Running Head: PURPOSE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT) CERTIFICATION 1

Purpose of Information Technology (IT) Certification

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Institution
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Purpose of Information Technology (IT) Certification

Introduction

Information Technology (IT) certifications not only educate, but also validates the

competencies of an individual in the IT profession. The field of IT is highly dynamic, owing to

the rapid innovations and technological advancements. The evolution of the industry, results in

the development of new types of certification that are based on the technological advancements

and innovations. IT certifications can mostly be obtained through education or experience as a

well as a specific assessment on certain skills and knowledge. In most scenarios, the assessments

are usually specific to a given vendor in the field of Information and Technology. The job market

is increasing becoming competitive, as more colleges and university have the capability of

offering IT related degree programs. However, partaking in IT certification can be important for

individuals as it will provide them with a competitive advantage, especially when searching for

jobs, or looking forward to start an IT company. The paper will discuss the purpose of IT

certifications, and how employers can utilize them to review the skills of a prospective employee

in the organization.

The Purpose of IT certification

IT certifications tend to provide credibility, especially to individuals who are starting

their careers in the IT field. The main reason for this is that by having these IT certifications,

they mainly serve as a proof or testament to the specific set of skills and proficiency of a person

in the field. As mentioned earlier, most of the IT certifications are specific to certain vendors. In

this, when an individual has a VMware certification, it mainly tells the hiring managers and

clients that a person has the relevant skills and knowledge required in the creation, management
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and maintenance of a cloud environment (Tittel, 2019). When the IT certifications are coupled

with specific work experience or degree, the certifications communicate to the managers and

clients that the candidate is a prime target to the organization. Such means that they have the

required competencies and skills to handle the demands and expectations that are required in the

different roles and responsibilities that are required to perform.

IT certifications also improve the marketability of an individual. According to WetFeet

(2009), it was projected that there will be stiff competition in entry-level jobs around the world.

Such is despite the fact that many opportunities have still not been exploited in this field. Owing

to the fact that competition on the entry-level jobs is on the increase, it is imperative that job-

seekers differentiate themselves. One way this can be done, is through acquiring certification

from various vendors in the IT field. There are some IT certifications which are very important

for the type of career a person is looking for, in an organization. Through the different IT

certifications, job seekers may have their skills learned in school to be validated. Validation of

these skills through certification is important since the fresh graduates may not have the

necessary experience that might be demanded in a given field.

There are certain certifications that are appropriate for such beginners, such as the Cisco

CCNA and the Oracle Certified Java Programmer (WetFeet, 2009). However, it is important to

note that IT certifications are not only useful to entry-level job seekers, but are relevant,

regardless of the career level. IT certifications will mostly give a person an edge over those non-

certified IT professionals. The main reason for this is that the IT certifications show the

employers that the employee is committed in the IT field. As such, they may consider this as a

good sign, towards retaining the person with these skills in the organization. Certifications also

offer the IT entrepreneurs some marketing advantages as they will be able to win the trust of the
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clients. Clients of certain IT products always demand a person with good skills, and IT

certifications can be one of the stepping stones to acquire this trust from the clients (Abazi &

Hajrizi, 2018). By looking at the IT certification, prospective employers can be able to determine

whether the skill sets, acquired from the certifications are important and suitable to the

organization. Such ensures that prospective employees are matched to roles and responsibilities

that they can effectively perform, hence improving the productivity and efficiency of the

organization.

As mentioned earlier, the IT field is highly dynamic. The main reason for this is that new

technologies are always been released and introduced to market regularly. Getting IT

certifications will therefore ensure that a person acquires personal and professional development,

by being updated with the current trends in the IT field (Abazi & Hajrizi, 2018). Certification

training can help a person to uncover new areas, while at the same time, strengthening the skills

that they already have. On the other hand, certifications can help a person to build networks with

other professionals in the job. The main reason for this is that the certifications are mainly

conducted in study groups, which can offer a perfect meeting place with other like-minded

individuals.

These individuals usually have different insights and specialties. When these different

objectives are met, an IT professional will witness personal and professional growth as they will

get new insights. Certifications also means that one engages in different studies and research.

They are therefore provided with resources which would not have been present in their

organization. Such include access to online forums, some training materials as well as different

learning resources, which are offered by the specific vendors in the industry, such as Cisco and

Microsoft.
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Conclusion

The paper sought to discuss the purpose of IT certifications, and how they could help in

improving the chances of being employed in the IT field. From the discussion, it was noted that

IT certifications improve the marketability of a prospective job seeker. The main reason for this

is that it helps them to differentiate themselves from other job seekers, especially those that are

not IT certified. Furthermore, through the IT certifications, employers can determine and match

the skills of the employees to a suitable role in the organization, hence improving the

performance of the company. IT certifications are also important for IT entrepreneurs as it

increases the trust of the clients to the company. Clients will be able to know that the IT

company has the related task skills, necessary to perform and deliver on a project. Although IT

certifications are important to job seekers, employees can also benefit from this, as the

certifications offer them with a path for professional and personal development.
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References

Abazi, B., & Hajrizi, E. (2018). Research on the importance of training and professional

certification in the field of ICT Case Study in Kosovo. IFAC-Papersonline, 51(30), 336-

339. doi: 10.1016/j.ifacol.2018.11.327

Tittel, E. (2019). Best IT Certifications to Help Your Career in 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2020,

from https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/10953-best-it-certifications.html

WetFeet. (2009). Careers in Information Technology.