Discussion on:

You're never too old to certify

Because I'm too old.

This is a really nice article, i really enjoyed it.
Being 19 years old I only achieved the CompTIA A+ and Network+ and this article enlightened me to go the extra mile and sweat if i have to, I am going to get where I want to go...thanks to the editor...

Too soon old, too late smart.

A licensed computer operator.

I lack 'laser intense focus', a motive, and study skills. I'd probably be far more interested if the tests were free.

IT is a young man's game. Once you're over 30, you're out, with a couple of rare exceptions, myself included. I'm over 50, still programming for a living, a white crow among young brats I'm working with. All of my colleagues of my age left the field decades ago.

Certification at this age is a pure waste of time and money. Typically, at this age one has achieved everything that could be achieved promotionwise. If you lose the IT job, and you are over 40 or 50 even, there's no way in hell you could get another, certification or no certification. Programming, and IT in general is a young man's game, always was, always will be:

http://discuss.joelonsoftware.com/default.asp?joel.3.217131.40

http://www.pcauthority.com.au/News/282232,discuss-where-are-the-it-workers-over-35.aspx


Certification doesn't make sense for younger people either, by the way. Standardized, taylorized jobs pay less:

http://www.ciozone.com/index.php?option=com_myblog&show=Certified-IT-Jobs-Are-Paying-Less.html&Itemid=713

We've all worked with certified people who were totally crap. People who demonstrated those traits, at best, only to achieve certification.

Yet they were certified. As soon as it became commercial, the model shifted from excellence to affluence, and now it's only hope is this sort specious generalism, usually relied on by academia.

Your cert means nothing to any competent employer, because they are still going to have to check whether you should have it. Getting one is playing the game, the young have no option, those of us with a little experience do....