What Is ITIL And What Are The Benefits Of An ITIL Certification?

The IT industry is a constantly evolving one and one needs to keep up with the latest developments to be able to provide the best IT services. That is why, there needs to be some kind of established framework or methodology so that IT managers, consultants and other professionals in the IT can manage their projects efficiently. ITIL is such a framework which provides a set of best practices in the IT services management. If you are looking to boost your career in IT, you can go for an ITIL certification course.

What is ITIL?

ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) is a framework that provides a set of best practices in ITSM (IT Service Management) that helps in aligning the business goals with the IT services of an organisation. Started by the UK government’s Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA), it is currently owned by AXELOS, which is a joint venture between Capita and UK Cabinet Office.

The ITIL framework consists of five core publications or ITIL books which are periodically updated as the technology changes. The ITIL lifecycle has five different stages:

• ITIL Service Strategy – align IT with the core business processes.
• ITIL Service Design – service design that supports the business.
• ITIL Service Transition – transition from a development to an operational phase.
• ITIL Service Operation – services are delivered upon agreed levels.
• ITIL Continual Service Improvement – identifying and implementing improvements to provide better services.

What are the advantages of ITIL?

IT organisations should work in accordance with the standard industry practices. ITIL helps in that direction. There are other business benefits of adopting ITIL, like:

• Strong alignment of the IT services with the business goals.
• Better customer service and relationship as it provides an efficient delivery service to meet their requirements.
• Easy management of business risks and prevent service disruption or failure.
• Reduced costs as it offers best practices for efficient resource utilisation.
• Stable environment as it helps in adapting to constant business changes.

What are the benefits of an ITIL certification?

A certification is always helpful in terms of career progression. If you acquire an ITIL certification, there are a lot of benefits, which includes:

• Get recognised – An ITIL certification acts as an international benchmark of quality for people who are in IT services management. It will act as a qualification for career development and will help you in the future.
• Improve job prospects – As a certified ITIL professional, you can add value to any organisation by providing useful insights that you gained from your ITIL training course. This can help you to get improved job prospects and move to a higher position in life.
• Understand industry standards – ITIL training will help you to understand the best industry practices in IT service management. You can apply those skills in your day-to-day work and bring out the best in various processes.
• Build strong customer relationships – ITIL training can build your confidence in the appropriate competencies related to customer relationships. You will have better ability to provide improved service delivery to the customers.

How to get an ITIL certification?

There are four levels of an ITIL certification:

1. ITIL Foundation Certification – This is the starting level certification for the candidates who are new to ITIL. This requires no prerequisites and anyone with an interest or basic knowledge of ITIL can appear for the certification exam.
2. ITIL Practitioner Certification – A person having an ITIL Foundation Certification and who is able to explain how to use the framework is eligible for the ITIL Practitioner Certification. Though this certification is not important for the higher level certifications, you can earn three credits for the Expert Level Certification.
3. ITIL Intermediate Certification – It is a module-based examination, which focusses on the various aspects of the IT service management. It is recommended that one should have at least two years of IT service management experience and accredited training is required.
4. ITIL Expert Certification – It is an advanced level certification and a prerequisite for those who are looking to go for the ITIL Master Certification. To be eligible, you must at least have 17 credits from the Intermediate and Foundation Certifications.
5. ITIL Master Certification – The highest level of ITIL expertise can earn you this certification. If you are someone who has demonstrated real-life application of ITIL, you are eligible for this certification. It encompasses all the processes covered in the ITIL framework. To get the certification, you must – achieve ITIL Expert Certification, demonstrate five years of IT service management experience, demonstrate real-life application, propose a service improvement and complete an interview with ITIL assessment panel.

What are the top courses to prepare for an ITIL certification?

Shiksha Online offers a variety of online courses for ITIL certification which will help you to be successful in the ITIL certification exam. Some of the top courses which you can go for are:

• ITIL Foundation Training – This training course has been designed for those who want to pass the Foundation level certification. It provides key terminologies and basic knowledge of the ITIL framework.
• ITIL Intermediate: Operational Support & Analysis (OSA) – This course is aimed at providing the knowledge and skills required for appearing for the Intermediate level certification. It covers the service operation core area.
• ITIL Lifecycle Expert Program – It provides comprehensive skills in using ITIL to build specialised organisational capabilities. It covers both the Foundation and Intermediate level.

There are other ITIL certification courses which you can go for and improve your skills in IT service management. This will help you to get better jobs, boost your career and earn higher salaries.

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