How valuable is ITIL foundation cert? Should I pursue it right now?

I recently applied for a position with Unisys and apparently they are big acolytes of ITIL. The hiring manager said it wasn't a big deal as they can teach me about ITIL, but I wonder how valuable is the ITIL foundation cert viewed in general? Some managers who are big believers in ITIL will obviously think it is beneficial, but how common is that? My understanding from what I have read is that it is a fairly easy cert to get compared to some other technical certs, which makes me wonder whether managers would be somewhat dismissive of it while not being useless that it wouldn't carry a lot of weight either. Unlike a lot of tech certs that focus upon the technology ITIL focuses upon service process, which imho involves a lot of management gibberish. I've seen a number of senior level positions that seem to claim that it is preference to having some ITIL cert although I'm not clear how critical that is towards getting such positions.

Obviously it is a common cert for senior level managers, but I'm still relatively early in my career about 6 years of easily verifiable IT experience and a smattering of contract work before that. If I get the Unisys job I will probably get the foundation ITIL cert just to show management that I understand ITIL if nothing else and to make advancing in their organizational chart easier, but if I don't get that position at Unisys I'm curious upon whether this is worth my time or whether other more technical certs would be a better use of my time at this point in my career? My last position was a mix of tier 2/3 level work, but beyond training some lower level technicians I haven't really managed much of anyone at this point. I am in between positions at the moment so anything that would give an edge that I could attain in a reasonable period of time without spending a fortune would be worth consideration to me. No cert guarantees you a job obviously, but I'm curious how beneficial the ITIL foundation cert would be for me at this point?

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Comments

Claire Agutter

Hi Pariah

The quickest way to check if the ITIL Foundation will provide any value for you is to check the job listings for the types of role that you ideally want to work in. As you've seen, it's not a big deal for a company to teach you ITIL, but going in to an interview with the certification already on your CV might give you the edge over another candidate.

The Foundation certificate can be achieved for a fairly low cost (check the other threads on the forum for some good advice about books and training) so it could well be a worthwhile investment for you. Many big companies use ITIL at every level of their IT department, so showing you're familiar with how it works can definitely be a benefit.

Kind regards

Claire

The_Pariah

So I guess it would be fair to say that ITIL is a lot more valuable if you are trying to get into larger enterprise environments? I see it a lot in senior level positions wanting 10+ or even 15+ years of experience that I don't have at this point, but not so much so positions for 5-10 years where I would be competitive for the position. I think the Unisys job is one of the first I have been seriously considered that desired ITIL.

For somebody with 10+ years in experience I think that it looks like ITIL would be well worth it as it might be just the edge you need to get a mid level management position over a similarly qualified candidate, but for somebody with about 6 years of experience does it still make sense?

ccnpninja

it does not matter how much time you spent in your career. What maybe matters is how diverse your experience is, in terms of exposure to different departments and divisions in a company.
ITIL helped me see the big picture and how value can be created.

The_Pariah

ccnpninja wrote: »

it does not matter how much time you spent in your career. What maybe matters is how diverse your experience is, in terms of exposure to different departments and divisions in a company.
ITIL helped me see the big picture and how value can be created.

I understand that tenure in the industry isn't all created equally. Some people advance rapidly in their careers to larger responsibilities and some people are doing tier 1 help desk for a decade or more. Some experience is more valuable than other experience. I was just curious as to those that were more on the less experienced side of their careers when they got an ITIL cert how beneficial people considered it as it seemed very management focused. It sounds like you considered the knowledge worthwhile.

Claire Agutter

I took my ITIL Foundation right at the start of my IT career when I was working on helpdesks. It really helped me to understand how my role fit into the organisation as a whole and also helped me to understand where I wanted to go in my career.

People with lots of IT experience might find the ITIL content easier to apply and understand, but for people with little to no experience it can be both an eye opener and a door opener.