Certifications don’t just look impressive hanging on your office wall, they could make the difference landing you your next job. A survey of technology professionals showed that it pays to be both cleared and certified. Average salaries are between ten and twenty percent higher for certified, cleared professionals, and with the Department of Defense recognizing cyberspace as a new domain of warfare, and cybersecurity experts in increased demand, we can only expect those numbers to rise.“Cybersecurity and cyberwarfare are relatively new fields and evolving rapidly,” said Evan Lesser, founder and managing director of ClearanceJobs. “Moreover, with many of the most skilled cybersecurity experts residing in industry rather than government, finding top talent is difficult at best.”
Adding to the value of IT certifications is DoD directive 8570, requiring that government employees and contractors with privileged access to federal computer networks be certified.Network defenders rule the list of top ten certifications held by technology professionals with security clearances. Comp TIA’s Security+ certification tops the list, being held by one in five security pros. A+ and Network + round out the top three.
Originally a product of the UK government, the Information Technology Infrastructure Library is number four on the list, showing the Department of Defense’s adoption of this framework. Certified Information Systems Security Professional is number five on the list. Recognized by the DoD as 8570 compliant, CISSP is the standard in network security. Project Management Professional is number six, and with an increased drive for government efficiency and the professionals to shepherd programs quickly, we can expect it to remain in demand. Microsoft certifications are numbers seven, nine and ten on the list, keeping Microsoft Certified Systems Engineers, Microsoft Certified Professionals, and Microsoft Certified Systems Administrators in demand. With Microsoft products continuing to be the backbone of many business operations these certifications remain valuable.Cisco Certified Network Associates are number eight on the list, demonstrating their ability to install, configure and troubleshoot routed and switched networks.
- Security+
- A+
- Network+
- ITIL
- CISSP
- PMP
- Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer
- CCNA
- Microsoft Certified Professionals
- Microsoft Certified Systems Administrators
Do you have one of these top ten certifications? Do you have one that didn’t make the list but still gave you the cutting edge? Let us know in the comments section.
