Top IT Certifications to Launch Your Career
Are you searching for your next opportunity? If yes, then you should consider going for the IT certificates, because they can open many doors of opportunities for your career. The hiring managers and recruiters tend to look at the certification section of the applicants’ resumes before anything else. This is because they want the candidates with the required and up-to-date knowledge. Thus, the IT credentials quickly demonstrate to them that a person has a mastery of a particular practice or technology. So, whether you are a seasoned tech specialist or a recent graduate, studying for and earning a badge is an excellent way to expand your knowledge, impress the potential employers, and have an advantage against your peers.
To do so, you will need to prepare for specific IT exams depending on what credential you are pursuing. There are many opportunities you can opt for, so we want to offer you the list of the best IT certificates that you can obtain in 2020.
Top IT certifications for beginners in any sector
If you are just starting out in the field of IT, then you can consider the following introductory badges, because they are the best certifications for beginners:
1. Microsoft Technology Professional (MTA)
Microsoft is a known tech giant. It offers a bunch of the entry-level certifications covering a wide range of subjects, including the following:
- Networking fundamentals;
- Database fundamentals;
- Security fundamentals;
- Windows operating systems fundamentals;
- Windows Server administration fundamentals;
- Introduction to programming in CSS/Python, Java/JavaScript, and HTML;
- Software development fundamentals.
Each of the topics mentioned above has a separate MTA badge. You can acquire even several of them if that is what is necessary to get you started in your career. There is no minimum professional experience or mandatory skills required. All you need to do is prepare for a prerequisite exam and take it when you are ready.
2. CompTIA A+ and CompTIA ITF+
CompTIA offers a wide selection of the vendor-neutral certifications for a variety of platforms and technologies. Some of its credentials that stand out above all others in terms of value especially for the beginners are CompTIA A+ and CompTIA ITF+.
CompTIA ITF+ gives you the basic idea of the IT industry and helps you understand whether you should opt for it or not. As for CompTIA A+, it is a foundational certificate that will help you get started in the field of IT. It is all about troubleshooting, hardware, and technical support. It also encompasses best practices in networking, operational procedures, security, mobile devices, as well as various operational systems.
Top IT certifications for Cloud computing
More and more Cloud-related badges are popping up because Cloud computing continues to become the new norm in IT. The top certifications that you can explore include the following:
1. Google Certified Professional Cloud Architect
If you want to get some skills in working with Google Cloud Platform, this Google IT certification should be your choice, because it is one of the top IT certifications 2020. It validates your ability to manage and develop scalable and effective Google Cloud Platform. To prepare for the required exam, you should have ample training, real-world experience, and take a number of practice tests to expand your general knowledge.
2. CompTIA Cloud+
This IT credential covers all the main elements of Cloud computing, including deployment, management, security, troubleshooting, and configuration.
3. Salesforce Certified Development Lifestyle and Deployment Designer
Salesforce is a popular Cloud-based CRM, and the employers all over the world are desperate for the high-end specialists who know how to work with it. If you want to become this professional and be able to implement management solutions, then you should go for this badge.
4. Amazon AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional
Amazon is the largest provider of Cloud computing services and offers this certificate to affirm your ability to deploy and design Cloud environments with Amazon Web Services. You can also start with the Associate level if you think that this one will be too difficult for you.
Top IT certifications for networking
Cisco is one of the leading providers of infrastructure products. Therefore, any certificate from this vendor confirms that you are well-versed in the best practices and most recent developments in networking. The most essential badges are the following:
1. Cisco CCNA
Cisco Certified Network Associate, or CCNA, evaluates your knowledge of various domains, including IP connectivity and services, security and network fundamentals, network access, as well as programmability and automation.
2. Cisco CCNP
Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) is a more advanced path. While it has no formal prerequisites, it is good to have CCNA first before going for it. Luckily, there are various IT certification courses provided for the potential candidates on various platforms.
Top IT certifications for information security
Cyberattacks and hacking are hot topics today, and there are many jobs in risk and security management that are going unstaffed. Therefore, let’s look at some of the best IT certifications in this growing field.
1. EC-Council CEH
There are several IT certification programs offered by EC-Council, and Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) is the most popular one nowadays. The holders of this credential specialize mostly in penetration testing. This certificate is a prerequisite for such positions as an applications developer, a cybersecurity engineer, and a forensics analyst.
2. CSX Cybersecurity Nexus
This is an important badge, especially considering the fact that cybersecurity threats are ever-evolving. This credential confirms that you are versed in the latest security risks and standards.
Conclusion
As you can see, there is a wide range of opportunities for the preferences of any IT specialists. Depending on your field or job roles you are eying, you can do more research about each option we have mentioned here to know which one is best for you.