[TriLUG] Are Certifications worth it?

[Jim Ray]

i hired a person this week not because of his cisco, microsoft and a+ 
certifications but rather the way he carried himself and was able to 
communicate.  being an army ranger and having an electronics degree 
didn't hurt a thing.

the two folks i hired last week to help out pulling cable don't have any 
certs and don't need them.

personally, i chose not to continue on the cert game. however, i'm not 
looking for a job.

me thinks they do give you some source credibility.  you still have to 
know someone to get in the door.  knowing someone take communications 
skills, not certifications.

regards,

jim

Jim Ray, President
Neuse River Network, Inc.

tel: 919-838-1672 x111
toll free: 800-617-7652
cell: 919-606-1772
http://www.Neuse.Net

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uzoma nwosu wrote:

>I think Mark got where I was going with this.  I know that certs can't
>hurt you.  But will they really make a difference come hiring time?  I
>know the answer for me will be yes but, for issues that I won't even
>begin to entertain on this list.  How many of you are working and have
>no certifications?  How many of you would even entertain hiring
>someone with an LPI over someone with a RHCT?  Where would the CCNA
>fit in?  Would it even matter?
>
>I guess I am trying to figure out where I sit in this world.  It's
>hard trying to see which direction  one should take and how.  And
>entry-level, work your way up the ladder, positions just don't grow on
>trees anymore.   What you've all posted is very informative.  I just
>need to sit back and chew on it for a moment...
>
>Thanks,
>
>uzoma
>
>
>On 8/26/05, Mark Freeze <mfreeze at gmail.com> wrote:
>  
>
>>My take on this, and what I think the original post was asking between
>>the lines is this:  "Is it easier to get a job with a RHCE or with
>>LPI?"  The answer to me is the same as the older question of "Why do I
>>need a degree if I have been working in $industry for 10 years?"  If
>>someone is going to hire you just because you are a RCHE then they
>>must not know what they doing themselves. On the other hand, if you
>>have tons of experience but no RCHE I feel you should be interviewed
>>honestly, based on your experience. I once knew a personnel manager
>>that told me that they wouldn't even consider an applicant that didn't
>>have a MCSE.  When I asked them what an MCSE was... Surprise!  They
>>had no idea. They told me that it meant that the applicant 'knew a lot
>>about computers.'
>>
>>Now before I get flamed on this let me explain my point.  I know that
>>everyone in this group is VERY technically minded, and some of you are
>>in positions to hire people.  But I would almost guarantee you that if
>>you gathered all of Raleigh's HR people from non-technical companies
>>together only about 2% would have ever heard of a RCHE, and then 1% of
>>that 2% might know what it means.
>>
>>With that being said I think that the best answer I could give to this
>>question is this:  It depends on where you are trying to get a job,
>>and who is doing the hiring.  If you are applying to a company that is
>>using Red Hat, or has a very technical-based HR department then a RCHE
>>with some experience is a huge step up from other applicants.  If you
>>are applying at $large_co with a standard HR department you might
>>could skip the $3000 course and just tell them you have a ABCD
>>certification from the First Internet College of Linuxtry.  They
>>probably wouldn't know the difference. The question then changes to
>>"What certification will actually help me do my job?"  And we all know
>>the answer to that one.
>>
>>I know probably 98% less Linux than most of you on this list and
>>before I posted this reply I asked myself how many of the people on
>>this list who have provided me with dead-on accurate answers to my
>>questions and consistently give brilliant advice to others have an
>>RCHE or LPI certification.  I could be mistaken but I'd probably guess
>>less than 30%.
>>
>>Regards,
>>Mark.
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>>    
>>