Find the best certifications for your career. Links to information about a variety of technical certifications. Find out which certifications are in demand by employers. Includes links to information about the highest paying certifications in 2010.

IT certifications boast numerous benefits. They bolster resumes, encourage higher salaries, and assist in job retention. But which IT certifications are best?

Technology professionals generate much debate over just that question. Many claim vendor-specific programs best measure a candidate's skills, while others propose vendor-independent exams are the only worthy way of measuring real- world expertise. Still other observers believe the highest-level accreditations - Microsoft's MCSE or new Architect Series certification, Cisco's CCIE, etc. - are the only credentials that truly hold value.

We don't fully subscribe to any of those mindsets. The best IT certification for you, after all, is likely to be different from that for another technology professional with different education, skills, and goals working at a different company in a different industry. For that reason, when pursuing any professional accreditation, you should give much thought and care to your education, experience, skills, goals, and desired career path.

Once a career road map is in place, selecting a potential certification path becomes much easier.