Top 10 IT certifications for a fresher !

 

In today's competitive job market, having the right certifications can significantly boost a fresher's chances of securing a lucrative job in the IT industry. Certifications not only validate your skills and knowledge but also make you stand out among other candidates. Here are the top 10 IT certifications for freshers with the highest job guarantee, along with detailed insights into why they are special, eligibility, pricing, validity, job roles, salary expectations, exam preparation, and free study materials:

1. Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)

Why it's special: CCNA is one of the most recognized certifications in the networking domain, offering a comprehensive understanding of networking fundamentals and technologies.

Job Guarantee: With the increasing demand for network professionals globally, CCNA certification assures job opportunities in roles such as network administrator, network engineer, and system administrator.

Eligibility: There are no specific prerequisites for CCNA, but having a basic understanding of networking concepts is beneficial.

Price: The exam fee for CCNA ranges from $300 to $325 USD.

Validity: CCNA certification is valid for three years, after which recertification is required.

Job Roles: Network Administrator, Network Engineer, System Administrator.

Salary Expectation: In the USA, CCNA-certified professionals can expect an average salary of $65,000 to $95,000 per year, while in India, it ranges from ₹300,000 to ₹800,000 per annum.

Preparation: Cisco offers official study materials and practice exams on their website. Additionally, there are numerous free resources available online, including video tutorials, study guides, and practice tests.

Free Study Material Link: Cisco Learning Network

 

2. CompTIA A+

Why it's special: CompTIA A+ is an entry-level certification covering basic IT concepts, hardware, networking, and security.

Job Guarantee: This certification is highly valued by employers as it demonstrates foundational knowledge and skills required for IT support roles.

Eligibility: There are no prerequisites for CompTIA A+ certification.

Price: The exam fee for CompTIA A+ is around $232 USD per exam.

Validity: CompTIA A+ certification is valid for three years.

Job Roles: IT Support Specialist, Help Desk Technician, Desktop Support Technician.

Salary Expectation: In the USA, CompTIA A+ certified professionals can earn an average salary of $40,000 to $60,000 per year, while in India, it ranges from ₹200,000 to ₹500,000 per annum.

Preparation: CompTIA provides official study guides, practice tests, and training courses. Additionally, there are various online platforms offering free resources such as study notes, video tutorials, and practice exams.

Free Study Material Link: CompTIA CertMaster

 

3. AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate

Why it's special: AWS certification validates expertise in designing distributed systems on the Amazon Web Services platform.

Job Guarantee: With the increasing adoption of cloud technologies, AWS-certified professionals are in high demand for roles such as cloud architect, cloud engineer, and solutions architect.

Eligibility: While there are no prerequisites, having basic knowledge of AWS services and architecture is beneficial.

Price: The exam fee for AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate is $150 USD.

Validity: AWS certifications are valid for three years.

Job Roles: Cloud Architect, Cloud Engineer, Solutions Architect.

Salary Expectation: In the USA, AWS-certified professionals can expect an average salary of $90,000 to $130,000 per year, while in India, it ranges from ₹600,000 to ₹1,500,000 per annum.

Preparation: AWS offers official training courses and practice exams. Additionally, there are free resources available on the AWS website, including whitepapers, documentation, and tutorials.

Free Study Material Link: AWS Training and Certification

 

4. Microsoft Certified Azure Fundamentals

Why it's special: This certification validates foundational knowledge of cloud services and how those services are provided with Microsoft Azure.

Job Guarantee: With the widespread adoption of Azure cloud services, Microsoft Azure Fundamentals certification opens doors to roles such as cloud administrator, cloud consultant, and system administrator.

Eligibility: There are no prerequisites for this certification.

Price: The exam fee for Microsoft Certified Azure Fundamentals is $99 USD.

Validity: Microsoft certifications do not expire.

Job Roles: Cloud Administrator, Cloud Consultant, System Administrator.

Salary Expectation: In the USA, Microsoft Azure-certified professionals can earn an average salary of $80,000 to $120,000 per year, while in India, it ranges from ₹500,000 to ₹1,200,000 per annum.

Preparation: Microsoft provides official training courses, practice tests, and virtual labs. Additionally, there are free resources available on the Microsoft Learn platform, including modules, hands-on labs, and learning paths.

Free Study Material Link: Microsoft Learn

 

5. Google Certified Professional Data Engineer

Why it's special: This certification validates the ability to design, build, maintain, and troubleshoot data processing systems on the Google Cloud Platform.

Job Guarantee: With the increasing demand for data engineers in organizations adopting cloud technologies, this certification ensures job opportunities in roles such as data engineer, data architect, and business intelligence developer.

Eligibility: There are no prerequisites for this certification, but having experience with Google Cloud Platform is beneficial.

Price: The exam fee for Google Certified Professional Data Engineer is $200 USD.

Validity: Google Cloud certifications are valid for two years.

Job Roles: Data Engineer, Data Architect, Business Intelligence Developer.

Salary Expectation: In the USA, Google Cloud-certified professionals can expect an average salary of $100,000 to $150,000 per year, while in India, it ranges from ₹800,000 to ₹1,800,000 per annum.

Preparation: Google offers official training courses, practice exams, and hands-on labs. Additionally, there are free resources available on the Google Cloud website, including documentation, tutorials, and Qwiklabs.

Free Study Material Link: Google Cloud Training

 

6.Oracle Certified Associate (OCA) - Oracle PL/SQL Developer

Why it's special: The OCA certification in Oracle PL/SQL Developer validates foundational knowledge and skills in writing PL/SQL programs, managing program units, and using built-in packages.

Job Guarantee: With Oracle being one of the leading database management systems globally, OCA certification ensures job opportunities as PL/SQL developers, database administrators, and database analysts.

Eligibility: There are no prerequisites for the OCA - Oracle PL/SQL Developer certification, but basic SQL knowledge is recommended.

Price: The exam fee for OCA certification is approximately $245 USD.

Validity: OCA certifications do not expire.

Job Roles: PL/SQL Developer, Database Administrator, Database Analyst.

Salary Expectation: In the USA, OCA-certified professionals can expect an average salary of $70,000 to $90,000 per year, while in India, it ranges from ₹400,000 to ₹800,000 per annum.

Preparation: Oracle provides official training courses, practice exams, and study guides. Additionally, there are free resources available on the Oracle website, including documentation, tutorials, and sample questions.

Free Study Material Link: Oracle Learning Library

 

7.SAP Certified Associate - SAP S/4HANA Business Process Integration

Why it's Special: This certification validates the foundational understanding of SAP S/4HANA business processes and integration concepts, making it an ideal starting point for freshers entering the world of SAP.

Job Guarantee: SAP S/4HANA is SAP's next-generation ERP suite, and certified associates are in high demand across industries for roles such as SAP consultant, business analyst, and system administrator.

Eligibility: There are no specific prerequisites for this certification, although basic knowledge of SAP fundamentals and business processes is beneficial.

Price: The exam fee for SAP Certified Associate - SAP S/4HANA Business Process Integration is approximately $550 USD.

Validity: SAP certifications do not expire, but it's recommended to stay updated with the latest versions and advancements in SAP technology.

Job Roles: SAP Consultant, Business Analyst, System Administrator.

Salary Expectation: In the USA, SAP-certified professionals can earn an average salary of $70,000 to $120,000 per year, while in India, it ranges from ₹500,000 to ₹1,500,000 per annum, depending on experience and specialization.

Preparation: SAP offers official training courses and certification materials through their SAP Learning Hub platform. Additionally, there are free resources available, including SAP Community forums, tutorials, and trial versions of SAP software.

Free Study Material Link: SAP Learning Hub

 

8. Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)

Why it's special: CEH certification validates skills in identifying vulnerabilities and weaknesses in computer systems and networks, making it essential for ethical hacking and penetration testing roles.

Job Guarantee: With the increasing emphasis on cybersecurity, CEH-certified professionals are in demand for roles such as ethical hacker, penetration tester, and security analyst.

Eligibility: There are no specific prerequisites for CEH certification, but having a basic understanding of networking and security concepts is recommended.

Price: The exam fee for CEH is $1,199 USD.

Validity: CEH certification is valid for three years, after which recertification is required.

Job Roles: Ethical Hacker, Penetration Tester, Security Analyst.

Salary Expectation: In the USA, CEH-certified professionals can earn an average salary of $80,000 to $120,000 per year, while in India, it ranges from ₹500,000 to ₹1,200,000 per annum.

Preparation: EC-Council, the organization behind CEH, provides official training courses, practice tests, and study materials. Additionally, there are free resources available, including webinars, whitepapers, and practice labs.

Free Study Material Link: EC-Council CEH Resources

 

9.Salesforce Certified Administrator 

 

• Why it's Special: This certification validates proficiency in Salesforce administration, including configuration, customization, and security implementation.

• Job Guarantee: With Salesforce being a leading CRM platform globally, certified administrators are in high demand for roles such as Salesforce administrator, CRM manager, and sales operations analyst.

• Eligibility: There are no prerequisites for the Salesforce Certified Administrator exam, making it accessible to freshers.

• Price: The exam fee for ADM 201 is $200 USD.

• Validity: Salesforce certifications do not expire but are tied to specific product releases.

• Job Roles: Salesforce Administrator, CRM Manager, Sales Operations Analyst.

• Salary Expectation: In the USA, Salesforce-certified administrators can earn an average salary of $70,000 to $100,000 per year, while in India, it ranges from ₹500,000 to ₹1,000,000 per annum.

• Preparation: Salesforce provides official study guides, training modules, and practice exams. Additionally, there are free resources available on the Salesforce Trailhead platform, including trails, modules, and projects.

• Free Study Material Link: Salesforce Trailhead

 

10.ServiceNow Certified System Administrator

• Why it's Special: This certification validates proficiency in configuring, managing, and maintaining the ServiceNow platform.

• Job Guarantee: As ServiceNow is a leading provider of cloud-based service management solutions, certified system administrators are in demand for roles such as ServiceNow administrator, IT service management analyst, and systems engineer.

• Eligibility: There are no specific prerequisites for the ServiceNow Certified System Administrator exam.

• Price: The exam fee for this certification is $150 USD.

• Validity: ServiceNow certifications are valid for two years.

• Job Roles: ServiceNow Administrator, IT Service Management Analyst, Systems Engineer.

• Salary Expectation: In the USA, ServiceNow-certified system administrators can earn an average salary of $80,000 to $110,000 per year, while in India, it ranges from ₹600,000 to ₹1,200,000 per annum.

• Preparation: ServiceNow offers official training courses, study guides, and practice exams. Additionally, there are free resources available on the ServiceNow Community and Developer sites.

• Free Study Material Link: ServiceNow Developer

 

Conclusion: obtaining the right IT certifications can significantly enhance a fresher's employability and career prospects in the competitive IT industry. Each of the certifications mentioned above offers unique benefits, ranging from foundational IT knowledge to specialized expertise in areas such as networking, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and project management. By acquiring these certifications, freshers can demonstrate their skills and dedication to potential employers, paving the way for rewarding career opportunities and professional growth.