The ITIL certification has proven to be one of the most popular certifications in the present era as many companies require IT employees who are well-versed with all the present trends of IT infrastructure arrangement and management. Previously known as the IT infrastructure library, the ITIL certification acts as the governing agent for IT. AXELOS is a joint venture that trademarks the ITIL certification. The IT sector requires professionals who can handle data and computer operations skillfully and can follow up with the current trends in the market. This created a heavy demand on employees who are ITIL certified as the course teaches all the basic and advanced techniques required to handle and manage IT operations. Some objectives of the ITIL course include the creation of Service Design, Service Strategy, Continuous Service Management, Service Operation, and Service Transition. However, people who are new in the industry or working in other fields may wonder whether taking up the ITIL certification would be a great idea if they are interested in working in the IT sector. This lets us answer the question of “Is ITIL certification in demand in the present year?”

What is ITIL Certification?

The ITIL is a set of practices that increases the cost-effectiveness and efficiency of the IT service management within various organizations. It provides a flexible and structured framework that supports all the operations and management related to Information Technology. The main area of focus in ITIL certification is managing the IT services which is a crucial part of the business. The principle of ITIL is to create a balance and manage IT services and business strategy. AXELOS, which is a joint venture, provides the ITIL certification, which is available for five volumes. Processes that are related to the service operation, transition, service design, and strategy are mainly addressed in the ITIL certification. 

Since its initial publication, the framework has undergone many rounds of iteration which includes the release of ITIL V3 in 2007 and ITIL 4 release in 2019. AXELOS has maintained the ITIL framework since 2014, and certifies individuals in ITIL certification, updates the ITIL framework, provides accreditation to third party providers of ITIL examinations, and licenses external organizations to use ITIL intellectual property. Many areas of the ITIL lifecycle are covered under a series of qualifications of ITIL certifications, which include three levels, of course, ITIL- ITIL Foundation, ITIL intermediate, and ITIL Master. As the course advances, the knowledge required gained by the candidate also increases as the concepts are deeper in explanation. 

What are the levels of ITIL certification?

There are two types of certification as mentioned which are the ITIL V3 certification and the ITIL 4 certification.

1. ITIL V3 certification
    

This course consists of five levels of certification which are mentioned below:
 

• ITIL V3 foundation: This focuses on the fundamentals concepts of the ITIL framework which explains the basis of ITIL. You have to note that the ITIL V3 foundation course has been replaced by ITIL 4 foundation course which was released in February 2019. It teaches the basics of improving the skills which are required for IT and service management.
   
• ITIL Practitioner: This course focuses on the practical aspects of the implementation of the ITIL framework. It contains the best practices that support the objectives of the business. This course consists of four key areas- Organizational change management, measurement and metrics, communication, and continual service management. 
   
• ITIL intermediate: This course is divided into two categories: Service lifecycle modules, and service capability modules. In this course, the ITIL practitioners can take two different paths and can attain ITIL mastery based on what they are interested in. 
   
• ITIL Expert: When the candidate has completed many ITIL certifications, they can take up the ITIL expert course and demonstrate their ITIL framework knowledge. The candidates have to complete the ITIL Foundation and Intermediate modules and should also finish the managing across the lifecycle module. 
   
• ITIL Master: These courses are taken up by experts who want to demonstrate their capability in business and professional environments. These candidates should have finished the above-mentioned certifications to qualify for the ITIL Master certification. 
   

ITIL 4 certification
 

This certification consists of four levels:
 

• ITIL 4 foundation: This certification is the same as the ITIL V3 foundation certification where new topics such as Agile, DevOps, and Lean are added to the syllabus in an upgrade in 2019. 
   
• ITIL 4 managing professional: This course is a designation offered by AXELOS which was released in late 2019. ITIL practitioners and experts and achieve this designation by completing ITIL 4 Managing Professional Transition Module. 
   
• ITIL 4 Strategic Leader: This course explains how IT impacts and influences the strategies of the business.
   
• ITIL 4 master: The details of this course have not been released but more details could be awaited on the AXELOS website. 
   

Is ITIL certification in Demand?
 

Now coming to the main question of whether the ITIL certification is in demand, the short answer is Yes. Any organization that has to run efficiently needs constant Information Technology support to achieve its business plans and goals. Every company requires a stable and superior administration and policy implementation for its company to grow. With the ITIL certification, the design, development, and delivery of the project could be better understood in a timely manner. Any IT management hiring candidate looks for the ITIL certification as it shows the recruiter that the individual understands the concepts of IT management in a better way. In today’s world, many centers offer distance learning options, and hence, one need not words about traveling or physically going to the site where coaching takes place. 

In the longer answer, we try to understand the features of the ITIL certification which makes it popular and in demand. 
 

Reasons why ITIL certification is in Demand
 

Now that you know ITIL certification is in demand, let us understand why the course is popular and what are the reasons that one should pursue this certification course. Here are five reasons why the ITIL certification is in demand.

High Paying Job Opportunities
 

One of the main reasons people take up certification courses is to increase their monetary value which is either their salary or incentives. If you are taking up a certain course along with your existing degree and diploma, it means that the course should offer you higher pay than your existing salary. The ITIL certification is certainly a great add-on course that would not only increase your knowledge on IT service management but also get you promoted into a higher designation. With higher positions such as project head, team lead, or manager, you are certain to get incentives and a better salary prospect. As you increase the level of ITIL certification from the foundation, practitioner, intermediate, expert, and master, your salary prospect increases and you will grow in your career. Think of the certification levels as a ladder to grow in your career and gradually get that project head position in your firm. 
 

Globally Recognized Certification
 

The ITIL certification is a worldwide recognized certification where candidates can get a job anywhere across the world with this certification. All the skills and practices you learn from the ITIL certification will be valued anywhere in the world and it would be easier for you to settle in a country with a stable and high-paying job. The ITIL certification was started by the United Kingdom government and a telecommunication agency in 1980 who later transferred the ownership to AXELOS. Since the certification started in the UK, you can understand the importance of the certificate around the world. 
 

Investment Consisting of Low-risk
 

Enhancing your knowledge is always a great investment and throughout your professional life, you should keep investing to increase your knowledge and skills. ITIL is a certification that is currently in demand which takes up your time and money but is worth it. You are supposed to give your hundred percent in preparing for the ITIL exam of ITIL and get the most knowledge out of it. This certification improves the managerial abilities of the practitioner and is also going to be in demand for a long time. 
 

Job Options are Flexible 
 

Most candidates may be saturated in their current job and want to try out something else in their career which may interest them. The ITIL certification gives them complete freedom to choose a job where a person can be their boss and do not have to work for someone else. People who have a high-grade ITIL certification and have a good understanding of how the complete IT infrastructure works can get jobs that are up to a managerial position such as a service strategy manager or a service operation manager. It is completely hassle-free for high certification holders to get a job that they desire in the IT sector, and hence they can easily pick a job that they enjoy performing.
 

Standing Out Profession
 

When you are looking for a new job, recruiters look for certifications that are distinct from other candidates. The ITIL certification helps you to stand out as a professional and gives you preference among normal IT professionals on the job. Even if a person has years of experience in the IT industry, they cannot beat the importance of ITIL certification in IT as the most important skills and trends are taught in the certification. Stand out and take the best packages for yourself by taking the ITIL certification. 
 

Conclusion
 

If you want to improve your skill set and make yourself visible in the job market, you should consider taking up the ITIL certification. It is never easy to do anything, but all your hard work and efforts would be worth it when you give your best. Spend that extra hour in taking up this course and give it your best shot, and you will succeed in achieving this certification. You may have to spend extra time and resources in attaining certification, but this course would help you stay relevant to the job market and fetch you an extra incentive along with a higher designation that you were looking for. Consider doing the ITIL 4 certification as it the latest updated version of the certification, although doing the ITIL V3 certification is also acceptable.