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Certifications! Please Help (degree vs experience)
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in Work & Study
Hi all,
I know that is not some tech forum but it has some interesting point so here we go, i am really confused now, the thing is quite simple, from last few months i am planing to do "Java Certification" (though i dont need that as i have done graduation in computer science and a good job), and then i also try to get some comments on the web about this whole thing, and find out most of the folks out there don't think it worth wasting money on that and even any kind of certification don't work and feel that its a way for the co-operates to make money and make their salesman!
I found following few things from people comment.
1. A large no of people think its good if you are looking to get your first job but after that only no such require.
2. And a large no of people out there find it a totally useless piece of paper.
What i am really confused now is that if those certification dont matter then for what we go to those uni's and waste our 3-4 years there, pay big fees and get no practical knowledge and all those boring old times theories bla bla bla, but without that piece of paper we cannot get any job. What is then difference between uni degrees and those certifications, both stand to say one thing "THIS PERSON KNOW THIS...."
What i think it has some worth and shorter and longer terms, in shorter you get a job and in longer you have more good opportunities compare to others, esp for the jobs where exactly defining the job skill is not easy, so they play their role there (why difficult, because after experience you get those skills and they are hard to give any words).
Please Let me know about what you people think.
I know that is not some tech forum but it has some interesting point so here we go, i am really confused now, the thing is quite simple, from last few months i am planing to do "Java Certification" (though i dont need that as i have done graduation in computer science and a good job), and then i also try to get some comments on the web about this whole thing, and find out most of the folks out there don't think it worth wasting money on that and even any kind of certification don't work and feel that its a way for the co-operates to make money and make their salesman!
I found following few things from people comment.
1. A large no of people think its good if you are looking to get your first job but after that only no such require.
2. And a large no of people out there find it a totally useless piece of paper.
What i am really confused now is that if those certification dont matter then for what we go to those uni's and waste our 3-4 years there, pay big fees and get no practical knowledge and all those boring old times theories bla bla bla, but without that piece of paper we cannot get any job. What is then difference between uni degrees and those certifications, both stand to say one thing "THIS PERSON KNOW THIS...."
What i think it has some worth and shorter and longer terms, in shorter you get a job and in longer you have more good opportunities compare to others, esp for the jobs where exactly defining the job skill is not easy, so they play their role there (why difficult, because after experience you get those skills and they are hard to give any words).
Please Let me know about what you people think.
0
Comments
This thread would be better in the work section.
Depends on the role.
A degree always looks good. People can always work whilst studying.
Since he was specifically talking about an IT course, I was assuming an IT role and answering with that in mind.
My answer also did not exlcude working whilst studying. What I said was that paper experience will lose out to having real experience. You can tell when interviewing people who has real knowledge and who just has book smarts.
What really will speak volumes with potential employers however is the fact that you've gone and done it off your own back.
Personally though I think doing a certification in one field (ie Java) might be limiting you a bit. Noone knows how long the platform will be around, much better (IMHO) doing a general degree in computer science first and then specialising afterwards.
At least then you'll have something to fall back on.
A technical certification is not the same as a degree. Certs are - in most cases - more specific than a degree, and designed to be completed in a much shorter length of time, by existing professionals.
But yes, in most degrees, you do not get actual work experience from doing the degree (sandwhich courses excepted.) You get book smarts and background theoretical knowledge.
They prove varying levels of expertise in your field and also increase salaries in most cases I know of !
However, as has been said, you need real world experience to go with it !
I only have and study for Cisco certs. You don't really have much choice in I.T. but to pick a field and specialise. Unless you want to be some knob head "IT Manager" for a company.
Are you technical or not? Do you want to do technical work or combine I.T. knowledge and skills with project management or service delivery management etc?
This is what you need to decide.