Military Careers, Second Careers - Army Times

Get I.T. certified

Maintaining up-to-date information technology certifications — especially advanced credentials — is the best way to show civilian employers you’re keeping up with progress in this ever-changing field.

Experts say getting certified will raise your chances of landing a great I.T. job after the military for two reasons: You’ll have industry-recognized proof of your skills, and you’ll be a more likely match for hiring managers searching résumé databases for keywords such as CompTIA A+ and Certified Business Intelligence Professional.

Most I.T. professionals take it for granted that what they need to know for their jobs will change rapidly, said Ed Tittel, a computer-technology author and 23-year computer-industry veteran.

“You’ll see that most certifications require their holders to update every two to three years anyway, so if you want to keep a credential current, you need to keep taking courses, keep taking exams, or [do] some sort of continuing education,” Tittel said.

Employers are looking for I.T. talent in two fields in particular.

Information security took the No. 1 “most important” spot in a 14-nation survey of I.T. managers by the Computing Technology Industry Association, or Comp TIA, and business intelligence was named among the top emerging I.T. fields in a 2007 report by the National Workforce Center for Emerging Technologies.

Here’s how to get started — and get certified — whether you have I.T. experience or just the knowledge that a high-tech career may be right for you:

CompTIA reports that in a survey of 3,578 I.T. managers, security ranked most important among I.T. skills businesses needed.

That’s made information security one of the hottest certifications in I.T., said CompTIA spokesman Steven Ostrowski.

Information security is the process of protecting information stored on computers from threats such as viruses, worms, spyware and browser-based attacks.

Computer hardware and software designed for security can only do so much, Ostrowski said.

“If you don’t have people who are trained in the latest security and threats, the products might not be able to do what they are supposed to do,” he said.

Mike Chapple, a former Air Force intelligence officer, manages information security for the University of Notre Dame. He protects sensitive data, including Social Security numbers and other personal information, for thousands of current and former students and faculty members.

The military’s focus on information security made the private-sector field a natural transition for Chapple, also the author or co-author of 11 computer-related books, including “Information Security Illuminated” and “CISSP: Certified Information Systems Security Professional Study Guide.”

Vets with backgrounds in information security who also have security clearances are in particularly high demand, said Tittel, one of Chapple’s co-authors on the CISSP study guide.

“They can combine the value of what they know about I.T. with the value of their clearance and parlay it into significant employment,” Tittel said.

Get certified

Information security certifications include:

• CompTIA Security+: This entry-level certification verifies the holder’s knowledge of communication and infrastructure security, cryptography, operational security and general security concepts. The 100-question exam takes 90 minutes. It’s recommended for individuals with two years of networking experience with emphasis on security along with “adequate training and self-study.” This test also satisfies the Defense Department’s certification requirement for all of its information assurance technicians.

• Certified Information Systems Security Professional: This is the certification Chapple said employers in his field really want. The full certification requires at least five full years of professional experience in information security or a combination of work experience and education. You can also earn the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium’s associate of (ISC)² designation by passing the CISSP exam as you gain experience.

• Four vendor-specific credentials: These are Cisco Certified Security Professional, Sun Certified Security Administrator and security specializations within the Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator and Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer certifications. Redmondmag.com, an independent Web site serving the Microsoft I.T. community, offers a free and comprehensive Security Certification Resource Guide. Registration is required.

Business intelligence refers to how companies gather and use data about their business, and because it crosses all industries, it’s one of the top emerging fields in I.T., according to a 2007 report by the National Workforce Center for Emerging Technologies at Bellevue Community College in Bellevue, Wash.

Advances in technology have made business intelligence more accessible to more types of companies, and many need professionals to integrate and customize data applications, according to Dice.com, a job-search Web site for I.T. professionals.

Creating a business intelligence system involves data warehousing and data mining, and business knowledge makes job candidates in this I.T. field more competitive, according to the Dice.com report. Job titles within business intelligence may include network administrator, programmer and database developer.

Get certified

Business intelligence certifications include:

Certified Business Intelligence Professional:

• Certified Business Intelligence Professional: This program administered by The Data Warehousing Institute allows candidates to specialize in one of five fields: administration and technology, leadership and management, data analysis and design, data integration or business analytics. Certification is based on your scores on three exams: core knowledge, data warehousing and a test specific to your specialty area.

• Microsoft Certified I.T. Professional: Business Intelligence Developer: To earn this certification, you have to pass two exams — the Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist test and the Microsoft Professional Series Exam 70-446 on designing a business intelligence infrastructure using Microsoft SQL Server 2005.

Established certifications

A number of battle-tested I.T. credentials remain in high demand, the experts say.

“There is a perception that has been in place for a number of years that all those types of jobs have gone from the U.S. to overseas,” especially in the area of tech support, Computing Technology Industry Association spokesman Steven Ostrowski said.

“That is somewhat true, but most organizations still need a person on-site to fix things.”

Networking in particular is still in high demand, Ostrowski said. Over the past 15 years, companies have invested in the basics of networking, and now they’re adding features, such as tying in phone systems. Consider the following tried-and-true credentials:

Systems administration

Systems administrators maintain a company’s computer systems and servers. Certifications include:

• Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator: Candidates must pass four exams, including two that test core knowledge of networking systems, one on client operating systems and one elective exam.

• Sun Certified System Administrator: Candidates must pass two exams on the same Solaris Operating System.

Network administration

Network administrators maintain computer network infrastructure. Certifications include:

• CompTIA Network+: This vendor-neutral certification doesn’t require prior work experience, but CompTIA recommends some experience in a networking environment along with CompTIA A+ certification.

• Cisco Certified Network Associate: The single exam required for this certification covers extending switched networks, determining IP routes, managing IP traffic and establishing point-to-point connections.

• Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert: Fewer than three percent of the people who hold Cisco networking certifications achieve this elite title. The hands-on exam is conducted in a lab.

Tech support

Tech-support professionals are responsible for help-desk-type functions, answering computer users’ questions and doing troubleshooting. Certifications include:

• CompTIA A+: This test verifies proficiency in basic installation, configuration, preventive maintenance and networking, as well as security, safety and environmental issues.

• Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician: This credential proves you can troubleshoot Microsoft’s Windows operating system. It requires two exams: one on the Windows XP operating system and another on desktop applications.

The skills employers really want

Civilian companies that employ people in information technology are placing increased emphasis on what hiring managers call “soft skills,” the experts said.

“The technology skills alone simply aren’t enough anymore,” said Steven Ostrowski, director of corporate communications for the Computing Technology Industry Association, or CompTIA.

Soft skills are personality traits and interpersonal skills such as the ability to interact effectively with others, writing skills, and organizational and management experience, said computer-technology author Ed Tittel.

“In the late ’90s, in concert with the dot-com bubble, there was artificial attention put on I.T. certifications,” Tittel said. “In the past 10 years, the market has matured, and employers are looking for more than just people who have the I.T. know-how.”

Employers are also placing a greater emphasis on business skills, Ostrowski said, including the ability to understand products and goals and how information technology fits into the business scheme.

Companies also want their I.T. professionals to be able to translate technology into a language that’s easy to understand, said Mike Chapple, information security program manager at the University of Notre Dame and a former Air Force intelligence officer.

The good news is that many service members possess at least core soft skills and business savvy by virtue of their military training, Ostrowski said. He recommends college-level courses in business or communications to further develop skills in these areas.

Worried about how to emphasize soft skills on a résumé? Don’t be.

“Those are the kinds of things [employers] pick up on in an interview,” Chapple said.

How to recoup your exam costs

Service members or their dependents eligible for Veterans Affairs benefits under the Montgomery GI Bill, Reserve Education Assistance Program, Veterans Educational Assistance Program or Dependents Educational Assistance may qualify to have the cost of their certification exams reimbursed.

Eligible test-takers must apply to VA and include copies of the results of each test. You don’t have to pass the test to be reimbursed, and you may also receive benefits to retake exams you failed in the past.

Visit the Web sites to find out which tests are covered.

The Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Educational Support also reimburses qualified individuals for some I.T. certification exams. To find out if you qualify, go to the site.