Will IT certs get you jobs and raises? Survey says yes

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Career, Cisco, Cisco Career Certifications, Employers, Information technology, Interviews, jobs, Microsoft, Microsoft Certified Professional, Resume

Article by Julie Bort, Network World – November 14, 2011 08:08 AM ET

60% of IT professionals surveyed say a certification led to a new job, and half say it gave a salary boost. But some certs are more valuable than others.

Debate rages among IT professionals over the value of certifications, but a survey of 700 network professionals jointly conducted by Network World and SolarWinds may help put that argument to rest. Among those who earned certifications, most saw a significant boost in their careers as a result.

Some 60% said a certification led to a new job; 50% said they earned more pay, with 40% saying their pay increased by more than 10% directly because of a certification; and 29% said a cert led to a promotion.

Polish your skill sets with free, excellent on-line tutorials

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Advice, Career, Economy, Employers, Help, Interviews, job opportunities, Lynda.com, Microsoft, rewarding career, tutorials, Unemployed, w3school, Work

As each day passes, and you still find yourself unemployed, gaining no new experience and consequently, falling out of favor among potential employers, one thing you can do is update your skills and build new skills for your next job.  In this day and age with so many people unemployed, companies look for motivated individuals who take initiative in bettering themselves.

Don’t be surprised if a company asks you what you’ve done during the span of your unemployment.   How will you respond?

Long-term unemployment can take a toll on anyone’s life, but don’t dwell on your suffering.   Keep a positive attitude and take the proactive approach, for example; acquiring a certification, starting an industry-related blog, or volunteering for coaching or training others or taking an internship yourself. The message you’re sending to the potential employer is that even though you lost your job as a result of these tough economic times, you are determined to get back on your feet.

Veterans – Get free job skills through Elevate America’s Veterans program

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Career, Economy, Employers, Help, Interviews, job opportunities, jobs, Microsoft, military service members, Unemployment, Veterans, Work

Microsoft formed a coalition of public, private and non-profit organizations to help our country’s veterans and their spouses get the additional skills they need to succeed in today’s tough economy.   The initiative – Elevate America’s Veterans – is an extension of Elevate America.