Bita Beigishah
People train and test for certifications for a variety of reasons. One is to either make a total career change or to simply get a better job in the industry they are already working in. If you happen to be in the group that is leveraging the certification for a new position, the question of “will this certification actually get me a job?” has probably been lingering over your head for sometime now.
Now while it is hard to give you a simple yes or no because many factors go into an employer’s decision to hire one candidate over another, I can say that the odds are greatly in your favor.
CompTIA® and IDC Research on the Value of Certification
CompTIA® recently commissioned research firm IDC to investigate the global value of certification through data derived from various labor reports and interviews with IT professionals and hiring managers in 2014.
While CompTIA (full disclosure they are a certifying body in case you didn’t know) may want the results to lean in their favor, research firms do an awesome job of not letting the researchers themselves know who will be receiving the final report. That being said, IDC remains a neutral third body examining both sides of the fence and giving the most accurate information available.
Final Verdict
So now that we got the PSA about CompTIA and IDC’s positions in this report out of the way, the good news is that it did lean in CompTIA’s favor. IDC found that hiring managers really do value IT certifications and believe that their best employees are the ones that hold certifications. Some key takeaways from the job seeker’s perspective are:
- 2/3 people interviewed cited improved employment opportunities as a reason why they pursued a CompTIA certification
- 45% of the people interviewed were getting a CompTIA certification in preparation for a career change
- 76% who are now in permanent IT positions are satisfied with their work
- 32% feel they are rewarded for their work
- 16% receive a raise
From the employer’s point-of-view it’s even better:
- In the US, 64% of hiring managers highly value certification
- In the UK, 46% of hiring managers highly value certification
All The Report Data
Check out our Infographic below for more data from the report and to learn how certification can you help you get a job.
Are you ready to get certified? Contact a training consultant to discuss your career goals and how certification can benefit you.
