For some time, at MCPRO we have been informing you about the best professional certifications with which to develop your career in the field of ICT. In recent years, we have told you about the best certifications in Data Analytics, in *agile* methodologies or in data analysis, among others.
But as many know, in the world of certifications it can become a labyrinth in which it is not always easy to determine where to start, or once we start, what are the next logical steps that are best for us to take. At MCPRO today we want to help you advance in this “minefield” and we do it in five stages: from when we start with little previous IT experience, until over the years we aspire, perhaps, to become the CIO of the company.
1. Starting with the basics: comprehensive certifications
Whether we have a strong technical knowledge base or come from a field less related to the world of ICT, the journey to the best professional certifications should start with the basics: fundamental principles that will serve us later to be eligible to more complete degrees.
In this field, there is a set of “comprehensive certifications” that cover a wide variety of concepts that should be mastered and that can also help us determine the direction that our career in the IT world will take.
One of the most popular is CompTIA ITF+, one of the most demanded «entry level» qualifications and that has the great advantage that it is not tied to any of the large companies that dominate the IT space, so it offers us very horizontal knowledge so that once we have passed it, we can continue growing . This does not mean that there are not other alternatives that, being linked to companies like Google or Microsoft, are not also worthwhile, such as Google IT Support Professional and Microsoft Certified Fundamentals.
2. Choosing an IT specialization
Once we have passed one or two basic certifications, we will have a clearer idea of where we want to direct our career in the world of ICT: maybe because of our academic training we already had a previous idea, or maybe that first round of certifications has helped us to find that field that we believe will excite us.
Imagine, for example, that we are interested in developing our career in the field of cybersecurity. One of the most interesting ways to specialize in computer security is to obtain the certification in ethical hacking (Certified Ethical Hacker), a certification that focuses on the identification and study of the tactics used by cybercriminals to exploit computer vulnerabilities.
In this same field we find other outstanding certifications such as CompTIA Security+, Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), and Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), considered by most cybersecurity experts to be the most prestigious in this field.
3. And a platform to develop on
After specializing in the IT area that most interests us, the time may have come to direct your efforts towards a specific platform, associated in most cases with the certifying offer of a technology company.
Following the previous example, it is possible that after having developed in the field of security, we come to the conclusion that Cisco is one of those companies in which our knowledge can have a greater journey, taking into account that part of its model of business involves offering solutions to secure company data centers.
If this were the case, a natural step would be to opt for a certification such as Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) , a title that attests that the person who passes the exam not only knows everything you need to know about network security, but also understands perfectly how the various Cisco solutions work in this area.
Of course, Cisco is not the only option before us, and we can find similar and equally valid certifications in companies such as Microsoft, IBM, Red Hat, etc.
4. Learning to manage projects
Both middle managers and IT directors need to have project management skills to develop the most complex projects. And it’s not easy.
Project management is a complex discipline that focuses equally on product development, the implementation of work methodologies or change management, and many organizations offer different certifications in this regard with which help ICT professionals develop this skill.
A possible field of development is to start with a basic certification such as Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM), which facilitates decision-making and the management of complex projects in intermediate positions. In the event that management needs and demands are much higher, a “classic” certification that many managers usually opt for is the most complete Project Management Professional (PMP).
5. And people
As we advance in our IT career, we may find ourselves in a position of greater responsibility, such as CIO, CIO, CTO…
At this point, it’s important to keep in mind that technology leaders need more than experience with different technologies or project management. They have to assume a leadership position that goes through the management of people and the alignment of ICT with the business strategy.
And although it is true that many of these skills can be developed “naturally”, it is also true that there are certifications that can help achieve it. One of the most interesting, because it also puts the focus on those people who have a background technology is AMA Certified Professional in Management.
Of course, the professional who wants to obtain different certifications to develop his career does not have to go through the five stages that we have shown in this article and in fact phases 1 and 2 may be more than enough for most of them… but when the objective is to occupy management positions in companies, stages 4 and 5 can make a difference.
