Home-User Market
Certifications are most important for establishing credibility, so if you are working with home-user clients, at the very least, you are going to want to be A+ certified.

Small Business Market
If you are working with small businesses, it gets a little tricky because you have many different certification options to choose from. Many software and hardware vendors offer certifications with their products. When choosing which vendors to support and specialize in, you should also strongly consider going through their certification program.

The first place to start is to begin researching the available hardware and software solutions that are out there.  Pick one or two hardware and software vendors and stick with them.  Be sure to get certified by the manufacturer because then in your marketing you can explain to clients:

“Hey. I specialize in this software. I am CERTIFIED by the manufacturer and my competition is not. This should be important to you because in order to get certified, there is a high level of qualifications you have to meet.

There are certain standards that I have to abide by that your existing IT firm isn’t responsible for. Nobody is holding them accountable.  You don’t want to trust anybody with your server who could potentially cause problems if they are not certified with that server’s manufacturer.

If your server goes down then your profits are going to go down, your productivity is going to go down, and your competitive edge is going to vanish.”

Top 9 IT Certifications To Consider

1. CompTia A+
   This certification is hands down at the top of the list for individuals looking to break into the computer biz. CompTia A+ will certify you as a computer technician in hardware, OS, and networking. It is recommended that you get a minimum of 6 months experience. There are 2 exams involved.
2. Microsoft Certified Professional
   This is the first step to getting certified with Microsoft. After the first exam you will be MCP certified and will then be qualified to take Microsoft’s more advanced certifications like MCSD, MCSE, etc.
3. Microsoft Certified Desktop Service Technician (MCDST)
   This certification requires two exams. If you like troubleshooting, than this certification will be ideal for you. It will certify you on desktop computers.
4. CompTia Security+
   Security is vital now with the sophistication of technology and the internet. It is recommended that you have 2 years of experience before taking this exam. The Security+ certification works as a prerequisite for the MCSA and CNE.
5. Certified Internet Webmaster (CIW) Associates
   This internet technologies exam covers html, dhtml, networking, graphics, and internet history. After you take the associates exam you can advance to the Professional and Master CIW levels.
6. Sun Certified Java Programmer (SCJP)
   This is step 1 in Java certifications on the Java 2 Platform.
7. MySQL
   This certification requires just one exam. You will need a basic understanding of SQL and MySQL. If you have more advanced skills, you can take a professional level exam for a higher certification.
8. CCNA and CCDA
   These two certifications require dedicated training (especially if you are new to IT). Cisco certifications are popular and well respected. After you pass these certifications and then receive experience to back them up, you will be able to advance to higher level Cisco certifications.
9. Microsoft Office Specialist
   Microsoft provides certification on their Office products, such as Word and Excel. You will be required to take several exams and have a comprehensive knowledge of the products.