How to Become a Cisco Certified Information Technology Manager

Gone are the days when managing servers and setting up desktop computers were the only two major roles for IT managers in an organization. While these tasks might still be applicable to IT managers, rapid advancement in technology has diversified their roles and responsibilities, involving many business-critical services. Though crisis management, team building, smart decision-making, and accountability remain the key qualities, IT managers must possess advanced technical knowledge and skills to keep up with the changing business IT trends. To cater to the evolving business needs, many IT manager certifications are being offered nowadays by technology giants, like Cisco. Among those seeking and getting IT certifications, many professionals take expert-level certifications to rise through the ranks to become an IT manager.

If you are an IT professional looking to advance in your career, you should complete a Cisco certification providing skills and training to become a Cisco Certified Information Technology Manager. Here is everything you should know about this position:

Cisco Certification – Information Technology Manager

The Cisco Information Technology Manager is a position for IT professionals who have acquired the skillset and knowledge to perform up to the mark in management level roles in the IT department. This role touches many key points involving a variety of information systems, database management, corporate framework, communications management, and team management, both from a technical and business management viewpoint.  The role is designed for IT professionals who want to develop a thorough understanding of information technology management in relation to systems, networks, and business framework.

By becoming a Cisco Certified Information Technology Manager, you will be considered for a variety of management roles, such as network design manager, network manager of architecture teams, and manager of IT infrastructure teams. All of these roles would require you to translate business needs, operational constraints, and budget into the development of an all-encompassing solution. IT professionals holding this certification will be recognized for their high-level skills and knowledge in the design and development of network infrastructure. In addition to this, students will be able to make decisions on a departmental or regional level, allowing them to provide value-adding suggestions for business development. It will also enable you to provide teams with the right direction to complete IT related projects.

What are the Roles and Responsibilities of a Cisco Certified IT Manager?

An IT manager works in a dynamic and challenging environment, where they are responsible for designing, deploying, and maintaining the technology infrastructure. Since most businesses maintain a centralized information processing system for uninterrupted communications and robust data management, IT managers are required to monitor technology solutions, R&D strategies, and operational requirements. In addition, they are required to build the most efficient and cost-effective system that can knit different business operations together to help achieve the organization’s goals.

Being in one of the leading positions in the IT department, you will be performing for a wide range of duties and roles, such as:

• Overseeing major IT projects and determining timeframes for system migrations, upgrades, updates, and outages.
• Performing system audits on a regular basis and evaluating their outcomes for further action
• Organizing, controlling, and assessing electronic data and IT operations
• Developing and enforcing IT best practice guides and policies for the company
• Providing IT team members with direction for projects
• Maintaining and monitoring network and data security
• Preserving information security, control structures, and digital assets
• Identifying and evaluating new software and improving existing systems and application programs
• Effective utilization of the allocated IT budget
• Training and development of IT teams to able to work on highly technical projects
• Collaborate and coordinate with different information services departments, ensuring server scalability, availability, and reliability to meet the organization’s demand

To successfully land a job as an IT manager, you need to have the optimal combination of soft skills, education, and certification. Receiving a certification that covers both the technical and management side of the information technology field will allow you to develop a cost-effective and efficient network infrastructure within an organization and manage a team of professionals to complete IT jobs effectively.  With Cisco’s CCNA Certification, you can acquire multi-modal training that will develop your both technical and interpersonal skills, enabling you to perform on par with your company’s expectations, in the aforementioned position.