The qualification is just the beginning
Becoming an ITIL expert is just the beginning of a journey; this is when you begin to learn. The academic training can be related to achieving an academic degree in many studies. After deliberate training and maybe the opportunity to apply some of your training along the way, you eventually become an expert in your field of study. To recognize your accomplishments you are awarded a certification for all to see. But how do we really feel about this moment? Time to celebrate? Time to have our cake? But, the truth is that the journey to real expertise is not over, it is really just beginning.
Achieving an expert certification, demonstrates to the world your commitment to a field of study. Medical doctors set up medical practices and learn more as they practice and experience outcomes. The journey to applied expertise in ITSM helps achieve self-actualization.
The best of both worlds
There is a saying that you cannot have your cake and eat it too. Not true in ITSM, you can have the best of both worlds; you can have your cake and eat it too. Cake once eaten is normally no longer present, but in this case it is not true. You do have knowledge and will develop further knowledge as you apply your academic studies to the real world.
Once the ITSM cake is eaten, it becomes a part of you and who you are. This means the application of your knowledge will transcend IT boundaries and you will apply the knowledge you have gained to other things in your life. You may find yourself thinking about ITSM disciplines in all types of social situations.
Every slice is a win
As ITSM practitioners work on projects and interface with other practitioners to solve issues and practice IT service management with agility, efficiency, effectiveness and business value. Success with each project and activities within a project are slices of your cake. Every slice is a win. Every win is another slice of cake.
There are 1000’s of people with certifications in numerous fields. Certification matters, but what matters more is their ability to apply, grow and learn. A person with a certification has the ability to learn situations, participate in the discipline and apply their practiced knowledge for success.
The journey never ends
People, other practices, success and failure will influence your journey. The journey will never end.. Sure, you can achieve master certifications but the more you learn, the more you know there is to learn. Every learning opportunity that is applied is another slice of cake.
In our industry, there is always chatter about whether or not certifications have any value. Easy answer “Yes they do”, but as with everything it all depends on the individual practitioner. Share your cake, your knowledge, your mistakes and your successes so that not only can you have your cake and eat it too, but you can feed others with your cake. The real value of the expert certification happens when the knowledge is expressed socially, economically and psychologically.
