IT Employment

There is an increase in other certs (non Microsoft) as well. Look at the graph. It is across the board.

My achievements are in the real world.
Seeing as ms make money out of certs and are promoting the idea that certs will get you a pay rise, you'll have to forgive this old fart his cynicism.

I have the experience and then 3 months out of the year I certify just to keep up on the trends and keep myself marketable, old school :-)

After twenty years I don't get judged on certs. I'm not averse to taking them if my employer wants to pay. "Our certified team of highly qualified devlopers " sort of manouvre. Some certs would add value, but nothing like the cost of them. I start SQL 2005 admin next week, no doubt there will be a few things in it that may come in handy, but nothing I couldn't find out myself. In terms of value for money proposition it will be a dead loss though.
80% of it I already know, and what I've done proves I know it. Not to mention a good %age of it is merely advertising.

If you go down the admin route, the perception is different, the merry go round being much more critical in that side of the business, particularly if your experience is minimal or narrow.

The major thing I don't like about certs though, is they concentrate on how to implement a specific solution. My job is to accurately define problems ,come up with a range of solutions and THEN implement one of them.

I, at age 55, with an Industrial Electronics Degree, have NO MS certifications. I have been into all phases and types of computers since the late '70's. Most of them sank years ago! Been there, done that.

Until recently, there were no certs to mention. My degree, (in my personal experience), has more weight at the bargaining table than certs. My YEARS of experience in electronics and 20 years in the machine shop along with 9 years as a Tool & Die Maker, are icing-on-the-cake. I have a proven track record in building, installing and upkeeping all components of the computer industry from the simple desktop and production robotics to full networking, and the software too. As a machinist/Tool & Die Maker, I can fabricate and/or modify anything I design or purchase.

The single biggest problem I have today, is not with certs. It is with AGE DISCRIMINATION. Unless you are able to be self employed, the young buck with a certification and almost no real experience, will get the job, simply because he is cheaper and will probably live longer with less medical expence on the employers insurance program. Employers today, hate to pay for first time, quality work at real time cost, from an employee, unless it is a dire emergency.

That is why I am a contractor. It is easier for companies to justify the expence than hiring an employee that can do the work. The bean counters have made the problem within the industry. In the end, it will cost the company more for a contractor, depending on the quality of the employee that could have done the work.

Consultants LOVE bean counters! No better way to get the job done, as originally planned by management, at tripple the cost. I love them too, as they have allowed me to charge way above what I would have gotten as a 40 hour employee, for the same thing!

So what am I saying. In this "politically correct" society, Certs. benifit the company offering them and the rookie technician. Certs are supposed to represent a degree of competence. This is a very grey area as all managers know an educated idiot with a certification (or degree) is a lot more dangerous than the uneducated but highly gifted tech.

Old "Geezers" like me, laugh while on our way to the bank, because we purposely look for the gifted tech first and make him a worthwhile contributing partner. We deal with the particulars later.

Rex Berry

I'm a slightly younger old geezer, started learning at 14, now 44. I've gone back to permanent because I was getting tired of SCDC (same crap different company). One unfortunate aspect of twenty years commercial experience with a skills list as long as most peoples cv's is while you can always get a job the only way they are usually rewarding, is financially.

I have very little time for certs or degrees by themselves, most of the SCDC I did as a contractor was sweeping up the juvenile crap they splattered everywhere.

Just because a person can get a certification doesn't mean they know the software, most of the time it means they can take tests well. I have worked with people who get paid more because they have certifications, but they don't know how the software works. I don't have the certification, because I don't have time to study, or don't get the time off from work to go take the test and I get paid less, but I know the software better. I just seems really twisted!