[TriLUG] Red Hat System Admin class

[Matthew Lavigne]

<snip>

> The contents of the exam are in the public domain by definition. The
> methods by which the exam is administered and evaluated are not. So if I
> wanted to comment on how to set up automount or some such thing I am free to
> do so but I am silenced when it relates to commenting on the methods stated
> earlier.


Completely true, as another one of the people that have taken the RHCE track
and am looking to renew it, I don't care for the NDA but I abide by it when
discussing the exam itself but I have worked with study groups to prepare
for the test, and the funny thing is that what I preach the most is
something that has nothing to do with the content of the test but the
strategy to taking the test which is by far more important.  Teaching
someone how to setup automount based on the fact that redhat has it as a
possible on their exam is nothing, getting people to understand the scope of
what they are asking you to do in the RHCT/RHCE section of the exam in 3
hours is infinitely more difficult because as the saying goes "the devil is
in the details"




So let me posit this: In an industry based on Open Source Software, how can
> I as a hiring manager rely on a closed test that I cannot verify sans pass
> or fail?
>
> It appears that I'd be better off interviewing and possibly testing my own
> candidates.
>
>
I agree with you completely here, but someone that shows a valid RHCE/RCHT
number that checks out will move to the top of my list to be tested, why?
because I myself know that the first time is the killer and after that is
gets easier(I hope that is still the case as I prep for my 2nd update).  I
would expect a candidate with an RHCE to be able to completely and easily
complete the task that I used to set to my interview candidates; to install
the binary nvidia driver from the command line, including editing and
configuring the XFree86Config file (or Xorg.conf now).  In the 4 yrs that I
used that as a measure of linux skill/capability I only had 1 person ever
manage it correctly (and this included a complete setup system, the driver,
and the readme).  That is out of more then about 20 candidates.  That guy
didn't get hired because of his attitude about the position but his skill
set was up to snuff.

IF you are interviewing the certification is only an indication, now with
the RHCE, if you have yours or have had someone explain to you what it takes
to get it, then you are likely to not worry about the basics, because if
and  RHCE got their certification without knowing the basics thent they
should have been playing the lottery.



BTW, the last group that I worked with when studying had only 2 people get
their RHCE out of 12 in the study group, and the comment that they all made
was that they should have paid closer attention when I was talking about the
strategy of taking the test.

Matthew