Is it really worth the time and money to get a technical certification? We hear this question often. Our answer is an affirmative YES, and here are eight reasons why.

The importance of studying and receiving a certification in your area of expertise is critical for the success of your IT career. The right certification can provide value in many ways, including the following:

The certification itself is a strong credential that helps illustrate your knowledge in a specific technology.

Certifications are generally designed in a way that provide a wide variety of topics. When using a technology in the workplace, you tend to always use the same set of configuration options, commands, and procedures. The technical environment tends to drive you toward specific types of product usages and automations. As a result, it becomes very hard to develop an expertise in all features/options within the technology.

Certification preparation can provide the motivation needed to set aside the time and energy needed to truly study and learn the topic. If you are currently knowledgeable in the topic, studying for a certification can raise your conceptual understanding of the technology.

The organization through which you received your certification training is generally an ongoing source of information, networking, and career development.

Many certifications require a specified amount of continuing education to maintain your certification. This ongoing educational requirement provides additional motivation to keep current on your industry.

The best certification training provides not only the “what” and the “how”, but also the “why”. This “why” helps provide insights into the rationale behind the creation of seemingly unneeded or less obvious product features.

After completing your certification, your training/study materials can be a great technical reference and job-aid to assist you in your daily work.

Very often certification training includes the use of hands-on and/or simulated instruction. This ability to play with the technology in a non-production environment allows you to try new things and experiment with the technologies without the worry of causing harm to your production environment.

When should you dive into a technical career training and certification course?

The sooner you have the knowledge, the sooner you can use it in the work place. The sooner you have your certification, the sooner you can make money because of it. As the technologies get more complex over time, there is the potential that the certification exams will also get more complex. Having an understanding of the technology’s technical foundation provides a great basis for a deeper understanding of that technology as it gets more complex.

The data communication industry is increasingly employing both device and network virtualization to provide innovative solutions. With each instance of abstraction, the difficulty in understanding/comprehension increases significantly. Without a solid networking fundamentals skill set, one faces an even steeper uphill battle of staying current in the future.

Lastly, hiring managers tend to give more weight to the people who have strong credentials/certifications in the needed technology. Candidates who have the appropriate certifications shows that manager that they know the technology. Also, it communicates that you care enough about your profession and future career growth that you’re willing to spend the time, money, and effort to maximize your professional knowledge, skill, and marketability.

If you have any questions about our Training and Certification Programs, we would love to hear from you! Give us a call at 855-TO-THINQ (855-868-4467) or email  website@thinqtanklearning.com.