IT jobs deal with technical procedures or software that requires a specialty, so becoming certified in a specialized area demonstrates to employers that you have the distinct skill set needed to succeed in that role. An IT certification is a terrific way to build and showcase your technical skills on a resume as you work to break into the field. It also helps to provide a quick sight validation of your technical knowledge, skill or proficiency, to hiring managers and staffing members and can prove useful as you aim to further your career path.
In the near future large companies will invest millions of dollars — and some more than a billion dollars — to transform their business into a digital environment. Given that, top specialized engineering talent can be anywhere from three to ten times more productive than the average engineer. A survey conducted by the consulting firm Global Business Solutions found that the most productive positions were those that were remote and only required a high level professional with experience. For example, a software architect in India who had a specialized IT certification and worked remotely in the US would be able to build a new product within weeks, rather than years. As a result, companies are hiring engineers who are able to prove their knowledge in a competitive yet growing industry, and these engineers are not just able, they’re willing. That’s why we have chosen only the most relevant certifications that will enable you to learn, stay current and apply unique expertise in a modern technological transition.
Also read: Top Tech Job Opportunities You Should Know About
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Top IT Certifications to Get Now
Here are the best IT certifications to consider if you are looking to boost your IT credentials with the digital enterprise space.
VMware Certified Professional – Data Center Virtualization
VCP-DCV Certification validates candidate skills to manage, implement, and troubleshoot a vSphere infrastructure, using best practices to provide a flexible, powerful, and secure foundation for business agility that can accelerate the transformation to cloud computing.
This certification ranks highly, given VMware’s ability to help organizations improve experiences, streamline operations and workflows, and transition to digital environments.
To obtain this certificate, VMware requires candidates to attend at least one course offered by an authorized training provider. In addition to attending, candidates should have at least six months of experience working with the latest version of vSphere, VMware’s server virtualization software.
On average VCP-DCV certified professional salary is $132,947.
CISA – Certified Information Systems Auditor
CISA is the global standard for professionals who have a career in information systems, in particular, auditing, control, and security. CISA professionals demonstrate to employers that they have technical skills, knowledge, and proficiency to meet the dynamic challenges facing organizations. The CISA exam lasts four hours and consists of 150 multiple-choice questions. The exam tests candidates’ knowledge of five job practice domains.
CISA candidates must have a minimum of five years of professional experience in information systems auditing, control, or security. There are several work experience substitutions and waivers up to a maximum of three years that candidates can satisfy.
Candidates also are required to undertake 20 hours of training per year and a minimum of 120 hours in a three-year period.
On average CISA certified professional salary is $134,460
Nutanix Certified Professional – Multicloud Infrastructures
NCP-MCI certification confirms your ability to administer the Nutanix Enterprise Cloud Platform and successfully manage and deploy Nutanix products in your organization.
Professionals with this certification are able to deploy and administer Nutanix AOS nodes, blocks, and clusters, and can use Prism Element to monitor, manage, troubleshoot, and administer AHV hosts and virtual machines.
Once you have achieved the CNP-MCI certification, it will remain valid until Nutanix releases the next major version of the certification.
When you earn NCP-MCI certification you join an exclusive community of Nutanix certified personnel and earn more tangible benefits, including:
• Use of the NCP-MCI logo
• NCP-MCI Digital Badge from Credly/Acclaim
• Access to the Nutanix Certification store
• Discounts on Nutanix events
• Early access to educational programs
On average an NCP-MCI certified professional salary is $142,810.
PMP – Project Management Professional
One of the world’s leading project management certifications is the Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification, which proves leadership experience in projects and expertise in any way of working.
The PMP certification is designed by project professionals, for project professionals and validates that you are among the best, highly skilled in:
- People: Emphasizing the soft skills you need to effectively lead a project team in today’s changing environment.
- Process: Reinforcing the technical aspects of successfully managing projects.
- Business Environment: Highlighting the connection between projects and organizational strategy.
PMP is ranked as the top project management certification in North America because it demonstrates you have the specific skills employers seek, dedication to excellence, and the capacity to perform at the highest levels.
On average a PMP certified professional salary is $148,906.
CISM – Certified Information Security Manager
Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) certification denotes expertise in information security governance, program development and management, incident management, and risk management. It confirms a high level of technical competence and qualification for leadership and management roles.
CISM validates your ability as a professional to manage, design, and assess an enterprise’s information security. To be certified, you will need at least five years of paid, relevant work experience in two or more of the eight domains of the CISSP Common Body of Knowledge.
On average a CISM certified professional salary is $149,246.
CISSP – Certified Information Systems Security Professional
CISSP certification denotes expertise in cybersecurity and years of experience. Earning the CISSP certification has been compared to earning a master’s degree in IT security.
To be certified you will also need at least five years of paid, relevant work experience in two or more of the eight domains of the CISSP Common Body of Knowledge.
With this certification, you can land jobs as Chief Information Security Officer, Security Manager, IT Director/Manager within others.
On average a CISSP certified professional salary is $151,853.
CRISC – Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control
CRISC certification is an enterprise risk management qualification, praised by professionals looking to build upon their existing knowledge and experience identifying and implementing information system controls and knowledge on IT/Business risk.
This learning path is for you if you are interested in becoming one of the following:
•IT professionals
•Risk professionals
•Control professionals
•Business analysts
•Project managers
Due to their ability to both provide greater value to organizations and perform risk management tasks more efficiently, CRISC holders advance their careers by securing new jobs, attaining more senior positions, and securing higher salaries than their peers.
On average a CRISC certified professional salary is $151,995.
AWS Certified Solutions Architect
Since almost every industry has incorporated cloud services into their business, workloads are being transferred to the cloud. AWS certification promises better career opportunities, offering education in cloud technology trends and access to ongoing updates. This certification validates the in-depth understanding of AWS cloud technologies and is particularly suitable for:
· Developers
· PMP’s
· DevOps pros
· Administrators
· Cloud solution architects
You will need some knowledge of AWS cloud so theAWS Certified Cloud Practitioner is recommended before taking this certification.
On average, an AWS Solutions Architect salary at an Associate level is $159,033.
Take the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate Practice Test
Google Certified Professional (GCP) Cloud Architect
A GCP Cloud Architect certification shows that you have the skills to design, develop, and manage a secure, scalable cloud architecture using GCP technologies. You will be able to design and plan a cloud solution structure that is scalable, reliable, fault-tolerant, and suited for several use cases, including financial services, gaming, IoT, autonomous vehicles, and much more. The certification also offers skills in designing robust security architectures that limit access to networks and data IAM, ACLs, encryption keys types.
The GCP exam takes around two hours to complete, it costs $200, and can be taken online or at a local testing center. Google recommends at least two-three years of industry experience, including at least one year of designing and managing solutions using GCP for anyone wanting to take the GCP certification exam.
On average, a GCP Cloud Architect salary averages at $169,029.
Take the GCP Cloud Architect Practice Test
Google Certified Professional Data Engineer
As a Professional Data Engineer, you are responsible for making data-driven decisions by collecting, transforming, and publishing data. An engineer should also be able to leverage, deploy, and continuously train pre-existing machine learning models.
Data engineering is a profession that it’s constantly growing and is currently one of the most in-demand disciplines in the industry. This year, the Google Cloud Certified Professional Data Engineer certification is associated with the highest paying salary in IT. You must be self-directed and comfortable supporting the data needs of multiple teams, systems, and products. You will get to optimize or even redesign an organization’s data architecture to support their next generation of products and data initiatives.
On average, a GCP Professional Data Engineer salary averages at $171,749.
Take the Google Certified Professional Data Engineer Practice Test
Choosing an IT Certification
Now is time to do your homework, figure out your career path, and get ready to pursue it. Some in-demand certifications might change over time, but this list gives you a direct insight into the professions that will lock in the most value and compensation in the market for the upcoming years.
Read next: Best DevOps Certifications to Have Now
