IBM has been an industry leader in information technology since the beginning of personal computers. Our guide to IBM Certifications is designed to walk you through some of the various opportunities available with IBM. It’s natural that they have a unique set of opportunities, and certifications for those who want to have a deeper knowledge with one of the sources of IT. Roughly speaking, IBM offers over 200 certifications and exams in 11 broad categories. We hope to prime you on what IBM offers and some of the popular courses that can help you become more competitive in the world of Information Technology.
Why go through IBM?
IBM, as we mentioned earlier, is one of the oldest tech companies around. In an industry where old means overs two decades, IBM has been operating since 1911. Because of the vast amount of contribution to computer science over the last century and the sheer amount of influence they have had, they have a huge impact on the IT world. IBM has instant brand recognition for sales, brand loyalty, and world-class cutting edge solutions to today’s tech problems. On top of a long legacy and massive market shares, IBM professionals are in high demand. Try browsing any job website such as Monster or Indeed.com, and you are bound to find a need for IBM trained professionals.
Picking a cert, you love to get a job you love
Picking a category can be challenging, especially when the categories are as broad as Cognitive Solutions and Watson IoT. It’s a fantastic problem to have though! There are hundreds of paths IBM allows you to take, but there is little reason to be intimidated, these paths often lead to great jobs and opportunities. Since there is so much variety in what is offered, finding an acceptable certification is as simple as looking at what work you are passionate about and pursuing a related path.
One of the neat things about IBM certifications is that the process is relatively straight-forward and often involves a single exam for certification. The technical requirements are no slouch though, it may take a lot of work and effort to pass an exam, but since IBM requires fewer exams with a vast array of options, IBM allows you to tailor make your career path. Be forewarned; technical knowledge is necessary though as just picking a certification will require some level of proficiency with technologies and industry terms.
Certifications that make employers throw themselves at you
There is a certification for everybody nestled amidst the IBM database, but these certifications are some of the best options for starting work with IBM solutions and products,
IBM certified solution advisor DevOps V1
DevOps is not a program so much as a philosophy, similar to learning Agile. In many modern day working environments, collaboration and efficiency are an art in itself. The DevOps 1 exam C5050-300 is designed to test how you can share and teach the underlying concepts of DevOps development to stakeholders. As a philosophy DevOps can revolutionize the workflow of an office, but they need advocates to share the concepts, train and advise. For the tech-minded person who loves team exercises and teaching workflow, this is a stellar career choice!
IBM Certified Solution Advisor Cloud Reference Architecture V5
While we have been transitioning to Cloud computing as an industry, there are still many who do not understand the purpose and need for the Cloud. The C5050-287 exam is designed for people who can explain the perks of using IBM for Cloud-based solutions and help clients realize the benefits of this system. Similar to a brand evangelist, the CSA Cloud Reference Architect can walk into a business and show them why they should convert to the IBM ecosystem. This Cert is great for those in sales but also getting a foot in the door with an upper-level tech concept.
There is something unique about these three certifications as well. All of them were offered for free at the recent InterConnect 2017 conference. IBM seeks to help mobilize an army of tech-savvy IT workers and has done a great job of offering free alternatives for those learning to grow in knowledge and skill.
I’m certified, but how the heck do I find a job?
Before diving into a cert and making the commitment to study and spend hundreds on tests, you need to know what a cert can do for you. Since IBM professionals are in high demand, finding a job stateside is not that challenging. IBM though takes it a step further and offers a member site that allows those with certs to create a profile and advertise themselves. This means that the gamut of people who will encounter your certification level online will they be looking for a highly proficient worker who specializes in IBM systems. It’s similar to LinkedIn but purely for IBM professionals. Finding a high-quality job is quite easy though as the demand for IBM qualified professionals is HUGE these days.
Picking a cert is impossible! How can I make the process easy?
Informational videos can be found about the process on the IBM YouTube channel, that walk you through all the aspects of certification with IBM as well. They do a fantastic job of walking you through the process of selecting an IBM certification, the value in getting a badge, and what options are offered through IBM.
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