For those of you who are tech savvy and have technical bent of mind, you need to think for technical certifications. Do not go for Project Management related certifications to follow the crowd. If you plan to go for a Techno-Managerial role, yes you can think across.

Developer Related certification: There are many developer specific certifications. People still go for Java certifications, Red Hat certification, Salesforce.com or Databases like Oracle.

Infrastructure Related certification : If you are a person who is into infrastructure related job or studies there are a lot of opportunities for you. Do not think of changing to some other field if this is your passion. Do what your passion demands. Whatever advancement is done in the fields of computers, infrastructure specialists are always required. It is just that the kind of specialization changes. A lot of it is going into cloud these days but where is the cloud ? It is data centers in different locations managed remotely and professionally. So its just a shift, a change, which we need to understand and adapt.

1. Amazon : Amazon is one of the fastest growing companies and its technology are catching up across various platforms. Amazon Web Services (AWS)certifications are in high demand in most of the companies especially where there is a need of cloud computing. The certifications are:
   • AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate and Professional
   • AWS Certified Solutions Developer
   • AWS Certified SysOps Administrator
   • AWS Certified Devops Engineer
   • Detailed Amazon AWS Roadmap
2. Microsoft
   • MCSE(Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert) : About Server Infrastructure and you need to know the configuration and administration of Windows Server. There is also an option of taking an exam on Monitoring and Operating a Private Cloud or Enterprise Devices or Business Intelligence or Data platforms. So there are quite a few options(or say flavors) within MCSE certifications
   • MCSD(Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer): This is more of a solution and application based exam. There are options like Windows applications or Web applications. You need to go through the details of different exams with it
   • MCP(Microsoft Certified Professional): This exam includes all the exams MCSE, MCSD. If you are a professional with Microsoft skills, this MCP certification will help to get you right jobs or role.
   • Detailed list of Microsoft exams
3. IBM Certifications: IBM has a long list of certifications and you can refer the list here.
4. IT Security Certifications : With technical advancement also comes some evil minds who want to benefit through through their evil intentions. The hackers are out at large and with it security becomes an important part of any IT company. To cater to specialized needs there are certifications:
   • Certified Ethical Hacker(CEH) – The International Council of E-Commerce Consultants (EC-Council) created and manages CEH certification This certification is specially designed for security officers and auditors, site administrators, and others responsible for network and data security.
     The exam is designed to test a candidate’s abilities to investigate for holes, weaknesses and vulnerabilities in a company’s network defenses using techniques and methods that hackers employ. The difference between a hacker and a CEH is that a hacker wants to cause damage, steal information, etc., while the CEH wants to fix the deficiencies found. This will include cryptography, firewalls and hacking mobile platforms. Be prepared to handle tough Mathematics problems(as it is about cryptography). The exam is 4 hours and has 125 multiple choice questions as on July 2016
   • Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) : This certification is offered by the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium(ISC)2.  CISSP is designed to provide vendor-neutral security expertise. CISSP candidates must have at least five years of full-time experience in at least two of the eight areas tested. If you don’t have the work experience, you can still earn an Associate of (ISC)2 designation while working toward the full certification. It is a 6 hrs exam with 250 questions and 70% passing marks as on July 2016

A word of caution :

Make sure you understand the role and capabilities the company is looking for while applying for job. Do not pack your resume with Microsoft certifications all over when the company is looking for Amazon or Java experience. Be honest in terms of your experience and capabilities .