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Certifications in the IT field are important and can really help you get a job or enhance the way you do your current job. There are plenty of certifications, it's not easy to keep up. This is especially valid if you’re a newcomer to the IT industry or certifications - attempting to choose which certifications to obtain and which certification path is for me. Keep reading to learn more. Choice Of Certification Path The good thing about IT certifications is the fact that it’s not too difficult to get certifications from several providers. Just because you start out with a certification from one company, it doesn’t mean you’re bound to that supplier. Sure, some of the more advanced certifications demand an earlier certification through that company, but many of them simply have experience requirements. Another reason that there's a good choice of certifications within the IT sector is the fact that there are numerous certifications for a specific technology. You’re not locked in to one certification if you’re a software developer. Network engineers have got several certifications they can pursue, similar to information security professionals, database administrators and support staff. Because of this, I do believe there is a wide variety of certification routes you can take, for no matter what role in the IT industry you’re in. Should I Stay With One Provider’s Certification Paths? There are many vendors of certifications within the IT field. CompTIA, Microsoft and Cisco are among the big players in this area. They each provide many certifications that interest all kinds of IT experts. They also let you follow the certification path that they set and advise. For instance, Microsoft’s suggested certification path consists of an MCTS, an MCITP, and perhaps and MCM. This may have changed with the recent arrival of the MCSE and other certifications, but generally there is a hierarchy and track for Microsoft technologies. Additionally, Cisco provides a comparable certification path, which starts with the CCENT, then the CCNA, CCNP, and perhaps the CCIE. However, there are far more than just these three or four certifications for every provider. All of them have their own technology specialties - which means, even if you’d wish to stay with the one vendor for certifications, you've got quite a choice. There are numerous technologies that Microsoft provide certification for, as well as Cisco. More specialised companies also provide a certification path and array of certifications. Oracle and Red Hat each offer certifications worthwhile for database and Linux professionals respectively. Getting Certifications From Various Providers A typical certification path for anyone in the IT field is getting certifications from various providers. This can be done and is in some instances advised by individuals who have the certifications. As an example, a typical certification path for anyone in the networking area is to obtain the A+ and Network+ certifications from CompTIA, then acquire the CCNA from Cisco. This mixture is effective together and is a powerful way to begin a career in networking. It’s not at all times possible, though. Many of the higher-level qualifications demand a certification before them to be received. A number of the MCITP certifications from Microsoft require an MCTS. The CCIE certifications generally need a CCNP. Don’t let this discourage you though - obtaining certifications from several providers is a good way to enhance your knowledge on a topic and improve the way you do a job in that field. Which Certification Path Is For Me? We’ve detailed a few points on certification paths and how different suppliers work. Now, you could be wondering, which one is for you? We're able to answer this by answering a couple of questions: Which area of IT are you in, or which area would you like to go into? This should determine, or at least limit, your options of certifications and the resulting path. What is your degree of experience? Many certifications are focused towards new starters, others are targeted towards experts - with many in between. How far do you wish to go with getting certified? A number of IT professionals wish to get each of the certifications they are able to, and which might be as many as 20. Other people are pleased with only one or two. This can determine which path you wish to take. Answering these queries about yourself and your IT career will help to understand which certification course is for you.
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