Claim Your Free ITIL 4 Course Today

Monday, 19 December, 2022

This Holiday Season, GogoTraining is giving away 1 ITIL 4 Managing Professional course per person.  If you are interested in getting ITIL 4 Certified, Contact Us Today and let us know which ITIL 4 course you would like to receive at no charge.

Please note that PeopleCert, the ITIL Exam Institute, requires students to purchase the exam voucher for their ITIL courses before they are granted access to the course.  To assist our students, we are offering exam discounts up to $200 depending on the exam required.

To find out more, Contact Us Today.

Wishing you the Happiest of Holidays and best wishes for the New Year ahead.

 

What’s In the ITSM Online Video Library?

Monday, 21 November, 2022

The Online ITSM Video Library is the perfect reference tool.  It includes over 450 video tutorials on key ITSM concepts so you have the tools you need to succeed.  It offers a comprehensive database of ITSM concepts.  It is accurate and reliable.  Organized by topic and taught by world-class ITSM practitioners.  For more details on the Library and what comes with it, Click Here.

The ITSM Video Library is Here!

Friday, 18 November, 2022

The Online ITSM Video Library is the perfect reference tool. It offers over 450 videos on key ITSM concepts so you can update easily and cost effectively.

  • It’s Accurate
  • It’s taught by ITSM Practitioners
  • It’s easy to use
  • It’s time friendly
  • It’s the perfect reference tool

Why was the Online ITSM Video Library Created?

Except for taking expensive certification classes, reading time consuming books, or searching endlessly for information that may or may not be accurate on the internet, there is no comprehensive ITSM resource available and that’s why we created the Online ITSM Video Library.  Whether you are new to service management or need deeper insight into key concepts, the Online ITSM Video Library has it all.

Benefits of the Online ITSM Video Library

  • It offers a comprehensive database of ITSM concepts
  • It is accurate and reliable
  • It’s available 24/7 so no delays in learning
  • It includes ITIL 4 and V3
  • It is easy to find what you need as content is organized by topic
  • It offers short digestible videos, so you don’t need hours to learn
  • It is very low cost and is available for individuals and organizations

What the Online ITSM Video Library is Not

Please note that the Online ITSM Video Library is not a class.  It is a resource tool designed to help individuals learn about key ITSM concepts.  It has nothing to do with PeopleCert Accredited classes.  If you are looking for PeopleCert Accredited classes, Contact GogoTraining.

Your Cost Effective ITSM Support Solution

The Online ITSM Video Library solution offered by GogoTraining can be purchased by individuals and organizations.

  • Individual access is $995/year.
  • Rates for organizations can be as low as $25/person.

To find out more about how to bring the Online ITSM Video Library Solution to your organization, Contact Us.

Cyber Monday Offer

Wednesday, 16 November, 2022

Looking for accurate information on key ITSM concepts just got easier. 

The ITSM Online Video Library is your on-the-job ITSM reference tool.  With over 450 videos tutorials on key ITSM concepts, the ITSM Video Library gives you the tools you need to be successful in the real world.

On Sale This Cyber Monday for only $295 (You SAVE $700)

Why was the ITSM Online Video Library Created?

Classes are great, but students forget 70% of what they learn the day after the class ends. So how do you apply what you learned in the workplace with only 30% of the knowledge you learned?

  • Do you have unlimited time to research on the internet or read books, or you can look up what you need to know in seconds using the ITSM Video Library?
  • Are you certain that the information you find on the internet is accurate?

On Sale This Cyber Monday for only $295 (You SAVE $700)

The Solution

The ITSM Video Library offers over 450 hours of video tutorials and executive overviews on ITIL 4.  Tutorials are taught by experts, short, accurate and categorized by topic.  Everything you need to know to be a successful ITSM practitioner.

Buy Now And Receive 2 AMAZING Cyber Monday Bonuses

 

Cyber Monday 2022 Offer Rules:

  1. This offer may not be combined with any other offers.
  2. Library access is for 1 year.
  3. The library is a resource tool.
  4. Library content is arranged by topic and in no way offers a replacement for official ITSM Training Courses.
  5. Offer expires November 30, 2022.

 

Is ITIL V3 Dead?

Tuesday, 4 December, 2018

 

Granted ITIL is a framework and not a technology, but I just couldn’t stop laughing when I saw this cartoon.  With all the hype around ITIL 4 it would “seem” that as of Q1 2019, ITIL V3 will be considered outdated/dead, however, we don’t believe this to be the case.

 

Why Doesn’t ITIL 4 Kill ITIL V3?

For those of you who have individually or organizationally invested in the ITIL Framework via certifications and working in organizations that have adopted and adapted the ITIL Framework, you know ITIL is not something that gets adopted and adapted overnight nor is it something that gets updated overnight. If you run an IT organization that has adopted and adapted the IT Infrastructure framework, then you have trained your people, selected the practices from the framework that work for your group and integrated them into your organization with the end goal of delivering better, more efficient and higher quality services that enable the organization to be more effective and reduce costs.  It would make no sense to jump ship.

 

A Historical Look At Updates

Whenever an update is delivered, whether it be an operating system, language, standard or framework, it typically keeps the best of the current version and adds to it enhancements that bring new capabilities.  Some things stay the same, some things are modified for improvement and there are always new features.  In the case of ITIL 4, the goal, we are told, is to bring the ITIL framework into the digital age.  An age where it co-exists with Agile and DevOps and Lean, to name a few.

 

How Will ITIL 4 Enhance ITIL V3?

The current V3 framework has 26 processes. All very solid. If you have adopted and adapted some or all of them, they are in place and will remain in place.  The focus of ITIL 4 is to integrate ITIL with other relevant best practices like DevOps, Agile and Lean. The core elements of ITIL V3 are expected to remain the same in ITIL 4.

 

What Does This Mean to You or Are Your ITIL V3 Certificates Valid?

ITIL V3 is alive and well.  All ITIL V3 certifications are valid and well respected, AXELOS will continue V3 Certifications until at least June 2020. If your organization has adopted ITIL, then ITIL V3 courses, content and certifications are relevant. If you want to work for an organization that has adopted ITIL, then ITIL V3 courses, content and certifications are relevant. Bottom Line – ITIL V3 is here to stay. ITIL 4 builds on ITIL V3.

 

ITIL 4 Release

The release program for the new ITIL 4 certification will take some time.

  • Foundation will be released Q1 2019; the first exams are due the end of February 2019
  • The 6 advanced courses/certifications will begin releasing June 2020

 

How Do You Prepare?

We recommend that everyone in the ITIL V3 space either buy and read the AXELOS publication when it is released or take a course. Courses are available in self-paced, live online and classroom format. Everyone who is currently in an ITIL V3 shop will want to understand ITIL 4 as soon as possible. That understanding will allow you to start thinking about the new processes that are introduced in ITIL 4 in order to determine which ones and how to adapt them into your organization.

 

Who Should Get ITIL 4 Foundation Certified?

If you hold an ITIL V3 Foundation Certificate and have not gone on to the advanced certifications, then you will want to prepare and sit the ITIL 4 Foundation exam given by PeopleCert in 2019.  This will keep you on the cutting edge and in good stead in the job market.  Individuals who have taken advanced ITIL V3 Certifications do not need to get ITIL 4 Foundation Certified as there is an advanced transition module for ITIL V3 Certificate holders with 17 or more credits.  Now, it won’t hurt you to take the Foundation exam, just know it is not required.

 

Nothing Happens Overnight

Remember, nothing happens overnight. You didn’t get to the place you are now overnight, and you won’t adopt and adapt ITIL 4 overnight. Take all the time you need. When it is released, learn all about it. Make good decisions. Make a plan. Adopt and adapt accordingly.

 

Why Project Managers Need ITIL Certification

Wednesday, 28 November, 2018

 

ITIL© (the IT Infrastructure Library), is the most widely used process driven framework in the field of service management today.  It’s been around since the mid to late 80’s and it’s all about how to deliver effective and efficient services.  Since its inception, ITIL has been adopted by about 90% of the Fortune 500 companies in the world (AXELOS presentation November 2018).

In the 80’s, it was all about how IT could use a process to better deliver services to the organization.  Fast forward to today and everything is about delivering services inside and outside of the business.  It’s what makes or breaks a company.  So why do Project Managers Need ITIL?

  1. All Project Managers service customers – internal and external. ITIL enables Project Managers to better align the services they deliver to the needs of the businesses and customers it supports.
  2. Project Managers need to earn PDU’s in order to maintain their PMP Certification. PDU’s are available for completing study in ITIL.  What better way to stay current?
  3. ITIL is so widely adopted that having a minimum of the ITIL Foundation Certification will enable Product Managers to find themselves more qualified for promotions and exciting new jobs.

The current ITIL version is V3.  V3 is made up of 26 processes.  ITIL 4 is being released Q1 2019 and expands on ITIL V3 to address the delivery of services in the digital age.  If your organization is currently V3 centric, then the V3 Foundation Course will give you the understanding you need to start your journey into ITIL.   ITIL 4 will release in Q1 of 2019 and it will be the next step to understanding how your organization can benefit from a process-driven framework.  We expect that most V3 organizations will stay V3 through 2019 as ITIL 4 will be released throughout 2019.

Once ITIL 4 is released, organizations will need to train their people on ITIL 4 in order to best determine how to adopt and adapt it into their organization.  The ITIL 4 Foundation course will be released Q1 2019.  It is a great way for ITIL Certificate holders from Foundation to Expert to come up to speed on ITIL 4. The remainder of ITIL 4 courses will release the second half of 2019.  Gaining an understanding of ITIL 4 in 2019 is going to be important in helping your organization prepare.  We expect the ITIL V3 to ITIL 4 migration will begin in the 2020 timeframe.

Moral of the story?  ITIL is here to stay and if you are a Project Manager, there is tremendous benefit to achieving ITIL Foundation Certification.

Should You Get ITIL V3 Certified if ITIL 4 Releases Q1 2019?

Tuesday, 20 November, 2018

I was speaking with some ITIL Experts last week and they asked me if there is any value in someone getting V3 certified since ITIL 4 releases in 2019. Here is my answer. Take a look and let me know your thoughts.

First off, great question. There is a lot of confusion over the ITIL 4 release as many of the details are still under wraps. From a 10,000 foot look we all know that we live in a world of updates and change does not happen overnight. Companies have infrastructures and processes and systems in place and they don’t throw them away when a new version is released. And most new versions include key elements of the current version, so the baby is not being thrown out with the bath water.

ITIL V3 Is Alive & Well

Right now, ITIL is V3.  V3 is alive and well and will be maintained until at least June 2020.  The ITIL 4 Foundation is being released Q1 2019 – or sometime in the next 4 months. The remainder of the ITIL 4 courses are scheduled to be released sometime June 2019 to December 2019.

Migration Game Plan

If I were new to ITIL and had funds for exams, I would get V3 Foundation and ITIL 4 Foundation Certified.  ITIL V3 Foundation is required for many positions and I don’t see that requirement going away for the next 12 months minimum. ITIL 4 Foundation is new and takes ITIL to the next level and if I wanted to be fully prepared to help my company transition from ITIL V3 to ITIL 4 or have certifications that helped me stand out, get promoted or get a new job, then I would get ITIL 4 Foundation Certified too. If I was already ITIL V3 Foundation Certified, I would get ITIL 4 Foundation Certified for the same reasons.

For the more advanced V3 certificate holders I would come up to speed on ITIL 4 by reading the book when it is released or taking a class. In my opinion there is no need for advanced certificate holders to get the ITIL 4 Foundation certificate. Advanced ITIL 3 Certificate holders (17 V3 credits or more) will be able to take the ITIL 4 Managing Professional transition course when it is released second half of 2019 and achieve the new ITIL 4 Managing Professional Certification.  This enables individuals with 17 or more ITIL V3 credits to take 1 course instead of 4 to become ITIL 4 Managing Professional Certified. If you are on your way to 17 credits in ITIL V3, keep going as it will allow you accelerated access to the ITIL 4 Managing Professional Certification.

 

I hope this article has been informative. If you have any questions, we are here to help.

 

ITIL Certification: The Road from ITIL Foundation to Expert

Tuesday, 29 May, 2018

What is ITIL?

ITIL is an acronym for the Information Technology Infrastructure Library that was created in the 1980s by the UK Government’s Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency. The agency understood that a set of standardized service management practices was necessary to align service management delivery from one agency to another. What started out as a set of recommendations grew into ITIL V1. ITIL has had several versions with V1 arriving in late 80s, V2 in late 90s, V3 in 2007 and then ITIL 2011. ITIL is currently undergoing another revision to include how ITIL relates to other frameworks and standards including Agile, DevOps, Lean, ISO 20000 and more.

Who Uses ITIL Today?

The figures vary. In Europe it is suggested that up to 70% of European business leaders consider ITIL a must have in their organizations . Outside of the UK the number of organizations that have adopted and adapted ITIL is estimated to be around 33%.

Why Do Organizations Adopt ITIL?

When organizations adopt and adapt ITIL, they ensure that their services are delivered according to well defined best practices that allows them to increase customer satisfaction and better manage their processes and reduce costs.

ITIL Certification Salaries

No doubt certifications assist in higher paying jobs and raises. Most report that holding an ITIL Foundation Certification can jump your salary $5,000 to as much as $13,000. The 2016 Global Knowledge IT Skills and Salary Report shares that the average salary for ITIL-certified professionals ranges from $92,000 to $105,842 and that more than 90 percent of respondents to their survey reported their average salary with an ITIL Foundation certificate exceeded $98,000.

How to Get ITIL Certifications

#1 – ITIL Foundation

You start with the Foundation Certification. It is a TON of information. There is no requirement to take an accredited course to pass the exam, however it is HIGHLY recommended. The exam is 100% on the content in the course. When you take an Accredited ITIL Foundation course then you know for sure you are getting all the info you need to pass. Courses are available live at training organization location, live online and On-Demand to give you ultimate flexibility.

#2 – What Next After ITIL Foundation?

After ITIL Foundation Certification you can go on to become ITIL Practitioner Certified or move into the ITIL Intermediate courses.

ROUTE 1 = ITIL Practitioner

This is a relatively new certification that was released about 2 years ago and it is the only course out of 12 that actually shows students how to adopt and adapt ITIL. ITIL Practitioner like ITIL Foundation has no formal training requirement, however, it has the lowest pass rate of all 12 exams. There is a great deal of knowledge and practical experience required to pass this exam and we do not recommend students take this exam without having (1) taken the ITIL Practitioner course and (2) taken at least one of the ITIL Intermediate courses. The exam requires you to adopt and adapt what you learned. It is not repeating concepts. It is the most expensive ITIL exam retailing at $469 from PeopleCert.

Route 2 = The ITIL Intermediate Path

This is the second option and the more common path following ITIL Foundation Certification. AND – YOU MUST hold an ITIL Foundation certificate to take these exams. To take any of these exams you MUST have taken an Accredited Course and hold a Certificate of Completion. The Intermediate series is made up of 9 courses split into a Lifecycle track and a Capability track. You can stick with one path or mix and match from the both.

i. Intermediate Service Lifecycle Courses – Managers take this path

1. Service Strategy
2. Service Transition
3. Service Design
4. Service Operation
5. Continual Service Improvement

ii. Intermediate Capability Courses – The people who do the work/implement ITIL take this path

1. Service Offerings and Agreements
2. Planning, Protection and Optimization
3. Release, Control and Validation
4. Operational Support and Analysis

#3 – Becoming an ITIL Expert

After Foundation and completing 17 credits in one of these paths or a combination of courses (some people like to mix and match), then the student has enough points to take the Managing Across the Lifecycle course (MALC) which allows them to sit for the MALC exam. You need a minimum of 17 credits to take MALC.

a. Foundation is 2 credits
b. Lifecycle course are 3 each
c. Capability are 4 each
d. MALC is 5

#4 – PeopleCert Certification Exam

Once you have prepared for an exam and hold the required Certificate of Completion for the Intermediate and MALC courses, then you are ready to purchase and take your exam. The official exam provider for all ITIL exams as of January 1, 2018 is PeopleCert. You can purchase your ITIL Exams from PeopleCert directly or from an Authorized Exam Organization. Exams can be taken at exam centers and Online so you can take them from the comfort of your home or office.

We hope this article on ITIL Certification has been informative and helpful. If you have any questions, we are here to help. You can reach us by phone at, 877.546.4446 or via email at, customerservice@gogotraining.com

Is VeriSM, ITIL, Agile and DevOps Friend or Enemy?

Thursday, 26 April, 2018

5 Steps to Landing a Job in IT

Monday, 27 March, 2017

 

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.