Key takeaways
- Pick certifications that match your track and the roles you actually apply for.
- Entry level certifications open doors, while advanced ones mostly confirm experience you already have.
- Some credentials, like Epic, usually require employer sponsorship.
- A certification supports your experience. It does not replace it.
Do certifications really matter?
Yes, but not in the way many people think. A certification will not get you a senior role by itself. What it does is help your resume pass the first screen, show you are serious about your field and give a hiring manager common language to trust. When we submit candidates to clients, a relevant certification often makes the difference between two similar profiles.
So the question is not "should I get certified." The question is which certification, for which track, at which point in your career. Let me go track by track.
Project and delivery
- PMP (Project Management Professional) from PMI: the most recognized project management credential in the US. PMI requires 36 months of experience leading projects if you hold a four year degree, or 60 months with a secondary diploma, plus 35 hours of project management education.
- CAPM (Certified Associate in Project Management): the entry level option from PMI for people who do not yet have the experience for PMP.
- PMI Agile Certified Practitioner: good for project managers working in agile and hybrid environments.
- Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) from Scrum Alliance and Professional Scrum Master (PSM) from Scrum.org: both common for Scrum Master and agile team roles.
- SAFe certifications from Scaled Agile: useful if you target large enterprises that run the Scaled Agile Framework, such as SAFe Agilist or SAFe Scrum Master.
If you want to see the kind of roles these support, look at our project and leadership roles page.
Business analysis
The IIBA has a clear ladder. ECBA (Entry Certificate in Business Analysis) is for people starting out. CCBA (Certification of Capability in Business Analysis) is for analysts with some experience. CBAP (Certified Business Analysis Professional) is the senior credential and requires significant documented BA experience. PMI also offers the PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI PBA), which fits analysts who work closely with project teams.
For a BA, pick one ladder and climb it. Two entry level certificates from two bodies add less than one senior one.
Cloud
- AWS: AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner for basics, then AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate, which is one of the most requested cloud credentials in job descriptions.
- Microsoft Azure: Azure Fundamentals to start, then role based options such as Azure Administrator Associate or Azure Solutions Architect Expert.
- Google Cloud: Associate Cloud Engineer, then Professional Cloud Architect.
Choose the cloud your target employers use. If most of the jobs in your area say Azure, start there.
Security
- CompTIA Security+: the common starting point and widely listed in job descriptions, including many government related roles.
- CISSP from ISC2: a senior credential that requires several years of verified security work experience. Holders tend to move into lead, architect and manager roles.
- CISM from ISACA: focused on security management and governance, good for people moving toward leadership.
Data, CRM and healthcare IT
Data
Data credentials are mostly vendor based. Microsoft offers the Power BI Data Analyst Associate and Fabric Analytics Engineer Associate. Databricks and Snowflake have their own certifications for data engineers. Pick the platform your target employers run.
CRM and ERP platforms
Salesforce credentials such as Administrator and Platform App Builder are well known, and Microsoft offers Dynamics 365 certifications for its CRM and ERP apps. They help, but on these programs the hiring manager will care most about your full cycle implementation and support experience. Real project history counts far more than any certificate. See our IT staffing page for the kind of work we staff.
Healthcare IT
- Epic certification: usually requires sponsorship by an Epic customer organization or an employer. So for most people it comes after they get the job, not before.
- CPHIMS from HIMSS: a broad healthcare information and management systems credential.
- AHIMA credentials: such as RHIA (Registered Health Information Administrator), RHIT and CCS (Certified Coding Specialist), which are valued in health information management and revenue cycle roles.
Our healthcare IT and revenue cycle page explains which roles these support.
IT service management
ITIL 4 Foundation is common for service desk, operations, IT managers and anyone working with change and incident processes. Its not flashy, but many enterprise job descriptions list it.
What about AI certifications?
Many vendors now offer AI related credentials, for example on the AWS, Azure and Google Cloud platforms. They can be useful, especially as an add on to a cloud or data certification you already hold. But the field moves quickly, so treat them as proof that you are current, and pair them with a project where you actually built or used something with AI.
How to choose the right certification
- Start from the job, not the certificate. Pull 10 to 15 job descriptions for the role you want and count which certifications appear.
- Match your level. Entry level credentials when you are new, senior ones when you have the experience they require.
- Think about cost and time. Exam fees, training and renewal requirements add up. Some need ongoing education units.
- Check employer support. Many companies pay for certifications. Ask before you pay yourself.
- Stack, do not scatter. One cloud plus one security credential that fit together beats five random ones.
Certification is not a replacement for experience
I have to be honest here. We see resumes with many certifications and very little real work. Hiring managers notice that quickly. A certification shows you studied. Experience shows you delivered. The strongest profiles have both, and the experience comes first in the story. If you are early in your career, pair your certification with a project, a contract assignment or volunteer work where you applied it. Our article on skills over degrees explains how to build that proof.
Frequently asked questions
Which IT certification is best for beginners?
It depends on the track. Common starting points are CAPM for project management, ECBA for business analysis, CompTIA Security+ for security and a fundamentals level cloud certification from AWS, Azure or Google Cloud.
Can I get Epic certified on my own?
Usually not. Epic certification generally requires sponsorship from an Epic customer organization or an employer, so most people earn it after they are hired into an Epic role.
Is a certification better than experience?
No. A certification supports your experience and helps you pass screening, but hiring managers value proven delivery on real projects more.
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Israr Kazmi
Israr Kazmi is the founder of iCareTechno, the IT staffing, recruitment and consulting division of iCareBilling LLC in Chicago. He writes about hiring, vendor relationships and careers in IT.
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