Do you think certs should be used to prove knowledge?

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I cant say Im in the cert game.. reason being is I havent worked in IT that long most of the certs that are applicable to my knowledge are just not worth getting secondly the certs Id most like to get are things I have no experience in.. when I get the experience it would make sense to go get the cert. Is this how others look at it? Get certs when you get the experience?

 

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The cert that probably benefited me the most was SCJP, at the time I was a C++ programmer, so I took a certification in something that wasn't my main skill in order to switch track slightly.

I also took the MSCA and several Comptia certifications, which again were either minor part of my role or tangential.

Some of the more interesting stuff I've learnt in my spare time has nothing to do with my job, and generally I'm not looking to certify or take exams.

I say do what suits you, who cares what other people think.

 

Working experience will always wins over certifications. A recruiter isn't going to hire a CCNA certified person as a network engineer who has never worked as a network engineer.

In my opinion, get certs in an IT field that you find interesting or have a passion for because that will be your motivation and you will retain that knowledge through further study and reading.

I'm currently studying networking because it connects everything together to communicate. It has helped me learn more about IP addressing and protocols.

 

Depends on who is hiring

In my place having a degree is essiential, however you and I know that you dont need a degree for IT work. End of the day if the bloke whos hiring you only looks at bits of paper and has no real world knowledge of IT then anyone can get their foot in the door

 

You could look at it differently and say for example:

I want to work in Networking but am not there yet, so I can either spend 2 years going from IT support then in to Networking then while in network spending 2 years getting certs so after 4 years you have networking job and networking certs.

Or you could spend 2 years in IT support gain the networking certs at that time then get a job in networking so after 2 years you have a networking job and the certs and can spend the other 2 years focusing on your next career move.

Why wait life is too short.

 

I think certs should mean you have the necessary knowledge in the topic... but we all know thats not always the case, especially if someone braindumps the exam.

Thats why I say, if you combine experience and certs, that would work well together, especially if you're a consultant because sometimes you need certifications for certain contracts.

 

Certs> No certs

 

Do you have a degree then?

 

Yep, in Computing and Information systems.

 

Done , thanks

 

I am considering going for this very degree, via Distance Learning with a reputable university, but I am just not sure it would be worth time/investment in all honesty. Has is brought you great fortune?

 

It got me my 2 jobs. The first I think I would have got without the degree, the second I wouldn't have got the job without it as it was a requirement. Having a degree for IT is not an essential requirement in my opinion. The other 2 lad who worked with me and have now left because they couldn't the pressure, use initiative or common sense but both had degrees.

Id say stick with certs that are relevant to what you are wanting to aim for.

 

Depending on age and a few other things have you thought about just jumping straight to a Masters? Will be cheaper, higher qualification and might not be as hard as you think.