How Can IT Certification From Cisco Change Your Life?

How can IT Certification from Cisco change your life? That is the question. How indeed?

Have you read about my IT practitioner friend who was highly qualified of a position in our company and whom I recommended to the Human Resource Department but sadly was not hired? If you’ve not read that story, let me relive it now.

This friend has been in the IT business for a significant number of years – more than 7 years really. In fact, he has designed many networks to date and one was the backbone network of my husband’s previous company. I really had no doubt of his capability and to my assessment, with his experience and skill, he was everything our company would want and so I recommended him for a spot in our company. He went through the usual process of course – series of examinations and interviews (well, that’s a standard operating procedure and I’m not too powerful as to give him an easy access to that job position!). But much to my surprise (not to mention disappointment), when the final result came in, he was not hired!

I was so sorry for the unfavorable result and it definitely was a sad thing because I know he is a competent IT professional. But do you know what made the big bosses not hire him? He had no Cisco certification to back him up. No, not a single one. And that made the world of difference.

At some point a CISCO certification whether it is in Design (CCDA), Routing and Switching (CCNA), Security (CCNA Security), Voice (CCNA Voice) or Wireless (CCNA Wireless) wouldn’t make much difference. But I have changed my mind. It is important. Because in the real world, a certification and an endorsement are part of “the qualification.” But in a positive sense getting a certification, not only help in the advancement of career but with the extra learning also gives one the confidence to face the real world.

The Cisco Certification Made The Difference

With the industry I circulate in, I understand very well the importance of a Cisco certification. It has even become a must, and a certification is already a must have.

One time in not so distant past, the company was looking for a personnel to fill in an IT position. Numerous IT professionals turned in their application and I had recommended a friend for the position. I had thought that this friend was everything our company would want- in terms of skills. Taking his experience into consideration, I had no doubt in my mind that he will be an asset to the company. Because I know that he is highly qualified for the job and he is a perfect candidate, I vouched for his application and he went through the standard procedure of taking an exam and getting interviewed. To our surprise, when the selection process was all done, he was not hired. The significant thing that made a difference was a Cisco certification. Despite his skills and experience, my friend had no Cisco certification to his name then. It was a sad thing because I know he is a competent IT professional. But that is reality.


A Cisco certification would give an IT practitioner the edge. From experience, I guess employers would see the certification as an endorsement of sorts. To the practitioner, a certification is a confidence and marketability booster. And because of this, my sister (who is an IT graduate), my husband (who is in the design field) and I are in the process of working for our Cisco certifications too.

Get Your CISCO Certification, Too

The demand for IT professional is rapidly growing – here and abroad. And with this trend, my sister was encouraged to take up an IT course. She is a graduate now but she is working to get to the next level of the IT profession – that is to secure an associate Cisco certification. Here, it has actually become a necessity for IT professionals to get a Cisco certification because when you are Cisco-certified, bigger doors of opportunity are opened for you.

I, for one, am also inspired to get my certification. Being in the wireless communications industry (where we mostly use Cisco equipments and where the direction is using the IP platform fullblast), I understand the need for this. It is also apparent that one’s credibility in operating and maintaining these equipment–although not wholly- but primarily depends on whether one is Cisco-certified or not. Currently, my colleagues are already having their CCNA modules and I might follow suit once my current career pre-occupation is accomplished. It’s so convenient these days because one can get the training and exams online.

My husband who is in the Hardware design industry is also working in getting his associate certification (there are various Cisco associate certifications i.e. Design (CCDA), Routing and Switching (CCNA), Security (CCNA Security), Voice (CCNA Voice) and Wireless (CCNA Wireless) but he is getting the Routing and Switching CCNA). Like in our company, it is not required of them, but he understands that getting a training and securing a certification will enhance his knowledge and skills and will give him an edge in his practice.