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Volume 5 , Issue 2

IT certifications

By Cindy Robinson & Lorne Chase

No substitute for experience

...If certification is good for catching the eye of a hiring manager, will multiple certifications impress employers even more? Stephen Ibaraki, ...a renowned expert on IT, says a business-related IT position would be well-served by multiple certifications. He suggests a combination of a diploma or degree, experience, plus multiple vendor certifications (i.e. Cisco, Microsoft, Java, e-commerce, Linux, etc.). He notes, however, that some of the world’s top IT professionals have no certifications at all....

..."If you want to work in building operating systems or at an advanced level of computing," says Ibaraki, "then it helps to have advanced education such as a computer science degree or better."...

...Ibaraki believes individuals who try to stay ahead of the market will initially have difficulty landing the perfect job. "But when the market catches up with the technology," he says, "then you will be in the forefront and highly employable."...

...In Canada, professional certification is offered by industry specific organizations. A good example is CIPS’ Information Systems Professional of Canada (I.S.P.) designation...

..."Any profession - like accounting, medicine, etc. - has an obligation to the public to set standards," says CIPS’ Ross. "An I.S.P. shows that an individual has an appropriate educational background, a certain level of competency and experience, plus a commitment to a code of ethics and professional standards of conduct."...