IT Certifications That Mean Higher Pay

CIO.com, September 6

Certifications not only show the IT industry employers, peers and recruiters that you are up to date and knowledgeable on a given topic -- they also can lead to increased earnings. Based on the results from the latest quarterly IT Skills Demand and Pay Trends Report, it's possible to see which of the many IT certifications out there can lead to higher pay. With more and more companies holding out for the IT pro who has the perfect skills, candidates who possess these certifications are getting paid a premium over what others in the same role without the certification are receiving. Additional monetary compensation tied specifically to an IT certification can range from 8% to 16%, depending on employer need and marketplace trends.

The certifications in the first category come with a premium skills pay of 8-13% of base salary. Many of these certifications fall into the intermediate range and are accessible to the average IT person. These include a mix of security certifications, such as Red Hat Certified Architect, and Architecture/Project Management/Process Certifications, such as Microsoft Certified Architect. They also include several Database Certifications; Networking and Communications Certifications (e.g. Cisco Certified Design Professional); and Systems Administration & Engineering Certifications.

People with certifications in the second category earned an impressive premium skills pay of 10-15%. Occupying eight out of these 12 slots in this category are Security Certifications, such as Certified Information Security Manager. With the myriad of malicious threats facing companies, it's no surprise that IT security is an area that is expected to have tremendous growth. Others in the 10-15% category include Architecture/Project Management/Process Certifications and Database Certifications. The final category highlights Architecture and Project Management certifications, reporting in with a premium skills pay of 12-16%. With the rapid pace that the IT industry moves at, it's no wonder these certifications are currently demanding the highest pay. These include Certifications such as Open Group Master Architect and Project Management Professional.

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Women Hitting a Wall in IT

NextGov.com (08/02/11)
Brittany Ballenstedt Most women in information technology (IT) careers remain in junior or mid-level management positions, and many believe their male colleagues are being promoted ahead of them, according to a Women in Technology survey. Sixty-one percent of the respondents have more than 10 years of experience in the tech sector, but only 26 percent have reached senior management or board level positions. "These results indicate that the big strides toward equality that we had hoped for in 2007 have not yet happened and that the gender balance in the workplace still has a long way to go," says the survey's report. The latest findings are similar to the results from 2007, when the vast majority of respondents had not taken and did not intend to take a career break after maternity. The report also notes that there are several benefits available to women in IT. Eighty percent of employers offer remote working options and 75 percent offer flexible working hours. Salary, benefits, career opportunities, and flexible work hours are the top reasons why women apply for jobs with certain organizations.
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Computer Science Tops List of Best Major for Jobs

Software Development Times (07/08/11) Rachel Gottfried

Computer science has topped the National Association of Colleges and Employers' list of best majors for jobs for the first time since 2008. This year, 56.2 percent of computer science majors have received job offers, and the offer rate has risen 13.8 percent from 2010. Students who earned degrees in computer science are obtaining more offers of employment than any other major because computer scientists are needed in many different industries. "There are many different companies that need to hire computer scientists," says the association's Mimi Collins. However, another reason computer science majors are receiving more offers is because there is a shortage of people graduating with such degrees. Things change quickly in the field, so employers want recent computer science graduates because they have the latest skills. "When I picked my major, I knew there wouldn't be a lack of jobs as a computer scientist, and that was part of the appeal," says Annabelle Evans, who graduated with a degree in computer science from the University of Southern California in 2008.

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Computer Science Tops List of Best Major for Jobs

Software Development Times (07/08/11) Rachel Gottfried

Computer science has topped the National Association of Colleges and Employers' list of best majors for jobs for the first time since 2008. This year, 56.2 percent of computer science majors have received job offers, and the offer rate has risen 13.8 percent from 2010. Students who earned degrees in computer science are obtaining more offers of employment than any other major because computer scientists are needed in many different industries. "There are many different companies that need to hire computer scientists," says the association's Mimi Collins. However, another reason computer science majors are receiving more offers is because there is a shortage of people graduating with such degrees. Things change quickly in the field, so employers want recent computer science graduates because they have the latest skills. "When I picked my major, I knew there wouldn't be a lack of jobs as a computer scientist, and that was part of the appeal," says Annabelle Evans, who graduated with a degree in computer science from the University of Southern California in 2008.

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IT Grads in Demand

IT Grads in Demand
NextGov.com (05/23/11) Brittany Ballenstedt

Employers are looking to hire graduates with degrees in computer science more than any other college graduates, according to a new survey from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). More than 56 percent of computer science majors who have applied for a job have received an offer, giving the major the highest offer rate for the class of 2011. NACE surveyed more than 50,000 college students and found that the job offer rate for computer science graduates has increased 13.8 percent from 2010. Half of engineering graduates who have applied for jobs have received an offer, and the overall job offer rate for 2011 graduates has risen to 41.2 percent from 38.2 percent a year ago. In a separate survey released earlier in the month, NACE reported that computer science graduates were receiving starting salaries of $63,000.

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