IT Security Certifications: 6 Trends to Watch

By Kevin Casey

Industry certifications have been a mainstay of IT resumes for decades. These credentials generally have been viewed as signs of someone’s professional commitment or specialization in particular technologies or roles.

That is, however, most definitely a generalization. An IT certification is not a guarantee of someone’s skill level or potential, and it’s certainly not going to tell you much about a person’s so-called soft skills, such as their ability to work well with non-technical business partners. That, among other factors, fuels an ongoing debate about the relative value of specific certifications.

This is perhaps especially true in the security field, which has its own beefy menu of longstanding and emerging professional certifications. They can certainly be valuable — and, as a result, part of an MSSP’s pitch to new clients, a sign of the team’s investment in its skills and general credibility in the InfoSec field.

Like the broader IT industry, though, not all certifications are viewed the same — nor are they static credentials that never change. As we approach the end of 2018 and barrel into a new year, we asked several security and channel leaders for their insights on the current state and perception of IT security certifications. Here’s what MSSPs and other partners should keep in mind as they evaluate their certifications and plan for future training and professional development. Similarly, security pros at all experience levels should keep these trends in mind — especially if your New Year’s resolutions will include any career planning.