Is ITIL Online Training For You?

It used to be that when you were ready to get your ITIL Certifications you signed up for a live instructor-ed, classroom-delivered course.  When you did that, you had to get approval to take off from work and the budget to take the class.  Live ITIL classroom courses can cost anywhere from $1,200 to $3,500 depending on the course, the length of the course and whether or not the certification exam was included in the cost of the training.  With training budgets being the first to be hit when budgets are tightened, many individuals and organizations are turning to online self-paced ITIL courses.

Online self-paced ITIL training has many benefits:

• You can train on your timeframe
• You can train from any location
• Courses are available 24/7
• You can repeat and rewind in order to master the materials
• Pricing is at 50 to 75% lower than classroom training
  • Contact Us for course and exam pricing

The Downside to Online Self-Paced ITIL Training

The biggest downside is time.  Whenever you are assigned or decide to take a class you MUST allocate the time to take the class.  We have found that the most successful students setup a schedule and, if assigned by their company, get approval to take the time to take the class from their manager.  This ensures that there is a timetable and approval to take the class.  Almost like getting approval to take a live class.   When you treat an online class like a live class you will have a much better chance of completing the class and sitting for the certification exam.

 Goal Setting and Time Allocation

If you are good at managing your time and setting goals, then online self-paced training will be a good vehicle for you to achieve your goals in a timely and cost-effective manner.  The most important thing to do is to set your goals and to allocate the time to achieve them.  The next most important thing is to find a course that is engaging.  There are courses taught by computers and animation and there are courses taught by real instructors.  Everyone has different interests and most companies allow you to sample their courses before you buy them.  Take the time to sample and find the type of course that you find most engaging.

How to Pick A Great Online Self-Paced ITIL Training Class

The most important feature of any online self-paced class is that it is created by an expert instructor and designed and proven to be a successful knowledge transfer course.  For example, there are organizations today that allow anyone to put up a course without checking the author’s credentials.  To be successful you want to make sure that the organization you choose is working with expert instructors.  You want to make sure that the classes are accredited.  In the case of ITIL you want to make sure that the courses are taught by ITIL Experts and that they include sample exams, exercises designed to help you master the materials and you want to be able to ask the instructor questions.  Do not accept a substitute.

Check Box for Success

 Here are a list of questions you will want to ask to help ensure your success:

• Is the class accredited?
• Is it taught by an ITIL Expert?
• Does the course come with exercises?
• Does the course come with sample exams?
• What kind of support comes with the class?
• Do I have access to the instructor to ask questions?
• How long do I have access to the class?
• Can I take the course as many times as I need to in order to master the content?
• Does the course come with exam tips?

 Have Questions?  Need a Price Quote?

The team at GogoTraining is here to help.  Have a question about a certification?  Need help planning your training roadmap?  Looking for a course and exam package?  Call us at 877.546.4446 or email us at customerservice@gogotraining.com

By Guest Author Adrian Bates

Hello, my name is Adrian Bates and I have utilized GogoTraining to acquire three ITIL certifications: ITIL Foundations; ITIL Release Control and Validation Intermediate; and Planning Process and Optimization Intermediate Certification.

Here are a couple of tips and tricks that I use to identify what information is critical to absorb during training. Additionally, I listed a couple of tips that have helped me prepare for an exam.

Tip 1:

Prior to taking the training, I briefly reviewed the “Example Exams” within the module. I tended to focus on the “Question Rationale” portion of the test exam. This explains the reasoning behind how it was determined what the best answer is for each question.  There is an area within the question and rationale titled “Bloom’s Taxonomy Testing Level”. This portion explains what the candidate is expected to understand. This tends to help me during training as key parts of the course tend to stand out as critical pieces of information when reflecting on the example exams.

Tip 2:

Another key piece of information that assists with passing the exams is understanding the functional roles and responsibilities of each process. Each scenario speaks to a specific process and generally asks that you align the process or manager role accordingly.  If you have a fundamental understanding of the Capacity, Availability, Demand, Continuity processes etc…, you will have a higher chance of answering the question correctly.

Tip 3:

The last tip I have is that you thoroughly read the question being asked. Every scenario presents a challenge or obstacle that has to be overcome. Close attention must be paid to what question is being asked. For example, the question may ask something along the lines like; what is the best “approach” to create a successful continuity plan that addresses the issues listed by the Information Security Officer. The answers will vary, some of the answers are known as “distracters”. For example, one of the answers might illustrate a plan. The plan will sound great and may be best way to solve the issue. Keep in mind, you were not asked to solve the problem.  You were asked to assess the best way to approach the problem, and to create a plan that in the end will address the issues.  Again, it is very important that you read the question being asked slowly and to answer it as direct as possible.

Thank you for the opportunity to share my tips and tricks! My goal is to achieve ITIL expert and I have found this technique to be very helpful.  I have passed every exam on the first try and I strongly recommend GogoTraining when preparing for your exams.  Their training material is a great asset. The cost, accessibility to the site, support and training, in my opinion all receive good marks. You will realize this when you take the exam.

By Guest Author Bassomo Romaric

Background

I am Bassomo Serge Romaric, Cameroonian, 30 years old and I am Telecommunication engineer. I started my career 8 years ago in IT mostly around Storage (EMC), Virtualization (VMware), Network (CISCO, Fortinet). Service Operation is my bread and butter everyday job.

Why I wanted to achieve ITIL Certification

I was hired one year ago, in our National Telco Company. In my previous work experience, I knew about ITIL, but I was not feeling the necessity to learn more. It is when I changed my previous company that I discovered the power of ITIL and the desire to learn more. In fact in my current company we have poor user satisfaction, bad reputation in delivering services to customer, project are delivered over-cost, over-time, quality is declining, many incidents …. Etc. We have some good guys in IT, CCIE, Oracle Expert, Microsoft expert but nothing runs as expected. We have no ITSM initiative at all, we are only focused on technology and not how IT creates value to business. This is why I decided to achieve ITIL certification.

Research of training provider

I passed my foundation exam in May 2015, I decided to look at the requirements of expert track. I have two options taking classroom exam or online class. Classroom was my preferred option because for me it is interactive. But when it comes to math :

1 – Lifecycle = 5 exams at $2000 each + 1 MALC exam at $3000 = $13 000

2 – Capability = 4 exams at $2500 each + 1 MALC exam at $3000 = $15 500

And I have to add travel fee because at the time there were no accredited training provider for intermediate courses (capability) in my country or nearby. It was too expensive for me. And my company only invests in tech certification for engineers. So my project was stalled.

At the beginning of 2016, I take my project out of the bag and I begin investigations for the online option. My first step was to have a short list of accredited training provider from EXIN. I checked the website of every training provider, also checked the background of the trainer on LinkedIn.  I choose GogoTraining because of the trainer Dr Suzanne Van Hove. I knew her ISO 20 000 with Lynda.com so I was very comfortable with the quality. And after I stay because GOGO people are very responsive.  And also very very important the price structure is very flexible you can buy access for 1 year, six months … etc depending on your time and budget. During my journey, I discover GOGO staff, they are very kind and always available.  When you send an email you have feedback immediately.

My exam technique

First of all the course is clear. Dr Suzanne is a great trainer. With GOGO you do two things at same time, you train for ITIL course and you have some great experience sharing with Dr Suzanne. She shares some tips of how to handle some cases in real life. Her Capability courses are simply excellent.

How I used the material

• First I take one day off (Sunday) to listen all the videos about 8 hours. I skipped the exercises and sample questions.
• Afterward, I read the Book in particular order (Chap 1, 9 , 2, 3, 4, 5; 6; 7 , 8). There are scenario highlights when you are reading the book that refer to some real case company. There are so helpful and increase understanding. This is the first and most helpful sample question.
• Third step use this process model to verify if I have the understanding of a particular process.

• After my reading,  I did the exercises.
• Next, I viewed videos for the second time.
• I read ITIL pocket book
• 1 days before the exam I do sample exam question and I review the topics where I was weak.
• The day of the exam I read the enlarged slide and the video 01 Exams tips.

My scores

I passed all my exams the first time!!!

Foundation: 100%

Capability: SOA 90% , PPO 78%, RCV 95%

Lifecycle: SS 75%, SD 85% , ST 75%

Editor’s Note: We congratulate and thank Bossomo & all of our students who have learned so much and brought their skills to the ITIL Community! Well done!!

Why Oracle Database Management is Really Important

We frequently use spreadsheets to store and share data. As long as the data is small and straightforward, spreadsheets do a good job of saving it. However, as the volume and complexity of the data grows, you will have to use a Database Management System to store and retrieve the data. Databases are highly scalable, and they are designed to communicate with other applications which make them suitable for the web.

Organizations like Banks, Government departments and multinational corporations all have vast amounts of data that need to be store and retrieved securely. Therefore, they use relational database management system to manage their data. A relational database recognizes the relationship between stored information.

Oracle is an object-relational database which is among one of the most complex databases in the world. It means that it supports many object-oriented features such as enhancing the capability of the database server by defining new and complex data types and using the attributes of “Inheritance” to define objects, which can procure properties of other objects.

Since most Database Management Systems (DBMS) understand a particular query or a specific language, not everyone can operate them. Database Administrators (or DBAs) use specialized software to store, update, delete or manage data in the DBMS.

If you want to become an Oracle Database Administrator, here are five things you should know:

What does an Oracle DBA do?

An Oracle DBA’s core job is to maintain data integrity, which means protecting the organization’s data. Database Administrators are involved in almost all functions related to data management such as development, storage, and retrieval of the database. They also “create, install, examine and troubleshoot” the database management systems that deal with the data in any organization. As an Oracle DBA, you will also be involved in the processes of backup and recovery of data, storage and capacity planning, performance monitoring and tuning, data extraction, transformation, & loading, etc. You may also be communicating with developers, data analysts and network operators to ensure smooth and efficient management & flow of information in the organization.

What are the necessary requirements for becoming an Oracle DBA?

Since database administration requires advanced knowledge of computing as well as business environments, most of the Oracle DBAs hold a Bachelor’s degree (BS) in computer programming. Due to intense competition, a college degree may not be adequate to become a DBA. Therefore, you need to upgrade your skills and become a certified expert in Oracle to advance your career. Excellent communications skills always help as in any other technical role.

You Can’t Avoid SQL

SQL or Structured Query Language, is at the core of all relational databases. SQL is used to store or fetch data in the relational databases. In fact, Oracle itself is a form of SQL Database. Also, the Oracle database is ANSI compliant. Thus, you can’t avoid SQL if you want to become an Oracle DBA. Join an introductory course in SQL before you aspire to learn advanced modules of Oracle database.

How much Oracle DBAs Earn?

The compensation of an Oracle Database Administrator may depend on several factors such as expertise in Database Administration, relevant experience, communications skills, educational qualification, etc.

According to a Salary.com report, as of Feb 2017, the median salary of Oracle DBAs is $111,450.00 per year. The average annual salary of top 10% Oracle DBAs is $132,613.00 whereas the bottom 10% earn an average annual salary of $85,637. This data clearly shows that Oracle DBA experts are among the highest paid professionals in the Information Technology sector.

How to Get Started

If you are a beginner, join an online training program to learn the basic SQL programming language. You should also acquire as many certifications in Oracle as possible to establish your credentials. Large organizations usually ask for a certain number (2-5 Years) of years of work experience. Therefore, you should also begin working as an intern along with your course to gain real world experience. You will need to be persistent and should have patience to learn Oracle DBA as it is an advanced programming language. Remember that your effort to learn Oracle will pay off quickly when you get your first job.

GogoTraining conducted a webinar on Mar 15, where Dr. Suzanne Van Hove discussed several nuances of ITIL Practitioner. She explained in detail about the ITIL Practitioner course, the concepts of IT Service Management, and why you need the Practitioner. She also answered some frequently asked questions related to ITIL Practitioner.

Key takeaways from the seminar:

1. Students will need to understand the following terms & concepts:
   1. What is Adopt & Adapt
   2. Service Value,
   3. Who is or can be the Customer
   4. What is Effective vs. Efficient,
   5. VOCR (Value, Outcome, Costs, Risks)
2. The importance of Communication, Metrics and Organizational Change Management to the Service Management consultant
3. The need for and use of an improvement framework

A Peek Inside the ITIL Practitioner Exam

Passing the ITIL Practitioner exam is all about applying the concepts. 70-80% of the questions in the ITIL exam are application-based while remaining are based on theories. Thus, you should spend a majority of your preparation time (70-80%) on doing exercises to strengthen your ability to apply theoretical knowledge.

Most of the exercises in ITIL Practitioner training are based on case studies. There will be a fictitious company and a hypothetical situation. You need to apply the ITIL concepts and identify key elements in order to implement the proper solution within the given situational context.   Only through the proper implementation of the concepts can you solve the problems correctly.

The ITIL Practitioner course has several advantages such as helping you gain practical skills, boosting your self-confidence and teaching you about the environment in which Service Management decisions are made within an organization. The course also helps you become an internal or external specialist and utilize the skills learned to provide expert professional advice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Are exam questions similar to the exercises in the course?

Answer: No. The exercises are designed to reinforce the principles. Since the exam questions are based on a particular case, you need to have a tremendous understanding of the concepts and their applications to answer them. However, practicing the exercises will help you do better in the final exam.

Question:  When can I take the ITIL Practitioner

Answer:  ITIL Foundation is mandatory for taking ITIL Practitioner exam. Also, it is recommended that you should take at least take one or two intermediate classes before attempting ITIL Practitioner so that you develop the understanding of the context and critical ITSM concepts.

Question:  How difficult would it be for experienced ITSM professionals if they take the Practitioner exam without undergoing a training program?

Answer: It will be difficult as it uses a specific language and you need to write ITIL Practitioner exam in a particular atmosphere. So, you will need to study the course extensively and familiarize yourself with all the core concepts before taking the exam.

Question: How much studying do I need to pass the exam?

Answer: It depends on the individual. There are many concepts which are subtle while others are quite dynamic. You need to read the course text thoroughly and practice the activities given in the book.  If you have done the ITIL CSI intermediate course, it will help you in the Practitioner exam preparation. You may also highlight the key concepts in the book so that you can refer to them quickly during the exam.

Question: Should I take any particular Intermediate Class before attempting the ITIL Practitioner exam?

Answer: It would be good to take one or two intermediate courses before you take ITIL Practitioner.  If you have not taken any we recommend CSI or Service Strategy.

Question: How is ITIL Practitioner different from ITIL Expert?

Answer: ITIL Expert is very different from ITIL Practitioner regarding content as well the context. The Expert doesn’t deal with the soft skills and still requires you to memorize the concepts even though it is more practical than the Intermediates. ITIL Practitioner is more hands-on and based on your application of concepts in different contexts.

Conclusion

You need ITIL Practitioner so that you learn the skills necessary to lead an Adopt & Adapt initiative within your organization. ITIL Practitioner is significantly different from the other ITIL courses as in the Practitioner your focus is not on memorizing new knowledge but, synthesizing what you already have and applying it to real-life situations.  Active participation in course exercises, as well as focused study, will be critical to pass this difficult exam.

If you have any questions to Dr. Van Hove, please send them to customerservice@gogotraining.com.

Average annual compensation for software developers and system engineers in the USA is around $104,500. A career in the IT sector not only offers a handsome salary and tremendous learning opportunities but it also provides a global exposure. The demand for digital tools and services is growing across all industries in the USA which is driving the growth in employment in Information Technology sector.  There is no better time than today to build a sound career in the IT industry!

Here are your 5 Steps to Landing a Job in the IT Industry

1.) Learn a Programming Language

To develop a career in the IT sector, you need to learn a programming language or a particular IT skill. Join an online course and gain mastery over any programming language or related skill set. Check out the applications and specialized software programs that are powered by the language you are learning. Try to work on as many real word projects as possible.  Practice rigorously, and build a robust portfolio. The portfolio will be extremely useful in showing your skills to potential employers.

2.) Get Certified

Not all programming languages have official certification exams. However, for some languages such as Java SE 8 programming, etc. you have the option to get certified by an authorized body. Taking advantage of certifications to advance your career in the IT sector is a smart move. Get certified by the appropriate widely recognized body. While the certification may not be entirely necessary, it will help you gain more credibility in your area of expertise and set you apart from other similarly qualified applicants.

3.) Write a Focused Resume

You need to invest significant time in developing a resume that represents your skills and accomplishments. Don’t copy the buzzwords from the internet. Prepare a short resume (1-2 pages) with all relevant details. It must be tailor-made for the job you are applying. This means it should have only the pertinent information related to the position you are applying for. By creating job customized resumes, you will increase your chances of getting that all important first interview.

4.) Expand your Network

Make an impressive LinkedIn profile and add relevant connections on a regular basis. Use a professional profile photo and complete the employment section with updated information. Use the right keywords that reflect your personality traits and professional skill sets. Engage with industry professionals and develop genuine relationships on the platform. Ask your classmates, current and former colleagues for a recommendation on LinkedIn. Remember that a majority of recruiters go through candidates’ LinkedIn profiles before calling them for the interview. Thus, an excellent LinkedIn profile can contribute significantly to your career’s success.

5.) Prepare for the Interview

An interview may last for 30 minutes or more. However, almost a third of interviewers know within the first 90 seconds whether they are going to hire you or not. That means, your first impression not only counts but impacts the selection process significantly. Thus, work on your personality and do everything that boosts your confidence. Pay close attention to your  outfit and personal hygiene. If the interview is on the phone, be aware of background noise and any speaking habits that hurt your credibility (“uhhh…”, “like…like…like”, speaking too fast, etc.)

Before appearing for the interview, brush-up your knowledge about the company and make sure to have a list of relevant questions pertaining to the job in question. During the interview, maintain a direct eye contact with the interviewer. Crack a smile when you are feeling less confident and speak assertively. Recruiters don’t hire people who are not sure about their expertise. Thus, stay positive and be confident during the entire interview process.

The Bottom Line…

Being prepared for the role you want and the company you’re interviewing for is crucial.   Be ready to work hard and become an expert in your field. Enroll for advanced online IT courses to keep your knowledge updated. Remember that to be successful in the technology industry, you need to learn new things continuously so that you can add value to the business from the start and all the way through your career.

Yes, you do!  Why? Because ITIL® Practitioner is the Certification that brings ITIL to life.   It will give you the practical skill-set to successfully adopt and adapt ITIL.  In short, you will take your “Book Knowledge” and turn into “Street Smarts”.

Without the skills to support your Adopt and Adapt initiative, you cannot put ITIL to work.  Bottom Line – if you want to bring ITIL to life, and take advantage of all of the benefits it has to offer, then you need to know how to adopt and adapt the ITIL Framework and ITIL Practitioner will give you the tools.

ITIL Practitioner’s Place in the ITIL Framework

In the diagram above you can see that ITIL Practitioner sits right in the middle of the Lifecycle and the Capability track of courses.  The Practitioner Certification is worth 3 credits towards ITIL Expert and may be taken any time after you achieve the Foundation Certificate.  However, it is a certification exam unlike any of the other ITIL Certification exams and we HIGHLY RECOMMEND that in addition to the ITIL Foundation Certificate that you have 2 years of experience working in IT Service Management and that you have taken at least 1 ITIL Intermediate course.

The ITIL Practitioner Certification Exam

The ITIL Practitioner Certification exam expects that you will have taken the time to read “AXELOS ITIL Practitioner Guidance” and really understand the material.  Success depends on knowing how to apply what you have learned.  It is NOT, I repeat, NOT like any other ITIL Exam.  It requires you to take your time and to study.

GogoTraining ITIL and Industry Expert Dr. Suzanne Van Hove designed a class with 8 practical exercises.  These exercises utilize the exam case studies and give you the opportunity to apply key course concepts, which will assist you when you take the ITIL Practitioner exam.

While taking a course is not required to sit for the ITIL Practitioner Exam, the exam is $356 and that is a lot of money to pay and not pass the exam.  After Dr. Van Hove (with 18 years of experience) took the ITIL Practitioner exam she decided to put a class together which focuses on the skill sets that a student needs to have in order to successfully take and pass.  Each of the eight exercises Dr. Van Hove has prepared will take students 2.5 to 3 hours each to complete. That is 24 hours of study on the practical skills of the ITIL Practitioner.

ITIL Practitioner is a ‘Must-Have’ Certification

When it comes to Practitioner, we believe it is a must-have Certification because it stresses the skill-set you need to successfully adopt and adapt ITIL.  That said, remember, you need to prepare thoroughly before you take the exam.  ITIL Practitioner is heavily focused on application of concepts and as such, completing all exercises and spending time with the course materials will only increase your success rate. Additionally, having a background within Service Management, beyond the Foundation exam, is another important criterion. Focusing on both of the above aspects provides a level of confidence not only for the exam but, to participate and lead ITIL Adopt and Adapt initiatives.

If you have any questions, or would like to learn more about the ITIL Practitioner Certification, please contact us at, customerservice@gogotraining.com or visit the course page here.

AXELOS introduced the ITIL Practitioner certification in early 2016. While other courses of ITIL mainly focus on “What is ITIL,” the ITIL Practitioner is designed to teach “How to adopt and adapt ITIL.” It is a welcome step as it seeks to address the concern related to “How to get started with ITIL.”

The ITIL Practitioner shows you how to adopt and adapt ITIL best practices into your organization and make ITIL come to life. It helps you get beyond the best practices and see how to use them to streamline your organization and save money.

The ITIL Practitioner course has included several modern concepts, interactive tools, and templates, and most importantly the people aspect of ITSM implementations through key modules such as Organization Change Management (OCM) and Communication.

The ITIL Practitioner exam requires thorough study and understanding.  You will be expected to have read the book and to understand how to adopt and adapt what you learned.  For the first time in the history of ITIL, there is a provision for open book format for the ITIL Practitioner certification exam.  You are allowed to mark up the pages and know where to find information so it may help you during the exam.  While this sounds as though it makes the exam easier, it is actually the opposite.  You really need to know the book inside and out before you take the exam.  You must be able to find what you need quickly and use it to select the correct answer.  This is a very different exam and you will need to plan differently to pass.

Why is the Exam is Open Book?

The ITIL Practitioner course deals mainly with the concepts that support the deployment of ITSM principles. The exam requires the students to adopt, adapt and apply ITIL best practices. The official course material consists of tools and templates such as KPI Balance Checklist, Communication campaign checklist, Business case, etc. which are used for various purposes. You need to have a working knowledge of these tools in order to correctly implement them in real-world situations. Thus, ITIL Practitioner certification exam is designed to assess your ability to apply the ITSM principles. A majority of the questions in the exam are related to different situations where understanding the context is more important than memorizing concepts. Thus, an open book format enables students to focus on contextual applications of the concepts without spending time in remembering the principles.

Here is a quick guide to help you prepare for the exam:

1.) Remember to Prioritize the Concepts

In this type of exam, your interpretation of the concepts is crucial. However, you need to study the concepts thoroughly and memorize some of them so that you don’t need to refer the book to answer every question. You will not have adequate time to do so. Thus, you need to prioritize the concepts that you should memorize. For instance, read and understand the case studies given in the book so that you don’t waste your time reading the cases during the exam.

2.) Form a study group

Study groups work well for any studies. It is particularly helpful in the preparation of ITIL Practitioner certification exam. By discussing ideas and sample questions with others, you will have a better understanding of the applicability of the concepts in different contexts. The study conversations with friends may also help you recall the ideas during the exam. The discussions also assist in making right assumptions while solving some questions.

3.) Use the book in the mock tests

If you are planning to use the book in the exam, then practice the mock tests in the similar fashion. By doing so, you will have a better understanding of how to search for the information in the book quickly and what preparation you need to make to score well in the final exam. In short, it will be of immense help in strategizing your certification exam.

4.) Mark key information in the official book

Bear in mind that only official handbook along with tabulation of its content is allowed in the exam. Since you have 135 minutes to answer 40 questions, you can’t spend significant time in searching for relevant information in the book. Thus, you should mark key ideas and tabulate them neatly so that you can find the relevant concepts quickly.

5.) Learn Time Management

Try to solve those questions first that don’t require any help from the book. Some of the questions might be very confusing and take a lot of time to solve them correctly even with the support of the book. Answer them towards the end of the exam. You must manage your time effectively so that you don’t miss many easy questions in the quest of solving a few tough ones or spending too much time on searching information in the book.

6.) Maintain Examination Temperament

Maintaining exam temperament and handling pressure effectively is the key to success in an open book exam format like this. There could be many questions which are vaguely worded and require you to make assumptions. It may be frustrating at times, to read and reread the questions and make assumptions when you are under pressure. You need to be calm, read the questions objectively and maintain your cool while tackling such issues.

7.) Write The Exam when you are Confident

Unlike traditional classroom programs, GogoTraining offers a self-paced learning environment where you have the flexibility to learn the essential concepts required for ITIL Practitioner certification at a time and place of your choice. Take advantage of the flexibility and write the exam when you are fully understood all the concepts. You will also have access to to the instructor to ask all the questions regarding exam preparation.

 Conclusion

Although ITIL Practitioner certification is not a prerequisite for ITIL Intermediate Level qualifications, it carries three credits towards ITIL Expert certification. Moreover, it is an excellent course because you learn how to adopt and adapt ITIL best practices which will make you a key employee, one that everyone wants to have on their team.  A carefully planned approach, thorough study and some practice you can easily get comfortable with open book format and score well in the exam.

IT professionals need to upgrade their skills constantly to stay relevant for the long term. Top performers understand the importance of continuous learning. Therefore, they actively seek knowledge and get certified in various fields to accelerate their professional growth.

Many IT professionals choose an online course to gain certification. GogoTraining has been certifying IT Asset Management professionals in Certified Software Asset Management (CSAM), Certified Mobile Asset Management (CMAM) and Certified Hardware Asset Management (CHAMP) for more than 10 years and offers superior training from industry professionals who are masters of their functional areas.

In this article, we will analyze the main advantages of learning IT Asset Management (ITAM) skills:

1 – High Demand

In past few years, organizations have substantially increased their spending on IT Assets. For most businesses, the investment in IT assets is their second biggest expenditure. Moreover, significant compliance and regulatory risks are associated with the usage of the assets. Therefore, most of them need dedicated professionals to manage these assets efficiently. This has led to a massive surge in the demand for IT Asset managers. Limited availability of certified ITAM professionals has resulted in a huge gap in the demand and supply of ITAM professionals. Thus, a certification in IT Asset Management will open the doors to unlimited opportunities for IT professionals.

2 – Global Recognition

Professionals with IT Asset Management skills are required for firms of all sizes across the world.  A certification in IT Asset Management will bring global recognition.

This is because a qualified Asset Management professional knows the nuances of contract management, vendor management, effective reporting, tools implementations, and operations management. Thus, they have the option of moving to other areas of IT management. They can even become Software Category Managers or Process Framework specialists. This kind of exposure helps ITAM professionals to interact flawlessly with global IT leaders.

Very few IT disciplines provide such an intense cross-functional exposure which turns managers of today into global leaders of tomorrow.  

3- Prerequisite for Many Top IT Roles

For many IT roles, especially in Fortune 500 companies, knowledge of IT Asset Management is a precondition. It means even if the candidates are qualified enough to apply for a job, they may not be eligible for the interview if they don’t have the basic knowledge of IT Asset Management.

An analysis of job advertisements by large multinational IT firms reveals that most of them have made IAITAM certifications mandatory. Thus, the demand for IAITAM certifications is growing rapidly.  Knowledge of IT Asset Management is necessary to grow professionally in large IT firms.

4 – Host of Unexplored Career Opportunities

ITAM experts can navigate a career path which very few can imagine.

They start their career as analysts using standard tools to collect raw data and normalize it according to the vendor reporting standards. Then they generate the compliance summary report by reconciling the normalized data with contract entitlements.

In some companies, the dedicated Asset Management teams takes care of global contracts and provides license consulting services. Many companies have made SAM (Software Asset Management) a part of their consulting practices. They help clients in optimizing IT investments and also make them renewal & audit ready. They also become Subject Matter Experts of large publishers like Oracle and Microsoft. Later, they start deploying these licenses and provide consulting services in IT Asset Management and its auditing.  These consultants also have the option to become implementation specialists and work for tools providers.

Many IT Asset managers become Vendor Managers, Sales Leaders, and Contract Negotiators, etc. Many others move to Service Management.

A  few of these professionals choose to become auditors and either participate in auditing activities at customers’ premises on behalf of publishers or work directly with publishers.

It is evident that IT Asset Management has something for everyone. Whether you are a technical person, a salesman, a business oriented person or a compliance guy; you will have immense opportunities to showcase your skills and move forward in your career like a boss.

5 – Excellent Compensation

Given the length and breadth of roles of ITAM professionals, they are entitled to command a better salary than their peers. A survey by “Salary.com” indicates that “IT Asset Managers earned a median wage of $102,571 in December 2016.” This figure is estimated to grow further for next few years. Since most of the ITAM professionals come from diverse backgrounds, their compensation depends on their work experience. However, most of the IT professionals see a growth in their salary and designation in the long term after learning IT Asset Management skills.

Bottom line

Investment in IT Asset Management learning and certification can pay you rich dividends over time. From asset management analyst to IT Strategists and Intellectual Property Management, you can explore several fields in IT which are unexplored and waiting to be capitalized. In the time when most of the IT jobs are at risk due to increased automation at the workplace, IT Asset Management can be a life saver for many IT professionals. Thus, learning IT Asset Management and acquiring a relevant certification can prove to be one the best career decisions of your life.  

If you are interested in learning how to get certified as an IT Asset Manager, GogoTraining.com  has everything you need.  Let us know how we can help you succeed!

Organizations often struggle with adopting and adapting ITIL and ISO/IEC 20000 simply because their IT professionals lack the necessary training. Each of these programs can be beneficial to the organization after completing IT classes online at Gogo Training.

ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library)

The online IT courses offered in this career path at Gogo Training help prepare people for implementing best practices for the collection, management, and delivery of a firm’s IT infrastructure and IT services. Obtaining certification in ITIL is now an essential aspect of a career in the IT service management market segment.

ISO/IEC 20000

ISO/IEC 20000 defines the internationally accepted best practices for implementing an SMS (Service Management System). The objective of SMS is to help organizations focus on planning, reviewing, operating, and improving the delivery of services as a means to add value for your customers, while also helping the organization operate more efficiently and save money. Gogo Training is pleased to offer four courses in this career path.

How ITIL and ISO/IEC 20000 Work Together

The objective of ITIL is to help organizations improve customer satisfaction and IT services while reducing costs and incorporating the delivery of third party services for a more efficient running operation. ISO/IEC 20000 is considered the standard for best practices and company certifications in IT service management. As you can see, both ITIL and ISO/IEC 20000 share similar objectives.

However, one of the challenges most organizations face, when relying solely upon ITIL, is thinking it is too expensive and too hard to deploy, leading some people to say ITIL isn’t going to work. ITIL is essentially a large body of knowledge, and there must be a way to consolidate the information to make it beneficial for organizations.

This is where the SMS is vital. The SMS defines how to manage the activities and processesof the SMS and provides overall management framework that is missing in ITIL.

Further, the SMS helps businesses of all sizes incorporating Service Management principles to efficiently design, develop, and deploy the most appropriate solutions and services to support the needs of the business and its customers. ITIL provides greatly expanded information to assist the service manager as they plan their adopt and adapt journey. To enroll in ITIL and ISO/IEC 20000 classes, or for more information about other career paths, please feel free to contact a representative at Gogo Training by calling 877.546.4446 today!