ITIL is one of the most sought-after certifications among IT professionals—nearly one in five is ITIL-certified.1
As IT resources are stretched and day-to-day work environments get increasingly turbulent, ITIL provides stability. Its proven, scalable and global best practices allow for the growth and transformation of business even during the most hectic of times. ITIL is designed to be the calm in your storm.
The benefits of ITIL skills are too obvious to ignore. First of all, ITIL-certified professionals are paid well. In the United States, the average salary for an IT professional who holds an ITIL Foundation credential is over $120,000.2
One reason for the high salaries is the impact ITIL professionals have on the workplace. Following training and certification, their skills translate immediately to success, no matter the job role.
ITIL students apply what they learn in the classroom
In a survey of Global Knowledge ITIL students, 99% said they used their newly-gained skills within eight weeks of their course—and 70% applied what they learned within the first week.
But the ways in which they used their ITIL skills varied greatly from respondent to respondent.
“I apply what I've learned almost daily in meetings. Generally, to reign in conversations of new setups by reminding all of the need for Strategy->Design->Transition->Operation instead of skipping Strategy.” – Brad J.
“I'm currently overseeing a service transition from an old platform to new and strategizing a new integration product with another company. I am using the framework to plan methodically.” – Clara X.
“Transitioning our long-standing and outdated ServiceNow assignment groups to a new, function-based set of groups that are adaptable to any future organizational change.” – Steve W.
“For the most part we have used what was learned to add some additional formatting efficiencies to several of our project schedules. Likewise we have been able to add additional clarity to the roles and responsibilities for the projects we develop, even in those cases where the responsibilities overlap.” – Roy P.
Across the board, our ITIL students are more confident and speak with more authority about business processes. They also seem to have a clearer understanding of their job following training.
“I work in Operations. I used my knowledge to better understand and simplify my role.” – Anthony M.
As a result of an immediate application of learned skills, ITIL students have a wider impact on team and organizational success, with 98% saying that training had a positive impact on their performance. Some more interesting data from our survey:
- ITIL students said training saved them 3.4 hours per week
- 90% passed the certification exam on the first try
- 86% saw an immediate improvement in the quality of their work
- 57% said they are now faster at their job performance
- 79% are more engaged with their work
- Between 13 and 14% received a raise or promotion within 60 days of their course
ITIL is updating
The newest ITIL incarnation, ITIL 4, launched in February. This update addresses evolving best practices affiliated with modern IT, including DevOps, Agile and Lean IT development.
Just like v3, ITIL 4 certification proves the ability to align IT with business objectives. ITIL v3 is still relevant and all previously-earned certifications remain valid. For those new to ITIL, version 4 is the best way to start. For those already certified who want to transition to ITIL 4, Global Knowledge offers an ITIL 4 Foundation Bridge course.
Related training
Related resources
ITIL is Updating: ITIL 4 Foundation Now Addresses Evolving Best Practices
Webinar — ITIL 4: The Changes, What’s New and How it Impacts You