The Employment Value of Multiple Certifications

"Jobless recovery." That's one term used by observers to describe today's economy. It means that the economy is slowly improving, but without the corresponding growth in hiring and new job creation.

To stand out in the hiring process, then, IT pros must seek out not just one, but multiple professional certifications to specialize and bolster their resumes, says Brian R. Schultz, a Senior Board Member (ISC)² who holds these certifications: CISSP-ISSMP, ISSAP, CISM and CISA. "Security certifications are on employer's minds these days, as companies look for certified personnel to safeguard assets," says Tracy Lezner, CEO, Lenzner Group, an executive security search and consulting services firm based in New York. "We are seeing more and more employers make certification a standard and a criterion for hire".

In this situation, security professionals need to make the right decision pursuing multiple certifications. Kent Anderson, CISM, a senior member of ISACA's Security Management Committee, advises prospects to ask 'Where do I want to go in my career?" Then weigh the value of certifications. "The power of certification is amazing to help security practitioners be what ever they want to be in the future," he says.

Ronald W. Pelletier, CISSP, CISA, CISM, CBCP, is a former senior manager of security risk advisory services at Ernst & Young, LLP. He was recently laid off and has acquired a new position as a senior security consultant with a private security consulting company. Being certified in multiple areas of specialization within security definitely gives him an edge in the hiring and interview process. "There is a confidence level in the job search, interview approach and overall job performance which certifications provide," Pelletier says.

Click to Get Updates on the Latest Information Security News

Company* Title* Email* Subscription Type: HTML Text Healthcare Enews General Healthcare Enews Blogs Enews Careers Enews Training Enews Webinars Enews Podcasts Enews White Papers Enews Government Enews General Government Enews Blogs Enews Careers Enews Training Enews Webinars Enews Podcasts Enews White Papers Enews Banking Enews General Banking Enews Blogs Enews Careers Enews Training Enews Webinars Enews Podcasts Enews White Papers Enews Credit Union Enews General Credit Union Enews Blogs Enews Careers Enews Training Enews Webinars Enews Podcasts Enews White Papers Enews Need Help?

Hiring Manager's View

For Debbie Wheeler, Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) Fifth Third Bank, certifications make a difference when evaluating a multitude of candidates and are used as an initial prioritization of candidates. "Certifications can initially draw a hiring manager's attention to a specific candidate, but hiring decisions, ultimately come down to the hands on experience and overall qualifications of the individual," she says.

For security positions, Wheeler usually looks for CISSP, CISA or CISM certifications, followed by other industry or software specific certifications such as forensic certifications or tool based certifications.

"When competing against someone else, one would like to think having multiple certifications will help over someone not having any or not the right combination," says Richard J. Roberts, RF, ARM, CPCU, ALCM, MBA, a senior board member with the Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS). In the end, no matter how many certifications one has, it still comes down to how one applies those certifications and how one uses that acquired information to help their present or new employer. "Certifications always bring value and speak volumes of an individual's capability," says Anderson. A combination of right certifications tells employers that this person is committed, adaptable and possesses the breath and depth of knowledge and experience required for the job.

Security Professionals, however, need to convey how all of their background will help the employer, so the certifications are just a piece of the puzzle. "The blending of proper expertise with proper education and certification will work the best for all individuals," adds Roberts. "Key to this is that you need to be able to communicate your value to employers."

Types of Certification

There are basically two types of certification available: Technical and Experience-Based. Within Technical the most common are: CompTIA Security, certified ethical hacking (CEH), the global information assurance certification (GIAC) and vendor certifications offered by CISCO and Microsoft such as, CCIE, CCNA, CCNP, MCSE, MCSA are very popular.

Experienced based certifications, which are most sought after, include: The certified information systems security professionals (CISSP), the certified information systems auditor (CISA) and the certified information security manager (CISM).

The market is flooded with a host of technical certifications provided by vendor product companies - all of which help individuals gain technical competency and demonstrate thorough understanding of Internet and security technologies. These certifications are good to pursue for individuals who want to stay in the technical field, for example: Network Engineers, Network and Database Technicians, System Administrators, System Architects etc.