GIAC certifications are recognized across the industry as providing the highest and most rigorous assurance of cybersecurity knowledge and skills. Earning a GIAC certification validates that you’ve mastered the cyber security skills that you’ll need to solve the problems you’ll confront in your daily work.
1. GIAC Certifications Earn Employer Recognition
A GIAC certification demonstrates that you have the specific skills you need to do the job, making it a worthy investment for any cybersecurity professional. It signals to employers that they can trust you have the skills to effectively complete the tasks required in your day-to-day work. Additionally, a GIAC certification may set you apart from your colleagues in the eyes of your employer, giving you an edge for career advancement opportunities.
Plus, this employer recognition and trust is likely to translate into additional investment by your employer in your future training and certification, as you’ve already proven yourself. Given the skills gap in cybersecurity, organizations are looking for ways to incentivize and boost retention, and many correlations have been made between retention and an employee training and development budget.
2. GIAC Certifications Create Job Opportunities
Speaking of opportunities, did you know that 82% of organizations prefer hiring candidates with certifications? Validating your skills with certifications could make the difference between you and the practitioner standing next to you when it comes to landing that next job. Think of certifications as little green flags that signal to hiring managers and HR teams that you have the specific skills needed to fill a job role.
In some circumstances, employers might even require a GIAC certification for employment or within six months of starting a new position.
3. GIAC Certifications Produce Industry Respect
There are more than 40 GIAC certifications spanning introductory to intermediate, advanced, and expert levels. Each one is not only well known but highly respected in the infosec industry. Notable organizations like the US National Security Agency and Australia Department of Defence recognize the significance and impact of earning GIAC certifications.
Feedback regularly comes in from GIAC certification earners telling us things like….
“I value the instant respect and credibility GIAC professionals receive. People know you’ve worked hard to obtain the certification and they recognize the critical skills and knowledge that come with it.”
-Ben Boyle, GXPN, GWAPT, GCIA
“Attackers are always evolving and having a GIAC cert prepares you to evolve with them. It allows you to implement the appropriate methods and best practices in your company while understanding it's a continuous fight.”
-Jason Sevilla, GCIH, GMON, GSEC
That’s only a glimpse at the level of respect that is attached to the GIAC standard and to those who earn these prestigious certifications.
4. GIAC Certifications Build Personal Pride
Put aside the industry accolades and think about what kind of cybersecurity professional you strive to be. Many practitioners who certify with GIAC are self-proclaimed life-long learners. They set goals to regularly learn new skills and tackle the challenging and rewarding experience of passing a GIAC certification exam.
Confidence when tackling your day-to-day work and the personal pride that comes along with that should rank in the top for reasons to earn a GIAC certification.
5. GIAC Certifications Prove Competitive Skills
If there’s one industry that’s prone to change, it’s cybersecurity. New attack methods are constantly emerging, technology evolving, and global conditions adapting. That’s what helps keep things interesting! GIAC certifications prove to your industry peers and employers that you have the specific skillset required to tackle today’s threats.
However, due to the ever-changing environment of cybersecurity, certifications don’t last forever. Renewing your certifications, with CPEs or by taking the current version of the exam, proves that you’ve still got what it takes to compete in this fast-changing world.
Earning a certification from GIAC is something to be proud of but keeping it active shows you have a true understanding of how cybersecurity is evolving. And because of this, you are prepared to meet the new demands of the day, staying current and competitive in the field you serve.
Are you looking to get certified? Explore GIAC certifications here. If you’re already certified, is your certification up for renewal? If so, check out our limited-time promotion to save on costs associated with keeping your hard-earned certifications active.