Finding a Career in IT Asset Management (ITAM)

For those who want to have a direct impact on an company's bottom line, IT Asset Mangement (ITAM) can be a great fit.

IT Asset Management is a proactive approach to managing an organization's valuable IT assets, ensuring that every piece of hardware and software is accounted for, optimized, and put to its best use. Whereas much of the technology world is in a rush to buy the next shiny thing, ITAM is there to ensure the firm doesn't end up with shelfware or exorbitant fees from a software audit.

Below are some resources for a professional looking to get into the industry, and those looking for the right people to hire.

Building the Fundamentals

Traditional Education

Stating the obvious - having a Bachelor's in a technology degree goes a long way in an ITAM career. Some examples:

• Computer Science is beneficial for those looking to implement more of the technical areas of ITAM: inventory, automation, and interaction with engineering organizations.
• Business degrees are well rounded for implementation of an ITAM program, being able to communicate value, and coordinate resources amongst other teams to get the asset management processes in place.
• Management Information Systems degrees are well suited for hybrid roles in which they interface with both the infrastructure teams and the business specialists.
• Finance degrees are beneficial with understanding and implementing an IT Chargeback strategy. This helps bridge the worlds of financial planning and IT resource allocation; often technology is bought without any real concept of the ongoing support and technical debt costs.

Adjacent Work Experience

Nothing beats real-life experience because ITAM isn't just about understanding processes—it's about effectively implementing and optimizing them. Adjacent areas to ITAM offer invaluable insights when one has practical exposure to them.

• Procurement: Working in technology procurement can provide an understanding of the procurement processes, vendor negotiations, and the intricacies of contract management, all of which are integral to ITAM.
• Infrastructure: A background in managing IT infrastructure reveals the physical and software assets in play, aiding in better tracking and optimization.
• Finance: Experience in finance elucidates the financial aspects of ITAM, such as budgeting, strategizing for cost savings, and ensuring a return on investment from IT assets.
• Operations: Operational experience, meanwhile, assists in refining workflows, comprehending end-to-end processes, and understanding the day to day "keep the lights on" that impacts the business.

Specific Training

Certifications:

Obtaining a globally-recognized certification can really level up a career in ITAM. While not mandatory, it establishes credibility and educate on the fundamentals of a very complex and ever-changing industry.

The most popular is the International Association of IT Asset Managers (IAITAM):

1. Certified IT Asset Manager (CITAM): This certification addresses comprehensive ITAM practices.
2. Certified Software Asset Manager (CSAM): Specifically focusing on software asset management, CSAM delves deep into topics like licensing and compliance.
3. Certified Hardware Asset Management Professional (CHAMP): CHAMP targets the realm of physical IT assets, including acquisition and disposal.
4. Certified Mobile Asset Management (CMAM): Given the proliferation of mobile devices in the business environment, CMAM addresses the unique management challenges they pose.
5. Certified IT Asset Disposal (CITAD): As IT assets reach the end of their lifecycle, proper disposal becomes paramount. CITAD provides guidelines and best practices for the safe and compliant disposal of IT assets, ensuring both environmental responsibility and data security.
6. Certified Asset Management Security Expert (CAMSE): In an age where cybersecurity is paramount, CAMSE offers expertise in securing IT assets. It covers best practices to protect assets from security threats, breaches, and unauthorized access.

Certifications

The IAITAM Certification Courses—CAMP, CSAM, CHAMP, CMAM, CITAD, CAMSE and CITAM—were designed to establish a viable professional development path for the IT Asset Manager and related occupations. IAITAM courses have been accepted around the globe as the industry benchmark for excellence in IT Asset…

IAITAMKierstynn Lund

Some other options include:

• Axelos provides an ITIL 4 Specialist program that is focused on ITAM.
• Pink Elephant's course on IT Asset Management Essentials.
• ITAMOrg's IT Asset Management Foundation Certification.
• Udemy also has options for ITAM training and tool specific courses.
• CompTIA has options for more targeted technical training.

Understanding the Asset Lifecycle

Asset Lifecycle

Explore the IT Asset Lifecycle phases: Planning, Acquisition, Operations, Disposal. Learn best practices for optimized IT Asset Management.

ITAM SpotJohn Silverwood

Ultimately, all of these functions support the technology "Asset Lifecycle". Understanding the Asset Lifecycle is critical to being effective in managing technology assets. At every link in the chain, there's areas to optimize.

Each of these specialties and certifications can help bolster an individual's understanding of how technology is purchased, optimized, and disposed. With these tools, there's a myriad of different ways to be effective in any size of organization.

Check out ITAM Spot Jobs

If you'd like to find a career in ITAM, or look for candidates, check out our jobs site below!