IT Certification News » Doug Caverly

Study Connects IT Certifications, Security Clearances, Government Jobs

Doug Caverly — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 15:10:13 +0000

Government jobs are perhaps not looking completely secure right now; talk of a government shutdown isn’t encouraging, after all. But government workers (and candidates) can increase their value by holding a security clearance, and a recent study identified the connections between security clearances and certifications.

Evan Lesser, the founder and managing director of ClearanceJobs.com, wrote in an official report, “Certifications help security-cleared candidates demonstrate their skill in a particular technology. Interestingly, more than one-third (38%) said not only did their certification make them a contender, it helped them land a new job.”

So ClearanceJobs.com and Dice.com set out to see what certifications technology professionals with some sort of security clearance tend to hold. The number one answer was CompTIA’s Security+ certification, logically enough. About 21 percent of security-cleared professionals participating in the survey held it.

Then A+ and Network+ landed the number two and number three spots, scoring responses of about 10 percent each.

Next came Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL), Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Project Management Professional (PMP), and Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE).

Finally, there was Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP), and Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA).

IT pros should perhaps see what they can do to get these certifications before seeking government jobs.

Ten “Hot” IT Certifications Named

Doug Caverly — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 12:30:04 +0000

If there’s just one thing standing between you and your next job or a promotion, well, let’s be honest: you probably know what that thing is. But if you’re looking for some sort of general-purpose resume polisher, a new list has identified the ten “hottest” IT certifications.

Foote Partners, which was founded in 1997, compiled the list, and Indiatimes Infotech published it. The certifications aren’t organized in any particular order or fashion, so there’s probably no need to attempt to tackle ones that seem difficult or irrelevant to your industry before the others.

As for what the certifications are, VMware Certified Professional, Certified Information Systems Auditor, and GIAC Security Audit Essentials were the first to be named.

Next came Certified Information Security Manager, Check Point Certified Security Expert, and Check Point Certified Security Administrator.

Finally, Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer, Certified Wireless Security Professional, GIAC Certified Intrusion Analyst, and Cisco Certified Network Professional wrapped up the list.

Hopefully these suggestions will help you get ahead in the workplace (or find an entirely new, better workplace). Again, though, just keep in mind that not every IT certification will be an asset of equal value in every situation.

Cisco Introduces Mobile Modules To Help With Certification

Doug Caverly — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 12:30:22 +0000

Spend a little time on a college campus, and you’ll see students studying everywhere: in cafeterias, before classes, even while they’re driving. And now, for the sake of offering professionals some similar opportunities, Cisco has announced something called Cisco M-Learning.

At this moment, Cisco M-Learning is comprised of 18 “mobile learning modules.” They’re compatible with the iPod Touch and iPhone, and cost a not-entirely-unaffordable $4.99 each. (A side note: more modules and greater device compatibility should be on the way.)

Jeanne Beliveau-Dunn, the vice president of Learning@Cisco, explained in a statement that Cisco M-Learning will allow individuals “to tailor a customized educational experience to meet individual study goals and reinforce training from other Cisco authorized resources.”

Beliveau-Dunn then added, “This is an innovative way for students to build their skills while on the go, and further reinforces Cisco’s commitment to providing best-in-class training to support the success of students pursuing new skills and certification.”

Just try to keep any studying you do while driving a vehicle confined to the time you spend at stoplights, since any given certification probably won’t result in enough of a pay raise to cover a totaled car in the short term.

New Study Points To Better-Paying IT Certifications

Doug Caverly — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 16:09:10 +0000

An old Irish phrase that’s meant to be said to friends mentions something about the sun shining on a person’s face and the wind being at his back. These days, you’d almost want to change that to his job being secure and bank accounts being full, and new info from Foote Partners indicates which IT certifications are likely to best fit that picture.

Foote Partners surveyed 22,550 IT professionals on the subject of pay in order to find which skills are becoming more and less important. The bad news is that IT compensation trends as a whole aren’t favorable; the recession’s causing a decline. But there are many certifications that have increased in value by 30 percent (or more) over the last three months.

It’s best to have a resume full of terms like CompTIA Security+, GIAC Security Essentials Certification, Brocade Certified SAN(Fabric) Designer, Certified Ethical Hacker, Planet3 Certified Wireless Network Administrator, Cisco Certified Design Associate, and CompTIA Certified Technical Trainer, according to Foote Partners.

Or to come at things from another angle, it’s not so good to be a Prosoft Master CIW Designer, Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician, SAS Certified Base Programmer, or Nortel Networks Certified Support Expert – there have been declines in the value of these certifications.

A fuller version of the Foote Partners report is available here. Letting it influence a few decisions in your life might be a good idea if the economy doesn’t soon improve.