There is a high demand for IT professionals, with over 300,000 core IT jobs currently open in the US. IT certifications are important for validating skills and making training more effective. Some of the most valuable certifications for getting hired and advancing one's career include the CompTIA A+, Network+, Security+, and various Microsoft and Cisco certifications. Many federal agencies also require or recommend various CompTIA certifications. Certified workers tend to be more productive, solve problems better, and are less likely to change jobs.

1. Key IT Certifications
to Get You Hired

2. A Plethora of Tech Job Openings
More than 300,000 core IT jobs
are now open in the U.S.,
according to Labor/Insight
(Burning Glass Technologies),
July 2013

3. Certification Validates Skills
8 in 10 HR professionals say
IT certifications will grow in importance
over the next two years.

4. Certification Makes
Training More Effective
84% of organizations agree that
it’s best to test after training to
confirm knowledge gains.
Source: CompTIA's 2012 IT Security Study

5. Top 5 Benefits of Having an IT
Certified Staff
• Better able to understand new
or complex technologies
• More productive IT workforce
• More insightful problem solving
• Better project management skills
• Better communication skills
Certified workers are more
likely to stay at a company.

6. Top Certifications to Get
You Hired
6
1
CompTIA
A+
2
PMP
3
CCNA
4
CompTIA
Security+
5
MCSE
6
CompTIA
Network+
7
MCP
8
CISSP
9
ITIL
10
MCITP
Top 10 IT Certifications
that Help Workers
Land Jobs
Source:
The Dice Report, February 2012
18,325 employed technology
professional responded to survey.

7. Top 10 Certifications with
Staying Power
7
“There are many certifications that have a long life span, by which we don't mean that
the certification is good for many years before it expires, but rather that the
certification has been around and will be around for a long time.”
Source: Global Knowledge, July 2013
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

8. Which Certifications Help You
Earn the Highest Salaries
8
$0
$20,000
$40,000
$60,000
$80,000
$100,000
$120,000
15 Top Paying Certifications and Average Salary
Source:
Global Knowledge, January 2012

9. Federal Agencies that Require/
Recommend CompTIA Certifications
9
 Federal Aviation Administration
 U.S. Department of Agriculture
 U.S. Department of Commerce
 U.S. Department of Defense
(Air Force, Army, Marines, Navy, DISA)
 U.S. Coast Guard
 U.S. Department of Education
 U.S. Department of Energy
 U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services
 U.S. Department of Homeland Security
 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development
 U.S. Department of Justice
 U.S. Department of Transportation
 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
 U.S. Internal Revenue Service
 U.S. Department of State
Federal Agencies that Require/Recommend CompTIA Certifications
Source: CompTIA, July 2013

10. Resources to Boost the IT
Workforce
CompTIA and its partners offer a host of
services to help people start a career in IT:
• IT-Ready apprenticeships
• Troops to Tech Careers program for U.S.
military veterans
• Online newsletter and blog full of career
advice

11. * Coming Fall 2013
Grow Your IT Career from
Beginner to Expert

12. certification.comptia.org
Want to know more?
As the voice of the IT industry, CompTIA has
hundreds of tools, career advice posts and links
to training resources to help IT professionals
grow through education, certification, advocacy
and philanthropy.
Check it out at certification.comptia.org.