Cisco provides general and specialized certifications, and candidates who want to earn these certifications should qualify for the examination first. The general certifications have been divided into four levels of proficiency offered in seven different paths, including analyzing, routing and switching, monitoring, designing, security, and storage networking. Is a Cisco certification worth it?
CCNA and CCNA Training, CCNP Certification, CCNP Training, and CCIE and CCIE Training are the most popular certifications within the IT industry compared to other certifications. As a Cisco certified professional, you will be able to demonstrate your proficiency in networking fundamentals and concepts.
1. Enhances And Validates Your Networking Knowledge
By getting yourself enrolled in Cisco certification training, you will enhance your skills and increase your knowledge. Cisco certifications also include a vast range of technologies and protocols. Earning a Cisco certification will allow you to learn about installation, configuration, operating, and troubleshooting routed and switched networks. In addition, it also tests your knowledge on topics like syslog server configuration, internet protocol addressing etc.
A Cisco certification also trains professionals with the accurate knowledge necessary to deal with business environment issues, with the pressures and risks associated with network deployment in large organizations.
2. Opens Up New Opportunities for Career Advancement
A Cisco certification advances your career on the fast track of the roles that are suitable for you and jobs that you aspire to achieve, which means much better credibility in terms of your job profile. You’ll be able to perform numerous networking tasks at a large scale, with an increase in responsibilities. Getting a promotion easily is definitely not easy without being certified. Achieving certification will ensure to speed up the promotion process.
3. Gives You a Raise in Salary
In the year 2014, according to the US Bureau of Statistics (BLS) report, an average wage of $79,770 for network and system managers, along with the highest-paid certified professionals earning up to $120,000 or more. The BLS also predicts an increase in demand for network professionals of 12 % by the year 2022.
According to the InfoSec Institute, CCNA professionals earn an average of $118,830 a year. According to a recent PayScale report, a certified Cisco networking engineer’s salary ranges from $50,971 to $101,017 per annum.
4. Organizations Prefer Cisco Certified Professionals
According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), in 2008, a survey named Impact of Training mentioned that training and earning certifications have an influential impact on improving return on investment (ROI), budget maintenance, and increased productivity for employers.
Certifications demonstrate that you have a certain level of understanding and skills to manage networking and troubleshoot. Certain firms (especially Cisco partners) prefer to hire Cisco certified professionals versus non-certified professionals. The more certifications you earn, the better your salary becomes.
Here are some facts and figures:
- 66% of managers agreed that a Cisco certification improves the overall performance of service and support offered to IT end-users and customers.
- Organizations having more than 50% of certified professionals perform well above the average.
- Cisco certification increases customer satisfaction because trained professionals have an overall understanding of how to deal with risks and eliminate them, resulting in a higher success rate.
- 75% of executives agreed that Cisco certifications are beneficial for better team performance.
Is a Cisco certification worth it? Having a Cisco certification will highlight your resume to potential recruiters and help you stand apart from the crowd of non-certified professionals.
The Future Benefits Of a Cisco Certification
The experience might differ from person to person, for candidates with no experience in networking, completing an entire Cisco track (the R/S, or Routing and Switching track) will take a maximum of 1500 hours of learning to complete the three certifications:
- CCNA R/S
- CCNP R/S
- CCIE R/S
At the US average salary of $16/hour for graduates, this certification brings an opportunity cost of $24,000, thinking that the professionals were to quit their service to prepare for the certification exams. The initial salary is more than $50,000 per year. Is a Cisco certification worth it? Earning a Cisco certification would mean that a professional could spend an entire year preparing oneself for a full-time job and can take a break even after six months at the new job.
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