Reason #3: They are highly valued by many employers.
Although certifications do not sway all employers, they do impress a large number of them. The Department of Defense has established baseline certifications for many security and intelligence positions, such as the CompTIA Security+. Some employers prefer certifications over a college diploma, so having one can help you stand out.
Reason #4: Having a certification can keep your boss on their toes
Several times throughout my career, I’ve followed the playbook of earning certification on my own time and with my own money without informing my employer. Instead, I would send them the email confirmation or inform them verbally once I had received the certification (or hang it on my office wall without saying anything.) You can see the wheels turning in these scenarios as they wonder when you finished the certification, why you’re improving yourself, and what your intentions are.
Whether in the cybersecurity field or not, obtaining certification while working can cause your employer to notice you. This can provide you with leverage in many cases.
Reason #5: You can use certifications to negotiate a raise or promotion
Money must become a factor in any career decision at some point, and here it is. Certifications can help a cybersecurity professional gain negotiating leverage for a raise or promotion. This is why so many certification providers try to link their credentials to pay scales. Of course, there are many other factors to consider when determining whether or not a certification can lead to a raise. Still, it may be worthwhile to try to use certification as a bargaining chip for better pay.
Reason #6: If you don’t have one, you’ll wish you did
This, in my opinion, is the most crucial benefit of all. Wouldn’t having the certification be preferable to not having it? Consider it for a moment. Is there anyone who doesn’t have a degree who wouldn’t use a magic wand to get one if they could? Is there any IT professional who doesn’t want an alphabet of certifications after their name? We all like qualifiers, but many of us lack the motivation to pursue them, making them all the more valuable to those of us who do.
Reason #7: Certifications are often given more weight by employers than training programs
Numerous online and in-person training programs are available, and thousands of people have invested thousands of dollars in them. Unfortunately, many of these training programs are paper mills or brain dumps, in which the student isn’t given enough time to learn anything and isn’t given a chance to try things out for themselves. The problem is that many of these programs are geared toward certification preparation, even though many students fail to pass the exam at the end of the course. Employers frequently regard certification as a higher validation of knowledge than simply completing some training.