The value of a Microsoft Certification

As a globally renowned and well-reputed tech company, Microsoft has left its mark in the world of IT and business – with over millions of users cross the map.

The statistics are astounding: Office 365 now has a more than 155 million business users, over 500,000 businesses are now using Microsoft teams, and more than half of cloud business users are using services offered by Microsoft – to name a few.

Its relevance in the modern workforce has lead to greater value of IT professionals with corporate- grade skills in Microsoft’s tools. Such qualifications are verified through the Microsoft Certification Program, offering a wide range of credentials in its products and systems (with options catering to one’s specific skill level – fundamental/beginner, associate, and expert).

Below, we outline the major benefits of acquiring a Microsoft certification, and how they can help your IT career – and most other roles, for that matter.

Get trained straight from the source

A prime benefit of pursuing Microsoft certifications is the opportunity to learn straight from the experts themselves.

Microsoft prides in providing tech professionals with “accurate, complete, and up-to-date” training, granting the competitive edge required to succeed in a rapidly-evolving market. These instructors not only dive into the technicalities of Microsoft software, but teach you how to leverage them at work to solve problems and increase productivity.

Additionally, they encourage those already certified to pursue continuous learning on their platforms; keeping their skills “current” in our constantly changing environment. Those specialising in certain technologies are offered optional re-certification programs each year, earning them “badges” to prove they’re up to date with recent developments.

Microsoft’s enterprise-grade training thus ensures you gain (and maintain) trusted, verified skills that keep up with the latest IT practices and Windows-based technologies.

Instructors can offer their expertise through face-to-face training – whether in a live classroom, or remotely through a virtual platform.

Alternatively, you can also opt for fully web-based learning. This allows you to train at your own pace and schedule, while accessing technical content developed by Microsoft experts themselves.

Increased employability

Microsoft certifications can give your resume some well-deserved padding, thus greatly improving your job prospects. According to reports, 19% of IT professionals were able to find work upon getting certified, and hiring managers were able to fill positions at 25% faster rate (in some cases).

The statistics aren’t surprising, either. With their programs fostering high-level skillsets that reflect today’s current technologies and skills gaps, certificate holders are well-equipped to find work in an increasingly competitive job market.

The various skills learned through Microsoft’s Certification Program also demonstrate your flexibility and adaptability as a worker; both attractive traits in IT employees. Many of these are transferable, adding value to any job role – such as the fluency you’ll gain in Microsoft Office.

Expertise in such apps improve your efficiency in building charts and collating data, both relevant skills required for the modern workplace. They can also help you find work as a business analyst, data analyst, or finance professional through your developed abilities in collecting and interpreting market information.

Though the certification exams are written, students are still required to gain as much “hands-on” experience as possible with their chosen technology; acquiring them a thorough, practical understanding of how to leverage their skills for the workplace.

Additionally, their platform allows students to officially display their earned credentials for public viewing (represented as “badges”). This online record makes it easy to share your achievements with prospective employers or other peers in the online sphere.

Advance your career

Getting certified not only builds on your Microsoft skills, but progresses you up IT career ladder, in the process.

Certifications are a regular form of selection criteria for employers and hiring managers, with some willing to pay more for such skills. Specific IT fields often have a mandatory requirement for certification; such as those in networking, cyber security, and cloud computing.

Microsoft acknowledges this with the appropriate certificate programs, each demonstrating your level of expertise and verifying your qualifications at each stage in your career.

Those who find work through certification are reported to be “fully productive” a month into their roles, compared to their uncertified peers. Their stand-out skills also lead to greater recognition throughout their job, with 36.9% claiming that it helps them perform complex tasks with more confidence and efficiency.

To throw in more impressive statistics – Microsoft-certified developers were found to be 90% more productive and 60% more efficient, making nearly twice as many applications in a year – with less than half the average time spent per application.

Microsoft’s training keeps professionals up to speed in their technical knowledge and complex problem-solving, helping them further drive value in their business in a shorter timeframe. This makes them better candidates for advanced titles and leadership roles, as they continue benefiting the current state and future of their company.

Higher salary potential

Of course, with greater skills come greater salary benefits – a potential over 33% of Microsoft-certified professionals benefit from. In fact, studies show they earn 20% more than their non-certified counterparts, with many claiming that it led to a raise or an eventual promotion.

As mentioned, plenty of employers are willing to pay more for a certified employee. Some of the highest-paying Microsoft certifications (according to CIO) can earn you up to 6 digits a year, depending on the company. These include the Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer (MCSD) and Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE) credentials, programs that delve into app development, cloud networks, enterprise networking, and other skills on Windows-based platforms.

Certified workers are also often more likely to supervise their peers and focus on generating innovative ideas, leading them to more valuable (and thus, higher-paying) positions.

Australian Payscale statistics show that the average Microsoft Certified Professional earns about $86,000 per year, with the highest-paid bracket earning $131,000. Influential factors include the employing company, years of experience, and type of IT role.

Employers benefit, too

As well as their employees, business managers benefit from having their workers Microsoft-certified. In an IDC (International Data Corporation) survey of IT managers across eight organisations (each with a minimum of 25 certified IT staff members), their findings discovered that certification improved risk mitigation and business agility.

As certified workers had a better grasp of the latest technologies, with greater abilities in handling complex issues; IT systems and applications experienced far less unplanned downtime, reducing such instances by 56%. Their skills also enable them to meet business demands at higher quality and greater speed.

As mentioned, the improved efficiency of certified application developers benefit their business in the shortened time it takes to develop new apps. However, their enhanced productivity also reduces the time it takes to market these new products, resulting in faster service and delivery to application users. Businesses with certified workers report a higher satisfaction among their customer base, leading to higher revenue.

With certified employee candidates, employers also benefit from the reduced costs and time spent on hiring. Making a certified hire takes 8% more time, though hiring on the basis of certification simplifies the process and thus makes it faster to acquire new candidates. In fact, it saves 25% of the time it takes to traditionally hire a non-certified worker.

On top of this, certification increases employee retention, reducing the costs associated with turnover.

A Microsoft certification not only equips you with high-level skills to manage the world’s most widely-used technologies – it also offers plenty of career, business, and financial benefits. Obtaining these credentials, or encouraging certification among your workers, are well worth it for your current business and your future in the IT industry.

Boost your IT career – get Microsoft-certified today!

With a Microsoft championing in digital tools and platforms, it’s best to keep you or your workers’ skills updated. Lumify Work offers plenty of Microsoft training courses, delivered by Microsoft-certified trainers to help you stay competitive and current in your IT career. Such courses include , Microsoft Dynamics 365, and Microsoft SQL Server – among plenty others, each following the Microsoft Official Curriculum (MOC). Our experts at Lumify Work can help advise you on the right courses for your goals, aligning you with the proper programs for certification.

To advance your IT skills and future-proof your career, enquire with us on a course today.

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.