The IT world is growing rapidly, and it has become crucial for professionals to keep up with the changing times. Otherwise, it will become hard for them to remain relevant in the industry.
There is a wide range of IT certifications available to help professionals remain updated with the latest technological tools and trends. However, at times, people fail to decide whether or not a particular certification program would be beneficial for them or not. There are numerous IT certifications in the market that are designed for both beginners and experienced professionals.
Both types of certifications are in demand, but the list of prerequisites and different levels of such certifications can be a bit intimidating for some, especially for beginners. As a result, many people find it hard to choose a certification program that could do justice to the effort and budget spent on the training for the certification.
With different certifications intended to cater to specific needs of professionals and designed keeping in mind a particular type of skill set or technology, ITIL certification caters to all professionals and does not target any specific area or skill set.
What’s ITIL?
ITIL stands for Information Technology Information Library. This certification helps to keep you well-informed and updated with different practices involved in the management of IT services. Whether your organization provides a platform for IT services or sells different products and services; learning and establishing various ITIL procedures will help you to provide better service to your customers.
By following the ITIL processes, it becomes extremely simple for businesses to develop such strategies that will help their businesses to grow. These ITIL practices help companies to develop different IT services according to their budget that results in improved performance by the staff. As a result, more and more business organizations are now considering moving to ITIL practices to improve their IT services. ITIL is extremely versatile and is specifically designed to cater to the needs of different types of businesses and industries.
Why Opt For ITIL Certification?
ITIL training focuses on ways to improve the level of performance and productivity of businesses by controlling the productive skills and capacities of the professionals as well as the procedures carried out within an enterprise. It helps businesses to follow a set of practices for effectively putting to use, production and technological solutions. Professionals who have completed the ITIL certification then usually opt for training in Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP). However, individuals who cannot invest too much time in training, as this program demands a lot of time go for further training in ITIL.
No doubt, an ITIL certification improves your credibility and helps to upgrade your skills as well as your job portfolio. It certainly gives you an edge over other IT professionals who do not possess an ITIL certification. Since ITIL is a newer certification, there is a great demand for professionals who have an ITIL credential. Professionals with ITIL qualifications have greater chances of getting better job offers with a higher pay scale. ITIL certification has the following levels:
- ITIL Foundation level
- ITIL Intermediate level
- ITIL Expert level
ITIL Certification Salary Details
The ITIL foundational certification is the stepping stone for more advanced level ITIL certifications and exams. Once you clear your foundation ITIL exam, you can earn around $10,000 per annum. By clearing the ITIL foundation exam, you learn the basics about the ITIL lifecycle and various steps and practices involved in the management of IT services. It helps you to develop various strategies and business plans to prove the right type of services to your clients.
Once you complete your ITIL foundational level certification, you can either work as an IT solutions’ technician or a Business Analyst (BA). After gaining a few years of experience, you can then go for more advanced level ITIL certifications such as the ITIL intermediate level, expert or master level certifications. This will help you to move to managerial level job positions. ITIL certifications are accepted and recognized across the globe. Once you complete your ITIL certification and get some years of relevant work experience, you can easily secure an income of around $100,000 per annum if not more, depending on your professional profile.
ITIL intermediate level certification, on the other hand, is designed for professionals who have sound knowledge of the ITIL lifecycle and fundamentals. Therefore, to acquire the ITIL intermediate level certification exam, it is important to first clear the ITIL elementary level certification. This certification consists of two components, i.e. the Service Lifecycle and Service Capability.
The units of the intermediate level certification are aimed and focused on creating qualified and talented ITIL professionals who excel in areas such as:
- Operational Support and Analysis (OSA)
- Planning, Protection and Optimization (PPO)
- Release, Control and Validation (RCV)
- Service Offerings and Agreements (SOA)
- ITIL service operation and transition
The ITIL master or expert level is the most important level of the ITIL certification program. This module is specially designed to aim at enhancing theoretical knowledge and gaining a clear insight about the ITIL structure. Since the ITIL is extremely flexible, versatile and does not focus on a specific field or technology, it helps professionals to gain a clear comprehension of the structure and functioning of the organization in the domain of IT.
As a result, business corporations prefer to hire professionals who hold the ITIL certification over others. Those experienced professionals who hold other vocational and skill-based certifications, along with several years of practical experience in the relevant field can earn around $70,000 to $100,000.On the other hand, professionals holding an ITIL certification earn between $50,000 to $120,000 per annum.
There is no doubt that ITIL is one of the most popular and sought- after credentials in the current market scenario as it benefits both the employer as well as the employee. ITIL training and certification helps professionals to develop new strategies to improve client satisfaction. With the help of ITIL training, you can learn how to deal with clients’ requests. You can also learn how to effectively use the ITIL framework to improve the services of your organization.
Final Word
ITIL training and certification also help to improve the confidence of service managers and help them to face professional challenges confidently as business corporations prefer to hire those candidates who have the confidence and will power to successfully manage and deal with unexpected work situations or emergencies.