What Next? ITIL 4 or PRINCE2 or Something Else

[Danp]

Thought it was about time I built my skillset or at least get a bit of paper that proves I know what I'm talking about. My role has changed a bit over the last few years so now I'm involved more in planning of new systems, integrating new schools into our trust along side of day to day IT support. Over the past year I have completed my Google Level 1, 2 and Workspace Administrators exams.

 

What next? ITIL 4 or PRINCE2 look to be good options as there is some flexibility with how I can use them. I'm not interested in anything Microsoft specific or networking (Cisco etc)

[PotNoodleTech]

Yeh if you've got technical qualifications then project management quals are probably what most would be wanting you to have moving onward and upward.

 

Prince it up.

[Ditto]

I certified for Prince 2 quite a while ago. It was mostly to ensure the job recruitment tick box was achieved.

I guess to advise, a few questions need considering.

 

 

• is it the goal to purely learn something new
  
• is it the goal to certificate current skills
  
• is it to enable increasing your pay at your current place of work
  
• is it to enable a better chance in finding a new job, presumably with better pay?
  
• is it 'just for fun'
  

 

Could you elaborate on your current role - e.g. is it more technical management, or more people management. Have your skillsets more towards a more cloud based environment? What direction do you wish to travel next?

[Danp]

I certified for Prince 2 quite a while ago. It was mostly to ensure the job recruitment tick box was achieved.

I guess to advise, a few questions need considering.

 

 

• is it the goal to purely learn something new
  
• is it the goal to certificate current skills
  
• is it to enable increasing your pay at your current place of work
  
• is it to enable a better chance in finding a new job, presumably with better pay?
  
• is it 'just for fun'
  

 

Could you elaborate on your current role - e.g. is it more technical management, or more people management. Have your skillsets more towards a more cloud based environment? What direction do you wish to travel next?

 

is it the goal to purely learn something new - yes

is it the goal to certificate current skills - yes

is it to enable increasing your pay at your current place of work - maybe, although I don't think there's much more I can go with my current role.

is it to enable a better chance in finding a new job, presumably with better pay? - yes

is it 'just for fun' - yes

 

My current role is more cloud based support/implementation (MIS, Google etc), although not solely that. My role is shared between main office and one of the schools, where I'm senior management.

[TheHyperTechie]

Following...

 

I am in a similar position to you OP.

 

I have done CompTIA and Cisco stuff... been looking at ITIL for a while. It's just about finding the time!

Edited March 17, 2025 by HyperTech

[Jamman960]

I found ITIL foundation to be really useful and recently completed ITIL DPI(Direct, Plan, Improve), hoping to do another exam to gain ITIL Strategic Leader.

 

I used Dion Training for both courses, the content was engaging and very clear. Not sure whether to go down the Prince route at some point.

 

James

[Ditto]

is it the goal to purely learn something new - yes

is it the goal to certificate current skills - yes

is it to enable increasing your pay at your current place of work - maybe, although I don't think there's much more I can go with my current role.

is it to enable a better chance in finding a new job, presumably with better pay? - yes

is it 'just for fun' - yes

 

My current role is more cloud based support/implementation (MIS, Google etc), although not solely that. My role is shared between main office and one of the schools, where I'm senior management.

Based on your answers then...

ITIL would be useful. On Prince, if yes, make sure you do Prince 2 Agile (even if those that did earlier versions of this methodology find the statement an oxymoron!). Other Agile certifications might be of interest like Scrum etc.

Perhaps breaking out further anything DevOps ticked boxes a few years back - given what you said, either GCP or AWS?

If looking to do a more project management role, have a look at Project Management Institute (PMI) and Association for Project Management (APM) options.

 

In terms of enhancing job hunting and pay prospects, it's well worth searching in your commutable area to see what jobs attract you and see what certifications come up regularly.

And finally my out-of-the-box idea - do you ever see yourself as a certified hacker?! Cyber security roles are not something I see shrinking in the foreseeable future.

 

All in all, lots of options and fulfils a mantra of mine - "Lifelong Learning".

[MatthewL]

Prince is quite a qualification to have, think its a weeks course from what I remember of colleagues doing it.

 

ITIL doesn't seem to be used much, look at Service Desk Institute qualifications, thats what we are putting all our lot on in due course, more to it.

 

To be honest if I was looking for somone I would take experience over bits of paper any day and I know a few others that would be the same so just bear that in mind. I've got very little on paper but I've got just shy of 20 years experience and its done me ok so don't feel you need them.

[Brax]

I’m doing ITIL foundation and have found it really helpful. Especially outside of edu IT.

[PotNoodleTech]

I've got very little on paper but I've got just shy of 20 years experience and its done me ok so don't feel you need them.

 

That's good to know. Same here but worse by the sound of it - 24 years here but my CV has only 3 lines on it so qualified enough for mcdonalds I'll make a good burger flipper I recon!

[NegativeKillDeath]

That's good to know. Same here but worse by the sound of it - 24 years here but my CV has only 3 lines on it so qualified enough for mcdonalds I'll make a good burger flipper I recon!

 

If you're capable of putting 3 correct items of food into the bag you'd be overqualified for McDonalds.

[PotNoodleTech]

If you're capable of putting 3 correct items of food into the bag you'd be overqualified for McDonalds.

 

Wohoo!!

[Danp]

To be honest if I was looking for somone I would take experience over bits of paper any day and I know a few others that would be the same so just bear that in mind. I've got very little on paper but I've got just shy of 20 years experience and its done me ok so don't feel you need them.

 

Me too, as in that's what I'd be looking at when recruiting but also, because I've got 20+ years of experience, most of which has been in a management position.

[Danp]

Based on your answers then...

ITIL would be useful. On Prince, if yes, make sure you do Prince 2 Agile (even if those that did earlier versions of this methodology find the statement an oxymoron!). Other Agile certifications might be of interest like Scrum etc.

Perhaps breaking out further anything DevOps ticked boxes a few years back - given what you said, either GCP or AWS?

If looking to do a more project management role, have a look at Project Management Institute (PMI) and Association for Project Management (APM) options.

 

In terms of enhancing job hunting and pay prospects, it's well worth searching in your commutable area to see what jobs attract you and see what certifications come up regularly.

And finally my out-of-the-box idea - do you ever see yourself as a certified hacker?! Cyber security roles are not something I see shrinking in the foreseeable future.

 

All in all, lots of options and fulfils a mantra of mine - "Lifelong Learning".

 

Good points, thanks. I'd be interested in cyber stuff, but it doesn't grab me enough to do it as a full time job. I've seen too many younger people doing it very well! I have been half looking at other roles locally and that's why I've been looking at ITIL and Prince as they are quite often listed as required for the sort of roles I'd like. I recently spoke with an organisation and I was the only one who applied for a role without a recent qualification along those lines.

[Ditto]

Good points, thanks. I'd be interested in cyber stuff, but it doesn't grab me enough to do it as a full time job. I've seen too many younger people doing it very well! I have been half looking at other roles locally and that's why I've been looking at ITIL and Prince as they are quite often listed as required for the sort of roles I'd like. I recently spoke with an organisation and I was the only one who applied for a role without a recent qualification along those lines.

Yeah, similar, years of management experience and preceded by years of hands-on experience including technical project management (yeah, that old!).

 

I Prince 2 certificated just to avoid failing foul of the auto-recruitment filters at step 1. I can honestly say I never used a hard core Prince 2 in jobs I worked in. I did use Rational Unified Process (RUP) and kept up to speed with Scrum but never certificated. But with that combined experience set, I got very good in interviews with answering theoretical project management/delivery questions by talking about the variety of project management techniques and suggesting the advanced skill was picking the one that suited the nature of the project. It usually went done very well rather than trotting out about dry Prince 2 formalities.

 

It is interesting, perhaps one of the hardest parts of the jobs I've hard is line management. None of us has talked about a de-facto certification for that. With line management, I think answering interview questions based on personal experience is hard to beat.

 

Well, whichever path you choose, I hope it goes well and for sure you will learn some new things.