning, studying and preparation in order to pass the exam that proves your necessary skills and proficiency. IT certification programs and trainings can help you branch out and cover new technical areas while simultaneously reinforcing skills you have already mastered. IT certifications demonstrate specific competencies in certain fields of technology and focus on developing the core skills needed for a job.
As Naomi Buckwalter, director of product security at Contrast Security, advises cybersecurity professionals for 2023, “Get back to basics! Have a renewed focus on the fundamentals of cybersecurity, such as asset management, configuration management, change management, and identity and access management.”
- Increased Marketability
Just as they validate your knowledge, certifications also increase your marketability to employers. For in-demand cybersecurity professionals, certifications can make your CV stand out against other applicants who are seeking the same jobs without relevant credentials. Not only do IT certifications demonstrate your specialized knowledge, skills and experience, but they also illustrate your dedication to preparing for, taking and passing certification exams. This commitment to learning and succeeding can then be transferred to your role.
Once you have been hired, IT certifications continue to provide your employers with the peace of mind knowing that you are capable and qualified for your position. Because certifications tend to be more specialized than broader IT degrees, employers will not have to worry as much about filling you in on topics that were not covered in your degree program. Certifications have a clear outline of the materials they cover, so industry employers will be well aware of what you already know.
- Enhanced Credibility
Earning credentials from reputable and respected organizations in the industry gives credibility to your knowledge and skills. When your skills are validated from trustworthy sources, peers and employers in the industry know that you are a credible source of specialized knowledge. As the skills gap continues to impact businesses in critical areas like cloud, data science and cybersecurity, organizations seek out those professionals with reputable credentials that validate their experience and capability. As you continue to earn certifications and credentials, and as you continue to learn more about your area of expertise, your coworkers and peers will recognize the value of your input, opinions and work.
Because obtaining IT certifications validates your knowledge and enhances your credibility, your reputation will also be strengthened. Staying up to date with the latest knowledge and trends is crucial in digital trust fields where the business landscape is constantly changing. Certifications help to keep your understanding of industry practices up to date, but it is also important to keep your skills sharp by applying what you have learned to your professional life. Doing so will not only improve your daily work, but it will also alert peers, coworkers and employers to your capabilities and expertise. They can feel secure in the contributions you make to the organization and industry space.
- Increased Earning Power
Obtaining an IT certification can increase your earning power in several ways, not just by increasing your salary. IT certifications can bump your status, job title and even pay grade. They can help you qualify for a job with a higher salary, and they can expand professional possibilities by opening up more job opportunities for which IT certifications are a requirement. Because of this, many digital trust professionals seek to earn these certifications and credentials proactively so that they can take advantage of management positions as they become available. Additionally, many companies will pay a bonus for preferred certifications for specific positions.
For example, progressing in IT audit and information security can be more challenging without the help of certifications like ISACA’s Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) and Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) credentials. Higher-level positions in information security governance, program development, and program, incident, and risk management benefit from the credibility and confidence CISM-holders provide. Entry-level to mid-career professionals benefit from CISA by developing the ability to apply a risk-based approach to planning, executing and reporting on audit engagements. According to the results of Skillsoft’s annual “IT Skills and Salary” survey, CISM is ranked number two on the list of the 15 top-paying IT certifications of 2022, and CISA is ranked number 11. And according to ISACA, the worldwide average salary of both CISM and CISA holders is US$149,000+.
- Keep Pace with Technology
It is essential to continue learning to stay aware of the way the industry is evolving in order to retain credibility. At the rapid rate the tech landscape is changing, IT certifications offer an educational method of staying abreast with the latest technologies, frameworks, best practices and industry insights because leading IT certifications programs are regularly refreshed to reflect the current business landscape. Earning relevant and up-to-date IT certifications enables you to remain well versed and knowledgeable about the latest developments and best practices in your focus area, which is increasingly important in an era when the business landscape is evolving at an unprecedented pace.
“Stay up to date on the latest threats and trends in the cybersecurity landscape, and continuously educate yourself on new technologies and best practices,” Buckwalter advises.
2023 is the perfect time to pursue IT certifications, whether you are looking for advanced certifications, entry-level credentials or foundational certificates. In this age of rapid digital transformation and development, educational resources like IT certification programs and online training are the perfect way to stay up to date with the latest industry trends and advancements. Certifications are the keys to unlocking new opportunities, and there is no time like the present to start opening as many doors for yourself as you can.