Certifications - Are They the Necessary Evil?

CERTS - They're Not Just For Keeping Your Breath Fresh!

The IT security certification roadmap can be quite bumpy and confusing – do you really need all of those to land a job? The simple answer would be no. Nevertheless, if you want to advance your IT security career obtaining some relevant certifications is a great way to start.

Certifications coupled with real-world experience can push your resume higher on the list for some employers. Keeping yourself knowledgeable in your field can never hurt your career and certifications can help you do that.

There are so many Certs and programs - how do you know which one is right for you? Unfortunately this question doesn't have an easy answer.

Some of the more popular certifications are:

• CompTIA Security+
• GIAC Security Essentials
• CHE - Certified Ethical Hacker
• CISSP - Certified Information Systems Security Professional
• CISM - Certified Information Security Manager

Click the image below to go to the SANS Security Training Career Roadmap:

There are both pros and cons to gaining certifications. I have listed some of them below:

Pros

• Enhances your job prospects
• Increases your knowledge
• Shows commitment to your field
• Might allow for increase in salary
• Some certs only require a test – while others require experience and classes

Cons

• Can be expensive to obtain
• Limited shelf life – need to continuously update cert
• Not a substitute for real world experience
• Difficult to choose a certification path
• Does not guarantee you a job

IT Certifications can be a positive addition to your work experience and give you the tools to succeed in your chosen field. Just remember that they are not the "winning ticket" and a certification alone won't get you the job.

Here are some more links that discuss certification options:

ISC2

CompTIA

SANS