Certification. Do I Need It?

It's official. Alan Greenspan has declared that the economy is looking up. As those of us in IT breathe a sigh of relief and scan the online job sites for proof, we continue to ponder the question, "will a few more certifications keep me afloat?" As it turns out, computer certifications will definitely keep you competitive in your current position and are considered jewels on your resume. Even as the economy levels out, the flood of IT professionals in the market has not abated. The result is a new generation of picky employers who have the luxury of demanding very specific skills. Employers are looking for those people who have proven that they are dedicated, committed and have a strong knowledge base. If you are considering becoming an MCSE, SCJP, CCIE, PMP or other certified professional, now is the time. Prometric, a leading provider of certification and training programs and resources, recently released a white paper discussing the reasons why people pursue certifications and the benefits of certification. The results are encouraging. They state that "certified professionals are productive, credible contributors to their organizations" and that managers are justified in efforts to encourage certification for thier employees. The full white paper is available to view at Prometric's website.

Now to the question of which certification program to choose. With constant changes and shifts in what is the hottest platform, database, ERP solution, et cetera, your decision to go with Microsoft versus Sun could be critical. Much of this will be decided by your current environment and with what applications you have experience. Unless you have a very definite niche there is a wide array of possibilities. Some of the more popular (and profitable) include:

MCSE - Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer - Requires 7 exams to complete (5 core and 2 elective)
MCSD - Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator - This certification is recommended by Microsoft both for experienced IT professionals and for people new to IT.
CCDP - Cisco Certified Design Professional - This is an advanced Cisco certification that will require initial certs of CCNA and CCDA.
SCJP - Sun Certified Programmer for Java 2 Platform - This covers the basic syntax and structure of Java and consists of only one exam.
CompTia A+ - This is a great entry level certification for hardware technicians. It is often used as a stepping stone to the other certs on this list.
CLP - Certified Lotus Professional - Requires a CLS certification and 3 exams to complete. Lotus offers several different tracks for the CLP including Developer and System Administration for Domino or Collaborative Solutions paths.
PMP - Project Management Professional - Not for the inexperienced, this certification requires at least five years of project management experience within five specified process groups.
CISSP - Certified Information Systems Security Professional - Offered by the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium Inc., also known as (ISC)2.

Among today's hottest certifications are security certs like the CISSP. According the article "Making the Best of a Bad Job Market" in the January 7, 2002 edition of ComputerWorld.com, security and disaster recovery "are areas where salaries are showing the best increases and where there's a clear need for hiring this year." So whether it's network security, Microsoft, Cisco, Java, Unix or PeopleSoft, certifications are guaranteed to give you the competitive edge.