The Top 15 IT Certifications

As an IT professional or a person seeking a career in technology, you likely know the value of earning IT certifications. However, which ones are in the most demand? Understanding which certifications are most valued by employers can help you avoid going through the time and expense of IT certification training only to discover that you should have selected a more sought after credential. Dice.com, a career website for technology professionals, regularly gathers data from its job listings to determine the most popular IT certifications based on how many times employers specify them. A recent report indicates that the MCITP (Microsoft Certified IT Professional) certification is rapidly becoming more sought after with a 227 percent increase in growth over the prior year. The Certified Information System Auditor (CISA) certification also appears to be another in demand certification with a 191 percent increase. While you may not be interested in either the MCITP or CISA certifications, Dice's list contains a variety of certifications that may capture your imagination and get you thinking about your next IT training class. Certifications in security, Cisco networking, voice technologies, information systems, project management, and Microsoft administration (along with corresponding IT training) are all desirable. If you'd like to become more marketable, enrolling in IT certification training covering one of these hot certifications could be a smart decision. For example, you could participate in Microsoft administration training and earn your MCSA, thus becoming qualified for positions specifying this credential. Best of all, you don't necessarily need to go back to school in order to participate in IT training and earn one of these certifications. Consider enrolling in a certification course online or choose an instructor-led DVD focused on the certification of your choice. Other options for preparing for IT certifications are available including study guides or even accelerated IT boot camps.

According to Dice.com, the top IT certifications include:

• PMP (Project Management Professional)
• CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional)
• MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer)
• CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate)
• CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional)
• CCIE (Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert)
• CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor)
• MCP (Microsoft Certified Professional)
• MCSA (Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator)
• MCITP (Microsoft Certified IT Professional)
• VCP (VMware Certified Professional)
• CCVP (Cisco Certified Voice Professional) 
• GIAC (Global Information Assurance Certification)
• MCTS (Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist)
• CCSP (Cisco Certified Security Professional)

Have any of these IT certifications captured your imagination?

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CBT Planet is a leading resource for live and self-study IT training courses. With numerous formats and a vast selection of technology topics, IT professionals know that they can count on CBT Planet for comprehensive computer training. In addition to technical courses covering today's most popular technologies such as virtualization, Web development, computer security, and networking, CBT Planet offers IT certification training covering all of the above certification programs and many others including Cisco, Oracle, Microsoft, CompTIA, Linux, Project Management, Systems Security, and ProSoft CIW. CBT Planet offers instructor-led courses on DVD, online, in virtual classrooms, onsite, and at technical institutions.