Do IT Workers Lie About Tech Certifications?
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Do IT Workers Lie About Tech Certifications?
CIOs need to do a better job of making sure that their employees aren't fibbing when they indicate that they've earned specific tech certifications. -
Critical Factor
62% of IT leaders said they consider tech certifications as "important" in making hiring decisions. -
Growth Driver
59% consider tech certifications as important in making decisions about the development of staffers, and 48% said the same about promotion decisions. -
Compensation Criteria
69% said they factor in certifications when coming up with an employee's salary, and 30% do this "always" or "often." -
Spotty Check
Just 26% of IT leaders verify workers' certifications "always" or "often." -
Fudging Facts
Only 52% of IT pros say their certifications are accurately reflected on their resumes "always" or "often." -
Top Factors in Considering the Pursuit of Certifications among IT Pros
Long-term career growth: 40%, Compensation impact: 18%, Hiring prospects impact: 16% -
Degree of Distinction
45% of IT leaders said security-related certifications provide the most value, and 43% of IT pros agree. -
Next "Most Valuable" Certifications among IT Leaders
Programming/development: 22%, Project management: 21%, Software engineering: 10% -
Footing the Bill
74% of IT pros feel that employers should pay for tech certifications, and 65% of tech leaders agree.
A surprising minority of CIOs and other IT leaders actually check to see if their staffers' claims of tech certifications earned are actually true, according to a recent survey from TEKsystems. But they should—because many IT pros admit that they do not always report this information accurately on their resumes. The lack of verification could result in long-term consequences, as the majority of IT leaders take into account tech certifications in making decisions about the hiring, developing and promoting of their staffers. Among the certifications most in need: Those related to cyber-security, programming and development, project management and software engineering. Given that many organizations pay for these educational opportunities, CIOs need to do a better job of making sure that their employees aren't fibbing when they indicate they've earned them. "(Organizations) need to be more diligent in actually verifying certifications in order to avoid getting trapped in a certification shell game," said Jason Hayman, research manager at TEKsystems. "Additionally, IT professionals need to understand that the value of certifications does not end with the accreditation itself, but in their ability as employees to bring that knowledge and expertise to bear on their job responsibilities." More than 300 IT leaders and 900 IT pros took part in the research.