College education is not enough these days. In the competitive world of corporate careers and politics, one has to be armed with more than a simple college degree. Graduate studies are often prerequisites if you expect to go higher in the corporate ladder and, to have a further edge over your equally qualified and ambitious rivals, certifications are a must, especially in the cutthroat arena of Information Technology (IT).

I should have taken up Information Technology in college. But no, my overbearing (but lovable) parents wanted an Engineering career for me. What’s IT, they asked. It’s just a fad. Better stick to a reliable course like Engineering. Hmm, I can still remember the arguments we had, ending the same way every time – with dad flustered in anger and me yielding and dejected.

So here I am, jobless! Ha ha. Still, I tried to pursue an IT course after college, enrolling in a Computer Science degree course to supplement my Management Engineering knowhow.
However, much as I loved what I was doing, I had to give it up after a few semesters as I couldn’t juggle working and studying at the same time. The tough choice of giving up my IT course had to be made when I got promoted and needed to focus on my job. It was the right choice at the time but I still can’t help but regret that decision as I look back.

With the demand for anything IT nowadays, I know I wouldn’t be jobless had I continued to pursue that path. The opportunities are boundless! Just check your local paper’s job ads if you don’t believe me. And rewards are even bigger for those who are certified, trained in their field of expertise (much like a neurosurgeon or a cardiologist in the medical profession). This is the reason why IT practitioners are turning to trusted and proven professional networks to help them find the right instrument in enhancing and advancing their IT career. A Cisco certification is one such tool.

Would have, could have, should have – that’s the story of my life in Information Technology. But who knows, fate has a way of surprising us sometimes. Seemingly lost puzzle pieces may amazingly fall into place one day, giving this luckless skeptic a shot at in IT that he thought was highly unlikely.

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