The Comprehensive Guide To Top IT Certifications

In the modern world, top IT certifications are a must-have for anyone who wants to be considered for top positions in their field. With such high competition and demand for top IT professionals, it is important that you take the time to learn about top information technology certifications currently in demand. Knowledge of these top certs can give you an edge over your competitors when looking for jobs or promotions.

It’s also important to know that there are many distinct IT certifications available based on the areas you wish to specialize in or work on. You may use MyComputerCareer to enhance your IT career with a variety of skills and abilities. You’ll be able to take advantage of all the benefits that IT certifications can provide in collaboration with MyComputerCareer. We offer training for both basic and expert IT certifications to ensure you are well on your way. With such certifications from reputable organizations such as Microsoft, CompTIA, Cisco, Linux, and EC-Council, you will become a true asset and indispensable specialist for any organization in today’s highly digitized business environment.

This article will discuss what top information technology certificates are and how they can benefit you. We will provide a list with steps on obtaining certification and keeping it up-to-date with current trends in the Information Technology industry.

What Are the Benefits of Earning an IT Certification?

Those seeking to become IT certified can look forward to many benefits that will help them boost their career prospects and achieve their professional goals. Among these many benefits, IT certified professionals will experience the following:

• See a Significant Increase to Your Professional Credibility – An IT certification is a valuable, respected, and recognized credential that can help you stand out from the crowd of applicants. This means top companies will have more confidence in your skills and competencies to get the job done successfully.
• Stand Above the Competition – When vying for top positions, it is critical to have the necessary skills and qualifications that set you apart from other candidates. Many employers see an IT certification as proof that an individual has met a certain level of expertise and professionalism in the field.
• Access Better-Paying Jobs – Those who hold an IT certification earn considerably more than those without one. In fact, according to recent studies, IT certified professionals earn an average of 8 percent more than their non-certified counterparts. An average salary increase of $14,000 per year has been reported for certified professionals who moved from a non-certified job.
• Increased Job Security – With the rapid advancements in technology, companies always look for individuals with the most up-to-date skills and knowledge. Earning an IT certification can provide you with the necessary edge to stay ahead of the curve and be in high demand no matter what changes occur in the industry.
• More Promotion Opportunities – Holding an IT certification can lead to better job opportunities and career advancement. Obtaining a higher-level position at your current company or being recruited by top companies are just some of the possibilities that await certified professionals.
• Keeping Up With the Latest Industry Trends and Technologies – In order to maintain their IT certification, professionals must keep up with the latest industry trends and technologies. This can be done by participating in continuing education courses, attending technology conferences, and subscribing to relevant journals and newsletters.
• Challenge Yourself – Achieving an IT certification is not easy, but it is definitely rewarding. It takes hard work, dedication, and commitment to earn an IT certification, but those who do will be better prepared to face the challenges that come with top jobs.

What Are the Top IT Certifications?

Over time, certain top information technology certifications have emerged as top choices among employers in various industries. By earning one of these sought-after credentials, professionals can increase their earning potential and marketability. Among the leading Information Technology certifications that are in high demand today, we can include the following:

• Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) – the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) is a top certification for network engineers. Earning the CCNA credential demonstrates your ability to install, operate and troubleshoot a medium-sized routed and switched network. It also validates your skills in IP addressing, subnetting, and VLANs.
• Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA) – The MTA certification from Microsoft is designed for technology professionals who are just starting their IT careers. The MTA certification validates your ability to understand and use technology concepts such as networking, security, cloud computing, software development, and big data. It also shows that you have the beginning-level skills needed to pursue other Microsoft certification paths.
• Microsoft Fundamentals – The Microsoft Fundamentals certifications are designed for entry-level IT professionals. This top information technology certification shows that you have the basic knowledge needed to work in areas such as networking, operating systems, and cloud computing.
• CompTIA A+ – CompTIA A+ is a top certification for IT professionals working in a helpdesk or technical support role. Earning the A+ demonstrates your proficiency in areas such as installing and configuring PCs, laptops, and operating systems, troubleshooting PC issues, supporting mobile devices, and managing network printers.
• CompTIA Security+ – CompTIA Security+ is a top certification for information security professionals. Earning the Security+ credential proves that you have the knowledge and skills required to secure systems and networks against attacks and vulnerabilities. It also shows that you can implement security controls to protect your organization’s data.
• CompTIA Network+ – The CompTIA Network+ certification is a top credential for networking professionals. Earning the Network+ proves that you have the knowledge and skills to manage, configure, and troubleshoot wired and wireless networks. It also validates your expertise in implementing network topologies, configuring routers and switches, establishing VLANs, managing IP addressing schemes, and securing networks against security attacks.
• CASP+ – The CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP+) is a top certification for cybersecurity professionals. Earning the CASP+ demonstrates your mastery of enterprise security concepts and technologies, including risk management, incident response, threat detection and mitigation, digital forensics, and more.
• CySA+ – The CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+) is a top certification for cybersecurity analysts. Earning the CySA+ credential validates your ability to use threat detection tools, perform forensic investigations, and secure networks from attacks.
• Linux Essentials – The Linux Essentials certificate is a top certification for Linux professionals. Earning the top information technology certificate shows that you have a basic understanding of Linux operating systems. These include installation, configuration tools and utilities, file system organization, access permissions management, shell commands to perform common tasks such as creating new user accounts or copying files.
• EC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) – The Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) certification is a top certification for information security professionals. Earning top IT certifications demonstrates your ability to find weaknesses and vulnerabilities in target systems, recommend countermeasures, and conduct penetration testing on networks and applications. You will identify cyber threats that hackers or malicious insiders could exploit to compromise the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of targeted organizations.

How To Get an Information Technology Certification

When it comes to getting an IT certification, potential candidates should be aware of the different types of available IT certifications. Based on the examples above, candidates should ensure that when preparing for top information technology certifications, they take the time to research and prepare accordingly.

With an IT certification comes great benefits. Some of these top Information Technology certifications will offer candidates opportunities to work in areas such as networking, operating systems, and cloud computing. The examples above clearly show what top jobs people with top industry certs can get into. To get an IT certification that will ensure them the best chance of success, candidates should go through the following steps:

Know What You Want to Get Certified

The first step in getting top information technology certifications is to ensure that you have a clear idea of the type of IT certification that you want to get. There are top information technology certifications for cybersecurity specialists, IT support professionals, and networking specialists. Knowing what type of career path you would like to follow will help narrow down the available certification options and ensure that you go into your top Information Technology certification with a clear goal in mind.

You should also assess your current IT skills and knowledge before you begin preparing for top information technology certifications. If you are already knowledgeable about a certain topic, getting an IT certification will be easier because it is simply a way to validate your current skills and knowledge.

If you feel that there are still some topics within the top IT certifications that require more attention or understanding on your end, then you should do more research on those topics. This can be done by reading articles, taking online courses, or attending in-person training seminars related to top information technology certifications.

Candidates should also ensure that they have the required prerequisites before attempting to get an IT certification. Some top Information Technology certifications will require candidates to have years of professional IT experience.

Choose the Right Certification

The second step is to choose the top information technology certification that is right for you. This will again depend on the type of career path you are planning to take, as well as your current IT skills and knowledge.

The CompTIA A+ certification and Microsoft Certified Fundamentals are two of the most popular entry-level IT certificates. The Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) is another one to look into. Associate-level IT certifications are a great way to get your foot in the door in Information Technology fields. The associate-level IT credentials are a step up from entry-level certificates and typically need hands-on experience as well as passing an exam.

Getting Ready For the Exam

The top information technology certifications are all very different regarding what they require candidates to know. Your preparation process should begin by gathering relevant study materials. If you don’t have courses related to top industry certifications, consider enrolling in online classes or attending training seminars where the instructors give students access to top IT certifications prep material such as sample exams.

Most IT applicants struggle during the study stage and give up. If you want to pass your IT certification exam on the first attempt, it’s critical to create a study plan and follow it. There are several methods to prepare for an IT certification examination available to everyone. You have a few alternatives:

• Self Study: If you’re a self-starter, purchase IT study materials and study independently. Another excellent idea is to utilize practice tests as you go, as they aid in identifying weak areas. They also allow IT applicants to focus their studies and improve in those areas. To prepare for IT examinations, there are numerous online resources available.
• Professional Coaching and Training: If you’re unsure where to begin or want some assistance, consider enrolling in an IT coaching course. MyComputerCareer is an accredited institution by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET) that provides specialized training for both new entrants into the IT sector and those looking to advance their profession.

Whichever path you take, be sure to allow enough time to study. IT examinations may be difficult if you already have a job or a family. IT certifications need much time and effort, so make certain you have all of the required materials ready to go before taking the test.

Register and Take the Exam

Register for the exam once you feel confident that top certifications are within your grasp. After registering for top IT certifications, give yourself ample time to prepare for the examination date.

Most IT certifications include multiple-choice questions, with each question followed by four possible answers. To pass most IT certifications, you must score at least 70% correct on either performance-based questions (for example: launching a program within Windows) or multiple-choice sections, making it simple to fail if you don’t know what you’re doing.

There are certain limitations; however, CompTIA A+ has 90 minutes set aside for each 90-question exam. If your IT accreditation needs practical understanding rather than theoretical knowledge, ensure that all of your equipment is in good working order before taking the test.

Show up with a current form of identification, such as your driver’s license or passport, to take the IT certification exam. Most testing centers also demand that you pay in full before taking the test. The cost of an IT certification examination varies from around $80 to $600+. If you’re retaking the IT certification exam, keep in mind that it might be cheaper or the same as your initial IT certification. After passing their IT certifications, candidates must realize that these are only valid for three years and need to be recertified to remain valid.

How To Keep IT Certificates Up-to-Date

With the exception of the Windows Fundamentals certifications, which are for life, most other top IT certs will only last for three years. That means that, in order to maintain your certification validity, you’ll need to recertify within that time frame. However, there are some ways that you can extend this deadline. Professionals have some alternatives available to keep up to date with IT certifications.

1. Retaking the Exam – The most straightforward way to keep your certification current is by retaking the exam. To renew their certification, professionals must simply register for, schedule, and take the relevant test(s) again. This may be done at any time, either before or after the expiration date. In addition to this freedom, retaking the same exam might be considered a waste of time, money, and energy compared to other alternatives.
2. Continuing Education – One top method for recertifying IT certs with Microsoft includes earning their CEUs (continuing education units). However, this can often take more time than professionals have available on top of all the other demands they face in their careers. Depending on the exact certification, candidates must earn between 20 and 120 CEUs to maintain their certifications validly. CEUs can be acquired by taking courses, teaching classes, attending webinars, and even publishing articles.
3. Earn Other Certifications That Build Upon The Last – Another method to keep your IT credentials valid indefinitely is to maintain obtaining new ones as you go. Maintaining your Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) credential, for example, is done by earning any one of the Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) certifications. This option allows you to get up-to-date as quickly as possible without wasting time retaking the same exams or performing other activities before their present certification expires. On the other hand, this method still necessitates learning and passing an examination.

Getting several IT credentials simultaneously is a wonderful solution for IT workers who don’t want to be bound by the typical three-year expiration of certifications. However, it should only be done if candidates are ready to invest in the required financial resources and take on extra responsibilities to maintain this sort of certification portfolio.

MyComputerCareer will help you earn your way to these top IT certifications. Our specialized courses and programs are designed to help you achieve the right certification from your first try. In addition, through our Career Services, you will get your first job in the industry in no time. For more information on IT certification preparedness, contact us at your earliest convenience!