Certifications and Are They Worth It?

[GamerMax5]

I was reading about various certifications you could get for things in technology. I was wondering if they really are worth the effort to get them and if they're at all beneficial to someone seeking a job in the field.

[RobDog888]

If you are trying to break into the field then they are worth it as an edge over an applicant that has none. Some employeers pay a bonus or give a raise for obtaining certs so having at least one is good and then after your hired you can get the benefit from the employeer directly.

Note, not all employeers pay for the tests or have any kind of benefit for certs so its best to ask at the interview. Also shows willingness to increase your skills.

What type of certs were you looking into?

[GamerMax5]

What type of certs were you looking into?

A little bit of everything actually. I was looking into getting come certs for Microsoft Office and for Windows and certifications for some programming languages like C/C++ and Java.

I was just wondering because I wasn't sure if I should attempt to obtain certifications for these and I wasn't about to spend money on cert tests if they weren't going to give me an edge.

[RobDog888]

No, dont get the windows or ofdfice ones unless they will be part of your plan to get a complete certificate like an MCSD. Employeers wont care about an Office cert if you are going for programming position. The secretaries are the ones that would get those usually. The Windows ones are implied if you get a programming cert. After all what good would a programmer be if he couldnt use windows and his apps he writes. Again this would be only for part of a larger cert like MCSE or MCDBA as they do require Windows and Windows Server OS certs as a core requirement.

[penagate]

Employment experience is worth more than certifications.

Granted they will give you a bit of an edge over someone else with the same experience and no certifications - but employers will value real-world experience in the techs you will be working in higher than paper qualifications.

[VBdynamic]

I've got my A+ cert and that's it. I've thought about going for my MCSE but I haven't done it yet.

[RobDog888]

Moved

[rory]

real world experience is all that "really" matters .. certs of any kind are kinda hillarious actually. BUT, for some reason they may actually get you a job .. though i would think a degree and or experience would get you more money .. anyway i dont want to work for anyone else so ..

[RobDog888]

Certs matter for your company as if they are MS certs then you can get higher levels or partnerships with MS with the more certified programmers/net admins. So for companies it is worth it to enchourage employees to get certified.

[rory]

First they have to be into the whole MS thing ..
Second they gotta be livin in North America ..

[RobDog888]

Which is a good protion of the industries businesses.

[rory]

key word .. North America /...

[geewis357]

I hope they are worth it, I am in the UK and been studying for the last 3 years, now dooing the final year. Got a couple of Cisco certs and now a MCP to finish off with, be seeing you over there in NA real soon

[RhinoBull]

I find it hard to believe that certs can be worth anything other than "satisfying your own ego"...

[geewis357]

It all depends on if you have any or not, Certs I mean.

[RhinoBull]

It all depends on if you have any or not, Certs I mean.

What?!

[geewis357]

You mean you got that for an ego trip, a very expensive ego trip. What do you do for an encore?

[penagate]

You mean you got that for an ego trip, a very expensive ego trip. What do you do for an encore?

Mate, in the nicest possible way: what the hell are you talking about?

[RobDog888]

@geewis357, an MVP is not a certification but rather an award.

You can argue both sides of the issue that a cert is just showing off vs "walking the walk".

[geewis357]

Now that makes a bit more sense, I would hate to fnd my years of hard work were for nothing. Having said that, a few months ago I collected my first Degree, I was not showing off, just god dam proud!!!

[RobDog888]

Certs give that same "warm and fuzzy" feeling when you have passed one. I would say that most cert holders feel its a thing of pride and accomplishment vs anything having to do with ego trips.


MVP - https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/mvpexecsum
MVP FAQ - https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/mvpfaqs

[RhinoBull]

Now that makes a bit more sense...

Just a bit, eh?

... I would hate to fnd my years of hard work were for nothing...

It still not the cert that will make you worthwhile - it's you.

...I collected my first Degree, I was not showing off, just god dam proud!!!

Good for you.