IT and HR

This is a UK study but interesting findings nonetheless. (H/T Sarah for forwarding the press release) 

 75 Percent of Recruiters Believe Candidates With IT Certifications are More Employable, Finds The IT Job Board

LONDON, May 15/PRNewswire/ --

- Online Recruitment Specialist Carries out Industry Survey

75 percent of recruiters believe that IT candidates with additional qualifications stand a better chance of securing a job, according to a recent survey[1] undertaken by The IT Job Board -http://www.theitjobboard.co.uk.

This finding was also supported by the candidate response, where 84 percent of IT professionals consider that holding industry certifications will improve their employment opportunities. And, a massive 87 percent of techies believe that recruiters and hiring managers would look for additional qualifications when recruiting for jobs in IT.

When it came to the certifications most valued by IT professionals in the current market, 43 percent of techies cited Microsoft (MCSE, MCSA and MCT) on the hardware side, followed by 29 percent for Cisco CCNA and CCNP. With software applications, 25 percent believed that the Prince2 Certification was most important, followed by the ITIL Certification.

Alex Farrell, managing director of The IT Job Board, commented: "It is clear to see that both recruiters and candidates value certifications, and the fact that these can have a huge impact on peoples' IT job opportunities.

She added: "During difficult times, when employment is harder to come by and the competition is fierce, holding additional IT certifications could be vital."

[1] 139 IT professionals responded to a survey entitled 'IT Certifications', April 2009