CompTIA certifications are amongst the most popular chosen by students that are starting a new career in the field of IT and remain one of the top choices to help advance the careers of professionals that wish to build upon their skills and knowledge. But is it worth spending valuable hours studying a CompTIA course and undertaking the exam? Is it not just as easy to break into the IT sector by starting at the bottom and working your way up?
A Flooded Market
There is a real concern among entry-level IT hopefuls that, due to the popularity of CompTIA certifications, the IT market has been flooded with professionals that have already attained the skills and knowledge that are on offer. This has created the worry that either the certification has taken a blow to it’s credibility or that a student will not be as sought after, seeing as there will most likely be more than one candidate that is CompTIA certified applying for the same position.
But this is merely a misconception. The fact remains that, due to the number of certifications on offer in fields ranging from networking, security, cloud, mobility and even Linux, the sheer diversity of choice ensures that each field sees it’s share of certified individuals even though some certifications are more popular than others.
Credit for Further Study
It is never a bad idea to further your studies and build even further on your skill set. Certain companies will recognise a CompTIA certification when students take on one of their certification tracks. These include Microsoft, Cisco and Novell. This can give you a welcome head start at gaining yet another qualification to add to your CV, giving your career a boost that can only be attained though applying yourself to your studies and building upon your knowledge base.
The Demand
When applying for an IT position, there is always a list of requirements that must be met for a candidate to even be considered. There is a very good chance that one of those prerequisites will be a CompTIA qualification. It is not only among IT professionals that these certifications are popular, but employers also consider them to be a welcome addition to their organisations.
The fact that you have gained a certification is not a matter of sheer luck. Potential employers will know that you have worked hard to understand the study material and that you have passed the exam by achieving a passing mark. This will give them the peace of mind that you have attained the knowledge and skills that are needed to get the job at hand done efficiently and in a professional matter.
And with good reason. CompTIA is a certification that has been proven to be effective in creating competent employees and excel in creating in-demand IT professionals. This has created a trust in CompTIA that will not easily be broken, lending even more credibility to the longevity of CompTIA’s legacy.
Increased Credibility
Any certification is always a welcome addition to your CV and shows that you are not afraid to work hard to increase your self-worth. When that certification is one that is highly regarded, however, it is sure to help you gain credibility, not only in the recruitment process, but also amongst your peers. This is something that a CompTIA certification will certainly guide you towards. It should, after all, be one of your main goals to establish yourself as an IT professional that is seen as a major asset to your organisation.
Promotional Opportunities
No one aims to do the same menial task day after day, especially when they have dedicated themselves towards a certain career path. Whether you start your career at the very bottom, or are lucky enough to get your foot in the door at a more senior level, you will always be striving to advance even further. Certified professionals have been proven to be considered for promotion before those with no qualification, as it involves less time and money spent on training.
Career advancement may be possible even without a certification, but being certified will certainly speed up the process, as long as you are diligent in your duties and continue to deliver quality work over an extended period of time. Even the most basic CompTIA certification will show that you have a solid foundation of essential knowledge that can be built upon as you progress up the IT ladder.
Career Diversity
Since CompTIA certifications tend to focus more on entry-level skills, it is possible to build a career in your choice of sector. You could, for instance, gain your Network+ certification and, thereafter, branch out into a Security+, Mobility+ or Linux+ certification. Likewise, gaining the A+ certification will ready you to study the Network+ course, even though it is not a prerequisite.
There is so much diversity in the IT field and CompTIA’s certifications will give you a huge range of options when deciding which direction you would like your career to follow. Possible careers that may stem from studying CompTIA courses range from IT Technician, Computer Support Specialist, Cloud Engineer, Business Analyst and Network Administrator to more specialised fields including Mobile Architect, Linux Database Administrator or IT Security and Assurance Manager.
CompTIA provides the perfect starting point from which to launch your IT career. The courses that are available for study are thoroughly informative and aim to empower you with the knowledge that will help you to become a sought after professional. Whichever way you look at it, a CompTIA certification is certainly worthy of it’s trusted and respected reputation.