How to increase your earning potential with a Microsoft Certification

Since the 1980s, Microsoft has dominated the business world through its products and services. With our current era gone digital (most especially in these current times), every modern employee requires at least a basic understanding of their most common products, these including everyday end user programs such as Teams, Word, PowerPoint and Excel.

Unlocking their full potential, however, can reap plenty of business benefits such as higher productivity, operational efficiency, and a better competitive edge.

This is where Microsoft Certification Training comes in – programs that sharpen and certify your competency with Microsoft products, yielding you better business results and a stronger IT skillset.

Certifications can also extend beyond basic software, exploring specialised fields such as cloud computing, cyber security, and DevOps; helping expand and further your opportunities in the tech field.

Below, we break down the basics of getting Microsoft-certified, and how it can bolster your IT career and earning potential.

What are Microsoft’s certification paths?

Microsoft currently offers a wide range of certification paths, each tailored to a specific technical IT role. These include tech developers, administrators, data scientists, consultants, and security engineers, among others. Each certification is comprised of a series of exams one needs to pass to earn their qualification.

Certifications are offered under three categories: fundamental certifications, role-based certifications, and additional certifications.

The “fundamentals” are recommended for entry-level IT professionals, exploring the basics of Microsoft’s software and cloud computing platforms. Role-based certifications concentrate on skillsets for specific job roles (i.e. data analyst, functional consultant, data engineer), while “additional” certifications offer further, specialised training in Microsoft software.

Individuals typically undertake training courses to prepare them for certification, equipping them with both the theory-based knowledge and practical experience required to pass exams. A wide variety of Australian training organisations (including Lumify Work) have partnered with Microsoft to deliver courses like the Office 365 certification path, cloud computing, or Azure fundamentals. These courses are taught by Microsoft Certified Trainers using Microsoft Official Curriculum (MOC), allowing you to obtain Microsoft Azure certifications, AI certifications, and other valuable credentials.

Boost your IT employability

A leading benefit to pursuing Microsoft certification is that it sharpens your competitive edge for the job market. With the world growing ever-more digitised, employers (regardless of industry) are increasingly seeking tech-proficient hires – and what better way to prove your skills than getting certified under a leading, global IT body?

With Microsoft certifications under your belt, you’re boosting your value as a job candidate in any field, helping you find employment faster. This highly benefits those looking to raise their earnings through a career shift. What’s more, employers are now reportedly using certification (like an Azure certification or a cloud certification) as a criterion for their hiring process, as certified recruits tend to “reach full productivity” faster than their non-certified counterparts.

For instance, some of the most in-demand Microsoft certifications include the Azure Administrator Associate certification, Azure Fundamentals Certification, and Azure Solutions Architect Expert. Azure solutions architects and Azure administrators need to be knowledgeable in IT operations, including networking, virtualisation, identity, security controls, business continuity, disaster recovery, data platforms, and governance.

Those seeking out more lucrative, higher-paying careers on the job market (IT or otherwise) can thus flaunt a more credible, attractive resume through Microsoft certifications.

Additionally, each certified professional is awarded a digital badge verifying their achievement, allowing them to share their new credentials across social media, on their websites, and on their online resume. A Microsoft badge can also help you find employers looking for your specific skillset, as well as potential salary earnings for suitable roles.

Fast-track your career

As mentioned, acquiring Microsoft certification not only builds on your employee value – it also optimises your productivity, making you an indispensable business member. In fact, statistics show that Microsoft-certified workers achieve 90% higher productivity and 60% higher efficiency compared to those uncertified.

As such, certification allows for faster career progress, creating greater opportunities for advancement or promotion. This in turn leads to higher earning potential, with 23% of Microsoft-certified professionals getting a 20% salary increase upon certification. On top of that, the average certified worker earns 15% more than their non-certified colleagues.

According to Nigel Frank International’s 2019-2020 Microsoft Dynamics Salary Survey, 70% of respondents also reported having their certification fully paid by employers – highlighting the value companies place on having a competitive, upskilled workforce.

Additionally, an advanced skillset results in greater workplace confidence, as many certified workers have reported a greater willingness to embrace new practices, technologies, and industry knowledge. Plenty have also shared how certification helped them perform complex tasks with greater ease, with many often entrusted with supervising their peers.

Specialise in lucrative fields

Microsoft certification is valuable in helping you use related tools, software, and platforms to their full potential (and demonstrating these skills to potential employers). As mentioned, however, individuals can also pursue more specialised certification paths to unlock new, lucrative opportunities in the tech field.

For example, professionals can pursue Microsoft certification to help them launch their career path in the cyber security, networking, or cloud computing sector – three of the most in-demand tech fields in Australia (as of 2020). Microsoft currently offers specialised certifications in each field, including their Security Administrator Associate, MTA: Networking Fundamentals, and Azure Developer Associate, among others.

Individuals can thus increase their earning potential by advancing themselves from general, entry-level IT roles to more technical, niche positions that typically offer higher pay. According to Talent International, cloud architects and security officers are currently among the top-paid IT roles in the country, earning an average of $170,000 – $230,000 and $220,000 – $300,000 (respectively). Network engineers have the potential to earn $112,000 a year, with the average worker earning $78,000 a year.

Pursuing Microsoft certification aligned with these career paths (and other lucrative sub-sectors) can thus increase one’s chances of entering the field, honing their niche, and advancing their earnings in the process.

Stay atop new industry trends

Finally, getting Microsoft-certified allows one to maintain competitive, relevant IT skills amongst evolving industry trends and in demand IT skills.

Microsoft and their products are likely here to stay, bringing continuous change and innovation to the global business world. Their services are internationally used and renowned, developing alongside new market and industry needs. Verifying your skills in their software, and re-certifying as a trends change and new technologies emerge, demonstrates your relevance and commitment to an ever-evolving IT landscape.

Not only do employers value this, but it can help you stay confident and driven in a rapidly-paced field of constant change. Pursuing certification ensures your skills are both in demand and the best they can be, keeping your career opportunities vast and salary potential high.

Ready to get Microsoft-certified?

As mentioned, Lumify Work (Australia’s leading provider of corporate IT and process training) is an exclusive partner of Microsoft, delivering robust training courses to help professionals prepare for certification.

We're thrilled to announce that Lumify Work has been honoured with the Microsoft MCT Superstars Award for FY24. This is a testament to the high quality of our Microsoft Certified Trainers (MCTs) across Australia and New Zealand.

Courses currently cater to certification paths under Microsoft Azure, Dynamics 365, Office 365, SQL Server, Visual Studio, and Windows Server. Students will explore key concepts as well as practical skills, equipping them for successful exam performance.

Another advantage is that plenty of these are also delivered online through our Lumify Anywhere platform, helping you train according to your needs and schedule. Get certified under a global IT leader today, and enquire with us on a course or certification path.