Most multinational corporations and large organizations have a common thing known as the Information Technology Infrastructure Library or ITIL. They all provide certain ITIL guidelines that the employees need to manage and establish in the organization to carry on the service deliveries in the IT industry.
For those individuals who are interested in building a prosperous career in the field of ITSM or IT Service Management. All the ITIL certification prove to be of great importance. These credentials demonstrate the knowledge and caliber of the candidates and make them emerge as intelligent professionals of the field. The certified candidates are most sought after by potential employers, and the credential increases the marketability of the candidates in front of the employers of a different organization. There are different levels of certification under ITIL which are connected to each other. The interested individuals can go step by step through all these certifications and get deeper knowledge every time. Sometimes the certification is more knowledge-based, and sometimes, it is focused more on the experience side.
Eligibility criteria for different certifications
- ITIL Foundation certification – The foundation certification is the beginner certification in the field of ITIL. It gives knowledge about the general concepts and principles of the field. The different terminologies and principles about the service lifecycle of ITIL are the main focus area under this certification. The certification does not require any prerequisites in particular. The individuals who want to understand the basics of the field usually take up this certification credential. They learn about adapting to ITIL practices and put their firm foot in the industry.
- ITIL Intermediate service lifecycle certification – The Intermediate level certification forms the second certification in the field. It consists of two different streams, namely, the service lifecycle and the service capability. Both these streams put forward some set of eligibility criteria. The candidates should hold at least two credits from the foundation level exam. 21 contact hours and 30 contact hours of instruction are required for the service lifecycle and capability, respectively. Both the streams under this certification require work experience of at least two hours in the field of ITSM.
- ITIL Managing Across the Lifecycle (MALC) certification – This certification is considered to be the third level certification and helps the candidates to take up the Expert level certification. The credential puts forward the knowledge of the individuals, which states about the service lifecycle and capability of the service. The credential requires individuals to gather 17 credits that show their balanced skill in the concepts of ITIL. The candidates should also have a minimum of 30 hours of instruction informal manner from a training organization that is firmly accredited.
- ITIL Expert certification – The knowledge and skills of the candidates are of superior level when they opt for this certification. The certification validates their skills in the field of ITIL. No particular exam is conducted for this certification, but the candidates are required to have balanced knowledge about all the practice areas of ITIL. The individuals need at least 22 credits if they aspire to become an ITIL expert. The candidates are required to have complete knowledge about ITIL MALC and also the service lifecycle of ITIL.
- ITIL Master certification – This certification focuses on the methods, techniques, and principles sustaining in the workplace. This certification does not conduct any supporting exam rather certify the candidates on the basis of oral interviews and certainly written submissions. The candidates need to be ITIL Experts before taking up this certification. The certification also seeks a minimum of five years of experience in senior managerial positions in IT service management. The aspiring candidates should have hands-on experience in ITIL practices and should know the implementation of these practices.
Conclusion
All these certifications have a variety of eligibility requirements, but the thing common between all these certifications is that none of it compromise the knowledge that they provide to the aspirants. The eligibility criteria for these certifications are nearly the same, and with the increase in the level of the certification, the criteria also increase. Individuals who are interested in learning more about ITIL and enhancing their career in this direction should try these certifications. To try all these certifications, they need to fulfill or satisfy the designated criteria for the certification first. Taking these criteria seriously shows the interest of the candidates for learning and earning the certifications.