At Whitridge Associates, we’re always searching for the top business and technology talent in Boston and across the country. Our Technology Staffing team has placed hundreds of Business Analysts at our client locations with a heavy focus on the Financial Services domain which looks to BAs to create efficiency in driving their projects to the finish line.

 

CIO.com defines Business Analysts as, “responsible for bridging the gap between IT and the business using data analytics to assess processes, determine requirements and deliver data-driven recommendations and reports to executives and stakeholders.

 

BAs engage with business leaders and users to understand how data-driven changes to process, products, services, software and hardware can improve efficiencies and add value. They must articulate those ideas but also balance them against what’s technologically feasible and financially and functionally reasonable. Depending on the role, you might work with data sets to improve products, hardware, tools, software, services or process.”

 

While the hiring landscape has changed, technology staffing has ramped up in the past several months and business and technology recruiters are looking for Business Analysts who are proactively honing existing skill sets and acquiring new ones. As many BAs work from home, it is an ideal time to take on those certifications you have been eyeing. Many companies are interested in delving deeper into data analytics and business analytics. There are certifications which may seem out of the ordinary for a Business Analyst's traditional skill set, however, these Cisco certifications could be the out of the box solution for a BA looking to differentiate themselves from their peers.

 

The Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification validates skills in network fundamentals, network access, IP connectivity, IP services, security fundamentals, and automation and programmability. The certification is offered in security, wireless, routing and switching, industrial, IoT, data center, cyber operations, collaboration and cloud. While there are no formal prerequisites for the CCNA, candidates for the certification often have 1+ years’ experience implementing and administering Cisco solutions, knowledge of basic IP addressing and an understanding of network fundamentals. The CCNA certification is valid for three years.

 

The Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) certifications typically follows the CCNA. A candidate can choose to be certified in enterprise, data center, security, service provider, collaboration, CyberOps or DevNet. Candidates need to pass a CCNP level exam to move to the expert level of certification. It is advised to have at least three to five years of experience in the path of certification before beginning.

 

The Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) certification is the highest level of certification in the Cisco family. The certifications are available in enterprise infrastructure, enterprise wireless, data center, security, service provider and collaboration. Once you have passed your CCIE exam in your topic of choice, you will have reached the highest level of Cisco certification currently available. Before you can earn the expert-level certification, it’s recommended to have at least five to seven years of experience in the certification subject.

 

When choosing a certification, it is important that you recognize those that will have a practical application in your career. If you find yourself working in a Cisco environment, the CCNA, CCNP, or CCIE, may be the right certification for you. 

 

 

References: 

 

• 25+ years of proven expertise in IT staffing 

• Seasoned IT staffing Boston team with recognized success in placing unrivaled candidates

• Robust internal technology consultant community of experienced IT talent in Boston, New York, and across the country

• A 32.7% redeployment rate with consultants over the past five years

• Proven expertise in listening to and understanding your aspirations and providing opportunities to work to achieve them together

• IT Staffing: Boston