Importance of Security Certification

• Field experience in the IT field, as well as in many others, is of course important. That said, however, for more and more IT companies, top-level security certification from a reputable accreditation body is a must. These potential employers require an assurance from a reliable third party that the professional they are considering hiring is indeed knowledgeable, competent and skilled in IT security matters, and can be depended upon to fulfill the job's requirements
  
  

Types of Certification

• Many security certifications are available nowadays from various accreditation organizations. One of the top certifications is the CISSP or Certified Information Systems Security Professional. This certification is a core offering of the (ISC)2, and covers such areas as application development and telecommunications and network security. Another IT accreditation body is the Certified Internet Web Professional Program, which offers various certifications from entry-level ones all the way up to Master CIW certifications. Yet another is GIAC--the Global Information Assurance Certification--whose certifications run the gamut from audit to software security.
  
  

Benefits

• Security certification can add immensely to an IT professional's "hireability." Today, companies are more security-conscious than ever, and are more apt to hire IT professionals who have passed a reputable third-party evaluator's standards for IT security knowledge and competence. In addition, being certified can give one leverage to be able to negotiate for a higher salary, and can also help advance in one's career sooner than one's peers, who have not been thus certified.
  
  

Costs

• Costs of security certifications vary from IT accreditation body to accreditation body, level to level, and discipline to discipline. A prospective student must keep in mind not only to compare the costs of taking the certification examinations, but also to consider those of the classes one is required to take; the materials---including training manuals and other such resources---that one will need in order to finish the course; and, lastly, the duration of the course itself in order to come up with a more comprehensive cost structure of the certification programs being considered.
  
  

Considerations

• A key point to keep in mind when comparing security certifications and accreditation organizations is that vendor-neutral certifications are always best. Certifications that are not vendor-neutral, may not provide an IT professional with comprehensive expertise regarding security matters. If this is the case, she may only be knowledgeable regarding the security issues of certain technical platforms, which may make her too specialized to gain employment at companies that do not use such platforms. In addition, being too specialized renders a person prone to becoming obsolete if and when the specific technology one is certified for becomes obsolescent.