| Are you planning a career in an IT occupation? If you | | | | representatives from companies that you are |
| want to be successful in the information technology | | | | interested in working for to inquire about their |
| field, it's very important to earn one or more | | | | certification preferences for entry-level IT workers. |
| professional certifications relevant to the type of job | | | | The Path to Certification |
| that you hope to get. Whether you want to work in | | | | The reason that employers value professional |
| technical support, networking, hardware installation, or | | | | certifications is that these credentials are believed to |
| in any other type of IT position, getting certified | | | | be an accurate indicator of skills. Before you concern |
| before you start looking for a job is a good career | | | | yourself with passing a certification exam, the first |
| advancement strategy. | | | | thing you need to do is focus on getting the skills |
| Which Certification is Right for Me? | | | | necessary to perform entry-level work. It's a good |
| When hiring entry-level IT workers, employers tend | | | | idea to select a training program or training materials |
| to look for individuals with either CompTIA A+ or | | | | that follow a certification track. That way, you'll be |
| Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) credentials. | | | | getting the skills you need and preparing for your |
| Many hiring managers feel that these types of | | | | certification exam at the same time. |
| certifications provide important third party validation | | | | Sitting for Your Certification Exam |
| that candidates with little or no work experience | | | | When you have finished your training, it's time to |
| actually have the skills they need to perform the | | | | register for your certification exam. Depending on the |
| essential functions of the jobs for which they are | | | | exam that you plan to take, you'll need to locate a |
| applying. | | | | PearsonVUE or Prometric testing center in your area. |
| There is no hard and fast rule about which type of | | | | When you register for your exam, you'll be able to |
| certification is best for every person seeking an | | | | select a date and time that works well with your |
| entry level IT job. Different types of certifications | | | | schedule. Be sure to show up a few minutes early so |
| provide validations for different skills, so preferences | | | | you'll have plenty of time to check in and get settled |
| may vary from one employer and type of job to | | | | before you start testing. |
| another. It's a good idea to contact human resources | | | | |