What Certification Should You Pursue After ITIL Foundation?

Which Certification Should You Take After ITIL Foundation?

ITIL foundation certification is followed by different certifications depending on your career objectives. The following table shows the key certifications and the career paths they support.

Career goal	Certification path to consider	Why it fits
IT service operations	ITIL Practice Manager	Builds practical service management capability
Broader ITSM career	ITIL Managing Professional	Develops product, service, experience, and transformation capabilities
Strategy and leadership	ITIL Strategic Leader	Focuses on strategy and transformation
Project management	PMP / PRINCE2	Adds project planning and delivery skills
Governance and risk	COBIT	Adds governance and management-system knowledge
Agile delivery	Scrum / Agile certification	Adds iterative delivery and collaboration skills
DevOps and automation	DevOps certification	Adds development and operations practices

Also Read: Advanced ITSM Certifications After ITIL

What Are the ITIL Certification Paths After Foundation?

The current ITIL Version 5 qualification scheme gives professionals different ways to build their expertise. The path you choose depends on whether your work is more operational, professional, or strategic.

ITIL Practice Manager

ITIL Practice Manager designation is meant for individuals who are looking for a practical hands-on approach towards Service Management. This certification is suitable for individuals employed in such positions as Service Desk, Incident Management, Problem Management, Change Management and Continual Improvement.

The practice manager program includes three bundled modules:

• Monitor, Support and Fulfil
• Plan, Implement and Control
• Collaborate, Assure and Improve

Candidates should have ITIL Foundation and ITIL Transformation qualifications in order to become a Practice Manager. This designation is more about practical implementation rather than strategy.

Also Read: What is ITIL Certification

ITIL Managing Professional

The ITIL Managing Professional course is designed for professionals in the field of digital product and service management and consists of the following four modules:

• ITIL Product
• ITIL Service
• ITIL Experience
• ITIL Transformation

Whereas the ITIL Practice Manager emphasizes operational capabilities, the ITIL Managing Professional course has a broader approach to how the products, services, and customer experience are combined. Individuals looking for ITIL certifications after ITIL Foundation usually consider ITIL Managing Professional if their position involves several components of the service life cycle.

ITIL Strategic Leader

The ITIL Strategic Leader certification is for those professionals who are moving towards strategy, transformation, and organizational leadership. The certification consists of two modules: ITIL Strategy and ITIL Transformation and puts a greater emphasis on strategic thinking than operational thinking.

In the case of professionals who are seeking certifications after the ITIL Foundation with an intention of taking up the role of a leader, the certification of ITIL Strategic Leader suggests their ability to lead change within an organization, not process management.

ITIL Master

The ITIL Master is at the top of the ITIL version 5 certification program. It is the highest level of certification attainable and needs a professional to have the Practice Manager, Managing Professional, and Strategic Leader certifications first.

With such requirements for the ITIL master certification, it cannot be considered an immediate goal following the Foundation certificate. Rather, it can be said to be the ultimate destination of many years of practice and certification after the ITIL Foundation certification as described above.

Also Read: ITIL Foundation Exam Study Guide

Which Certification Should You Choose Based on Your Career Goal?

Different career goals require different steps. Below are some of the major options compared.

For IT Service Management and Operations

Service management and operations oriented professionals should consider evaluating ITIL Practice Manager first followed by ITIL Managing Professional certification. Practice Manager certification will provide capability at the practice level, while Managing Professional will develop capability at professional level with regard to products and services.

Transition from one to another will provide professionals with the opportunity to transition from execution of work to service ownership.

Also Read: ITIL Foundation vs ITIL Practitioner

For IT leadership and Transformation

Professionals who wish to become leaders and transformers should consider evaluating ITIL Strategic Leader certification. Strategy and transformation focus will prepare professionals for organizational changes instead of practice level changes making this certification among the most advanced after ITIL Foundation.

For Project Management

Those who are interested in the project management field should go for the PMP or PRINCE2 certificate. These certifications complement ITIL rather than replace it.  While ITIL is dedicated to service management, PMP and PRINCE2 are related to project management. There is no universal better certification because it all depends on what a professional deals with – projects, services, or both.

For Governance, Risk and Compliance

Professionals, who plan to move towards governance, risk, audit, or compliance, should take COBIT. Governance-based learning through COBIT may complement the service management knowledge that professionals have acquired by learning through ITIL. This way, they will have a bigger understanding of how controls and service delivery operate.

For DevOps and Modern IT Operations

Professionals dealing with DevOps and modern IT operations should acquire the DevOps certificate. ITIL provides the service management knowledge and the knowledge about value creation, while DevOps teaches about development, operations, automation, and continuous delivery. Thus, there are two complementary paths.

For Agile Delivery

Individuals involved in software delivery services or transformation should look at getting a Scrum or Agile certification. Agile techniques may be applied alongside ITIL, and can serve the purpose of incorporating the concept of iterative delivery on top of service management.

Not sure which certification to pursue after the ITIL Foundation? Explore ITSM Certifications that can help build specialized knowledge for different service management roles. 

ITIL vs Other Certifications: Which Alternative Is Right for You?

Not everyone needs to continue collecting ITIL credentials. Some professionals may benefit more from adding a certification that supports their next role.

PMP for Project Managers

This certification program is designed for individuals responsible for managing projects end-to-end. It deals with project planning, execution and project closure, and that is why it is very complementary to ITIL for those dealing with projects and services.

PRINCE2 for Process-Oriented Projects

This certification program provides a process-oriented project management framework which is suitable for individuals working in structured environments, and it is complimentary to ITIL in those organizations running process-oriented projects.

Scrum and Agile Certifications

The certification in the Scrum/agile methodology is centered on iterative delivery and collaborative methods along with agility in adapting to changing requirements. It will be a useful addition for people working in the service management team which provides software and services through iteration and quick delivery cycles.

DevOps Certifications

DevOps certifications center on the technical as well as cultural practices for bridging the gap between development and operational teams. Such certifications will be useful when added to ITIL certifications because they add automation skills and continuous delivery skills to a good service management foundation.

ServiceNow Certifications

ServiceNow certifications are aimed at people working in the ServiceNow platform which is used for a number of functions such as IT service management, HR service delivery, and workflow automation. People working in the ServiceNow platform in their organizations will find it useful to combine platform-specific certifications with ITIL knowledge.

COBIT for IT Governance

COBIT is an excellent choice for those who are interested in governance, audit, compliance, and risk management. COBIT complements the service management approach of ITIL by providing enterprise governance capabilities.

Also Read: What Is ITIL Certification?

Conclusion

The best certification after ITIL Foundation depends on your career aspirations. If you want to build deeper IT service management expertise, ITIL Practice Manager, ITIL Managing Professional, or ITIL Strategic Leader are logical next steps.

For professionals branching into new areas, certifications such as PMP, PRINCE2, COBIT, Scrum, Agile, DevOps, or ServiceNow can provide specialized skills and open additional career opportunities.

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