IT Certification Research
Results from an Online Survey for Prometric
February 2013
Research Background & Objectives
Prometric surveyed approximately 400 IT professionals, influencers and decision-makers to
communicate the value IT training and certification provides both individuals and organizations.
The research objectives included:
• Measure the importance of certification in the hiring process, and its impact on IT employee job
satisfaction, confidence, productivity, etc.
• Prioritize the key success factors or desired outcomes from training and/or certification. Does
certification strengthen the ability of employees/the organization to deliver better in these areas?
• Understand the relationship between training, certification and on-the-job-experience when it comes
to hiring decisions and meeting IT needs. What role do they play in hiring decisions?
• Perform sub-group analysis for all metrics (above) to understand key drivers. These include
analysis by:
– Certification stakeholders: IT professionals, IT decision-makers and HR/hiring/recruiters.
– Certified vs. uncertified IT professionals to measure “lift”, if any, from certification.
Research Methodology
An online survey was conducted January 29 through February 5, 2013 among IT
Certification stakeholders:
• Respondents were screened and qualified for the survey using this criteria:
– IT Professionals: IT Support, IT Technician, Network or Computer System Administrator, Network
Architect or Engineer, Software or Applications Engineer
– Decision-makers: Business Owner/President, CTO, CIO, COO that supports IT, IT VP/Director, IT
Manager; have role in decision-making and purchase of IT training or certification for
staff members
– HR/Hiring Influencers: HR Manager or Associate, Hiring Manager, Recruiter, COO or Operations
Manager that supports HR
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• Soft quotas were applied to obtain a good mix of business size (number of IT users in organization)
Larger Organizations Are
More Likely to Support
Training and Certification in
General
• The survey averaged 10.5 minutes in length.
CertificationStakeholders
Number of Completed
Online Interviews
IT Professionals
212
Decision-makers
100
HR/HiringInfluencers
100
TOTAL
412
% Support Training
and Certification
Executive Summary
• Certification leads to higher job satisfaction among IT professionals and greater confidence in their
ability to do their jobs compared to their uncertified peers.
• The perceived benefits of IT certification vary slightly by IT or decision-making level:
– IT professionals recognize the benefits of IT certification primarily in terms of career enhancement and the personal development of skills and knowledge to do their jobs better.
1-10
IT Users
11-99
IT Users
100+
IT Users
(n=34)
(n=32)
(n=33)
– IT decision-makers view certification as a path to employees’ skill development and as a
productivity tool, improving the reliability and efficiency of the IT environment, and ultimately
paying off for the organization as a whole (HR/Influencers have a similar view).
• Decision-makers and HR/Influencers indicate that certification
can help a job candidate get their foot in the door by landing an
interview or getting the attention of the head of the hiring
department.
Training and Certification is Largely De-Centralized
and in Response to Employee Requests
How IT Training and Certification is Offered within the Organization
• IT certification goes hand-in-hand with IT training and on-the-job
experience when it comes to developing the skill set to increase
productivity and making IT professionals more marketable. (see
also challenges).
Response to a large
strategic initiative
Proactive/
Centralized
Regularly on a
schedule
17%
22%
Ad hoc by
department request
27%
Ad hoc by
employee request
Employee
reimbursement
17%
Reactive/
De-centralized
24%
2
Note: All percentages have been rounded up to the nearest whole number.
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Job Satisfaction
Confidence in Implementing On-budget and On-time
86% of certified IT professionals are satisfied with their
job. IT professionals that hold one or more certifications
have slightly higher job satisfaction than those that do not
hold certifications.
Certified IT professionals have greater confidence in their
ability to implement IT systems on budget and on time.
IT Professionals’ Job Satisfaction
Very/Smwt
dissatisfied
Neutral
IT Professionals’ Confidence in Implementing
On-budget and On-time
Certified
Not Certified
Certified
Not Certified
(n=112)
(n=90)
(n=112)
(n=90)
1%
1%
2%
2%
Very/Smwt
dissatisfied
Neutral
4%
12%
7%
5%
3%
8%
16%
35%
29%
Very
satisfied
36%
40%
76% Confident
52%
Somewhat
satisfied
40%
67% Confident
Very
satisfied
51%
81% Satisfied with Job
Somewhat
satisfied
86% Satisfied with Job
19%
27%
3
Note: All percentages have been rounded up to the nearest whole number.
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Key Benefits of Certification Vary by Level
While IT professionals look to certification for career enhancement and developing their skill
set, IT decision-makers and hiring influencers look to the long-term productivity and
benefits that certification provides to the overall organization.
IT Professionals
IT DMs
HR/Hiring
Career Enhancement
Skills & Knowledge
Skills & Knowledge
Top perceived benefits by audience
• More marketable
• Keeps skills current
• Apply knowledge to job
are shown
• Candidate for promotion
• Apply knowledge to job
• Keeps skills current
• Map career path/growth
• Staff exposed to new products
• Troubleshoot problems without
• Earn more money
• Troubleshoot problems without
help of outside support
help of outside support
• Indicator of skills/knowledge
Skills & Knowledge
• Indicator of skills/knowledge
• Staff exposed to new products
• Apply knowledge to job
Productivity
Productivity
• Exposure to new products
• Helps staff do their job better
• Helps staff do their job better
• Indicator of skills/knowledge
• Faster implementation
• Staff value/productivity
• Troubleshoot problems without
• Reliability/Efficiency of IT
• Reduce network down time
• Keeps skills current
help of outside support
environment
• Reduce network down time
• Staff value/productivity
• Faster implementation
• Reliability/Efficiency of IT
environment
ROI/Organization benefits
ROI/Organization benefits
• Demonstrates competency
• Makes staff more valuable
to clients
• Makes staff more valuable
to org
to org
• Long-term savings
• Demonstrates competency
to clients
4
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IT Professionals: Perceived Benefits
IT professionals perceive certification to primarily deliver on career enhancement and
developing their skill set.
Makes you more marketable
12%
43%
28%
83%
Makes you a more attractive
candidate for promotion
13%
35%
Helps you map your professional
growth and career path
10%
34%
31%
76%
Helps you earn more money
11%
33%
31%
76%
Keeps skills/knowledge current
13%
38%
30%
81%
Provides knowledge that can be
applied directly on the job
14%
36%
31%
81%
Exposes you to new products and
functionality
9%
39%
32%
80%
Meaningful indication of job
skills and knowledge
10%
35%
29%
74%
Helps troubleshoot problems without
help of outside technical support
11%
33%
33%
76%
Helps you do your job better
11%
31%
33%
76%
Increases value/productivity
of staff
11%
29%
37%
Improves reliability and efficiency
of the IT environment
10%
29%
36%
78%
30%
78%
8% 25%
36%
70%
Helps reduce network downtime
8% 25%
35%
67%
Provides long-term savings for
the organization
13%
37%
7% 24%
5=Excellent
29%
80%
70%
40%
4
Skills & Knowledge
Productivity
75%
Speeds implementation of
new IT projects
Demonstrates competency
to clients
Career Enhancement
ROI/Organization
Benefits
3
Rank ordered by top 2 box score (‘5-4’ rating on a 5-point Excellent-Poor scale)
5
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IT Decision-makers: Perceived Benefits
IT decision-makers perceive certification as a way to strengthen staff’s skill and knowledge
and increase productivity within the IT organization.
Keeps skills/knowledge current
11%
Provides knowledge that can be
applied directly on the job
12%
Exposes your staff to new
products and functionality
53%
46%
20%
37%
24%
88%
31%
89%
33%
90%
Helps staff troubleshoot problems without help of outside technical support
11%
39%
36%
86%
Meaningful indication of job
skills and knowledge
11%
38%
35%
84%
Helps your staff do
their job better
14%
36%
37%
Speeds implementation
of new IT projects
10%
40%
34%
84%
Improves reliability and efficiency
of the IT environment
15%
33%
36%
84%
Helps reduce network downtime
10%
37%
33%
Increases value/productivity
of staff
11%
32%
44%
Demonstrates competency
to clients
17%
37%
31%
85%
Makes your staff more valuable to
the organization
12%
35%
39%
86%
Provides long-term savings for
the organization
Makes staff more attractive for
promotion within the organization
9% 25%
7%
34%
46%
87%
87%
ROI/Organization
Benefits
80%
43%
84%
6% 31%
44%
81%
Puts staff into consideration
for pay raise
8% 25%
38%
71%
4
Productivity
80%
Helps map your staff’s professional
growth and career path
5=Excellent
Skills & knowledge
Employee Career
Enhancement
3
Rank ordered by top 2 box score (‘5-4’ rating on a 5-point Excellent-Poor scale)
6
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HR/Hiring Influencers: Perceived Benefits
HR/hiring influencers view certification as a barometer of an IT employee’s skills and
knowledge, as well as increasing IT productivity and providing benefits to the overall
organization (ROI).
Provides knowledge that can be
applied directly on the job
25%
42%
15% 82%
Keeps skills/knowledge current
22%
44%
16% 82%
Helps staff troubleshoot problems without help of outside technical support
20%
19% 78%
39%
Meaningful indication of job
skills and knowledge
13%
44%
26%
Exposes your staff to new
products and functionality
16%
41%
22% 79%
Helps your staff do
their job better
15%
44%
21% 80%
Increases value/productivity
of staff
12%
Helps reduce network downtime
81%
20% 75%
32%
23%
83%
24%
45%
Improves reliability and efficiency
of the IT environment
14%
Speeds implementation of
new IT projects
13%
38%
25%
Makes your staff more valuable to
the organization
10%
41%
28%
79%
76%
20%
29%
28%
77%
Demonstrates competency
to clients
18%
30%
29%
77%
33%
79%
13%
Makes staff more attractive for
promotion within the organization
11%
Puts staff into consideration
for pay raise
33%
29%
7% 25%
5=Excellent
Productivity
28% 81%
39%
Provides long-term savings for
the organization
Helps map your staff’s professional
growth and career path
Skills & knowledge
33%
37%
73%
ROI/Organization
Benefits
Employee Career
Enhancement
69%
4
3
Rank ordered by top 2 box score (‘5-4’ rating on a 5-point Excellent-Poor scale)
7
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IT Certification and Hiring
IT certification is an important qualification in the hiring process and can make a
difference in scoring an initial interview.
IT Certification is
Important in the Hiring
Process because...
“It is a way to prove qualification.”
– HR/Hiring Influencer
IT Decision-Makers
85%
69%
61%
of IT decision-makers
would set up an interview
or put the person with IT
HR/Hiring Influencers
74%
of HR/hiring influencers
would set up an interview or
put the person with IT
certification into consider-
certification into consideration
ation for an interview
for an interview
++ 18% interview
++ 67% consideration
++ 15% fwd to dept head
++ 26% interview
++ 33% consideration
of IT decision-makers say
IT certifications are ‘very or
somewhat important’ in the
68%
of HR/hiring influencers say
IT certifications are ‘very or
somewhat important’ in the
hiring process
hiring process
++ 29% say “very important”
++ 36% say “very important”
of IT decision-makers say
they are ‘very or somewhat
confident’ in the ability of job
61%
of HR/hiring influencers say
IT certifications are ‘very or
somewhat confident’in the
candidates with IT certifica-
ability of job candidates with
tions to meet the responsibili-
IT certifications to meet the
ties of the position
responsibilities of the position
++ 11% say “very confident”
“ It shows that the candidate has the
desire and ability to advance personal
knowledge and to stay current with
industry advances.”
– IT Decision-Maker
++ 14% say “very confident”
“It got me a 10K bump over others
when I was hired.”
– IT Professional
“We need people ready to work, this
shows effort to better themselves
and familiarity with work;”
– HR/Hiring Influencer
“IT certifications receive additional
points when scoring the applicant.”
– IT Professional
“Certification shows an aptitude for a
specific program.”
– HR/Hiring Influencer
“Because it takes money and work to
get certified, which shows the
candidate has initiative and worked
for the certification.”
– IT Professional
“Without it, there is no way to be sure
of training and experience.”
– IT Decision-Maker
8
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Importance of Certification in the Hiring Process
Certification is an important factor, but not the only one, in the hiring process.
Certification
69%
say certification is important
when considering job
candidates for IT positions
++ Single most important 1%
++ Very important 38%
++ Somewhat important 40%
IT Decision-makers (n=100)
Certification
61%
say certification makes them
confident a job candidate will
be able to meet the responsibilities of the position
++ Very confident 11%
++ Somewhat confident 50%
IT Decision-makers (n=100)
Measuring Effectiveness of Certification
Improved job performance, using specific skills, and passing knowledge onto others are
the top measures of certification’s effectiveness; passing the exam alone is not an indicator
of success.
Improved job performance
66%
Used specific learned skills on a project
65%
Employee trains others within the organization
55%
Employee passes the certification exam
35%
Not sure
6%
10
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Firmographics
IT Prof.
IT DMs
HR/Hiring
77%
13%
8%
2%
54%
39%
5%
2%
65%
28%
6%
1%
24%
75%
38%
61%
18%
82%
–
2%
–
100%
–
–
1%
–
3%
–
55%
9%
8%
59%
7%
3%
8%
13%
8%
–
2%
29%
51%
18%
39%
11%
24%
32%
7%
7%
–
–
–
51%
31%
18%
–
–
–
22%
23%
17%
4%
3%
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
80%
9%
9%
2%
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
18%
5%
4%
13%
14%
5%
7%
10%
7%
8%
12%
6%
5%
27%
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Employment
Employed full-time
Self-employed
Employed part-time
Recently retired
External Consultant
Yes
No
Primary Dept. Served
Owner/President
Finance/Accounting
Human Resources
Information Technology
Learning & Development
Legal
Marketing
Operations
Prod. Development or R&D
Other
Decision-making Role
Primary role
Secondary role
Influential or oversight role
Professional Title
IT Help Desk/SupportSpec.
IT Technician
Network/Comp Sys. Admin.
Network Architect/Engineer
Software/Applica.Engineer
IT Manager
IT VP/Director
CTO
CIO
HR Mgror Associate
Hiring Mgror Associate
Recruiter/Headhunter
Operations Mgror COO
2012 Salary
Less than $35,000
$35,000-$39,999
$40,000 -$49,999
$50,000 -$59,999
$60,000 -$69,999
$70,000 -$79,999
$80,000 -$99,999
$100,000 -$119,999
$120,000 or more
Rather not say
11
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Firmographics
IT Prof.
IT DMs
HR/Hiring
9%
8%
14%
14%
21%
8%
25%
27%
15%
16%
11%
11%
8%
9%
23%
20%
20%
7%
9%
2%
7%
25%
32%
20%
23%
34%
32%
18%
15%
38%
28%
19%
13%
11%
2%
2%
4%
5%
5%
5%
2%
–
1%
2%
2%
15%
43%
14%
7%
7%
9%
12%
9%
3%
2%
2%
4%
1%
1%
8%
21%
18%
13%
13%
4%
12%
8%
1%
3%
2%
2%
2%
2%
3%
25%
–
1%
3%
2%
1%
5%
4%
1%
5%
5%
4%
4%
7%
5%
2%
5%
–
1%
4%
1%
–
5%
5%
15%
4%
1%
7%
1%
15%
4%
2%
2%
4%
1%
2%
4%
3%
2%
1%
3%
1%
3%
5%
1%
1%
12%
–
4%
11%
4%
8%
–
1%
4%
2%
7%
1%
2%
–
12%
–
1%
4%
3%
2%
2%
11%
2%
1%
4%
2%
–
2%
3%
1%
12%
5%
6%
2%
3%
8%
# IT Employees in Org
1
2
3-5
6-10
11-50
51-100
101+
IT Users Supported by Org
1-19
20-99
100-249
250+
Total Revenue
Less than $100,000
$100,000 -$249,999
$250,000-$499,999
$500,000 -$999,999
$1 million -$4,999,999
$5 million-$9,999,999
$10 million-$19,999,999
$20 million-$29,999,999
$30 million -$39,999,999
$40 million -$49,999,999
$50 million -$74,999,999
$75 million -$99,999,999
$100 million or more
Not sure/Rather not say
Industry
Agriculture
Business Consulting
Business/Personal Services
Charitable/Non-Profit
Construction and Design
Education
Engineering
Entertainment
Finance
Gov’t: Local
Gov’t: National/Federal
Gov’t: State-Province
Health Care
Insurance
Legal
Manufacturing
Personnel Services
Pharmaceuticals
Professional Services
Publishing/Printing
Real Estate
Retail/Wholesale
Service Provider
Technology
Telecommunications
Transportation
Other
12
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