IT Certifications are Worthless
Yesterday, eWeek joined the on-going debate about whether IT certifications are valuable or not. When the job market worsens, the IT certifications are said to not be worth as much as actual experience. When the job market improves, as it has recently, IT certifications are again said to not be worth as much as actual experience. I guess this is how news publishers continue to find things to write about.
Anyway, the eWeek article concludes that IT certifications have become worthless as measured by the pay differences associated with having a technical certification. Not much of a shocker especially with most programs simply requiring people to answer a bunch of multiple choice questions to become certified. No application form, no minimum required experience, and no review board. It's actually these types of items that have enabled certain certifications such as the Project Management Professional (PMP) to retain their value.
The study which the article references concludes that, "Certifications are losing value because employers are looking for more in their workers than the ability to pass an exam; they want business-articulate IT pros." That's a common theme in today's media discussions about IT especially in publications such as CIO.
Another interesting part of the article was the commentary on the current talent shortage. Namely, "the much-reported talent war and talent shortage is about companies failing to build their own bench strength. They've lost their own farm system, and now they don't have the bench strength to get this stuff done."
And of course what IT survey would be complete without throwing in a bit about IT salaries? The article notes that salaries are often tied to titles, but goes on to say that titles for many IT professionals don't accurately reflect the work they actually do. This results in, "most IT pros making well under what they should be for their titles." Not good for morale and , "when IT professionals are underpaid, there is tension and resentment, and they're ripe for picking by executive recruiters." The solution to this issue is going to be a challenge for most companies that can't get past the standard practice of paying people by their title.
"Everyone with this title in this company are not equal. You have to find some justification to pay them more, to bring them up to market pay so a recruiter can't come in and lure them elsewhere." Right on! Anything that supports a pay raise gets a thumbs up from me.
Yeah, my CCIE is completely worthless... what a waste of time
We interview candidates for new openings all the time. A certification won't get you through an interview, but you won't get an interview without the certifications. Typically the spot on the resume that we completely ignore is the section with their college degree.
Funny how these multiple “worthless” certs have opened the door for me to be picked up as a Systems Architect with a company that is in the top ten in the nation for designing and delivering systems with a salary that is quite impressive for only being in IT for 8 years full time. Certainly, my interview skills, experience and breadth of knowledge (I was teaching technology classes) helped, but the certs made the search engine find me and provided the chance to GET an interview. I know all the reasons that many think these certs are worthless and no doubt any idiot that can memorize can pass these tests. But you still have to do a technical interview and prove you know something before you get hired if HR has any idea what they are doing. And why you think a BSIT has any more validity just because you spent thousands of dollars and years of your life drinking and skipping class to get that degree can only be attributed to class warfare and elitism. I would match my technology skills against any college graduate. I know many of them and I am constantly fixing their messes. None of these methods of education really tells what you know. They merely get you a ticket in the door to talk to someone who might like and hire you, in which case, spending less time and money on certs makes a whole lot more sense while getting most of the same opportunities. Enjoy paying that student loan while I am off to make six figures WITHOUT a degree.
I have met a plethora of people who have certifications and the majority of them have been worthless. In my experience, certifications are more geared towards people who are interested in a career change but have no formal training or prior relative experience.
Sorry you missed out on college, and as to your comments about how worthless you think college is, universities have been around for a long time and have resulted in many substantial evolutionary discoveries. Let me say this, obtaining a degree from an accredited university is no easy task, as you obviously do not know. Those worthless degrees carry with them requirements that have been carefully constructed to help a human being become well rounded as well as competent at whatever field of study they may choose.
"Enjoy paying that student loan while I am off to make six figures WITHOUT a degree."
Dude, are you serious. Get a life, practice yoga, read a book on spiritualism, and let go of you lame accolades about what you have accomplished in life because no one cares. After reading that comment I would not hire you for pennies a day.
You should read Zen Guitar by Philip Sudo
look up "Ego".
"If I can get out of the way... and become truly who I am...the music can really use me. And therein lies fulfillment. That's when the music starts to happen." Ego while necessary but needs to have a healthy balance.
"never underestimate the potential of ego to lead one astray... the rush of a new skill, the flattery that accompanies a touch of success- these things can over inflate a persons ego... Measure a compliment. If you think you've arrived somewhere you've that much further to go..."
Certs are worthless pieces of paper.
Can you can pass a test? Good; now you have the opportunity to find a introductory job. Get on the job, soak up experience, make it happen; fail at this and you are obsolesced. No certification? Why would I take some bumb of the street and spend time teaching them? Meet me half-way, show up in a suit, sign the W-9, get on the job, I'll pair you with a pro, ask lots of questions to the point of annoying the hell out of them, be successful, then we'll talk about the W-4.
There is a sizable shortage of guys who have certs for introductory jobs; lots of those jobs go out by word of mouth to the uncertified. Does the world suffer? Not necessarily. Sometimes Uncle Bob or Nephew Stephen are pretty sharp.
Certs Plus Experience, however, shows something different.
A: You weren't spending your time picking your butt on the job.
B: You learned something quantifyable on the job.
C: You're willing to better yourself.
D: You're successful.
If you're an IT pro with 10 years of experience and 20 or 30 different certs, that's a track record of knowing your stuff. If an HR department can't pick up on that, you don't want to work for them.
As far as pay is concerned, employee's are like girlfriends. There are signs they are disgruntled; if you ignore them they'll find something else. Sometimes this is unintentional, sometimes well. Your network admin hands you a sheet of passwords, shakes your hand, cleares out his desk slowly the week beforehand and when he leaves he's gone, not coming back, everyone else is useless; it can cost a lot to lose those people then you go through guys like hotcakes and they can't do anything right. If you don't have a solid retention plan in place, and give excuses instead of raises while hiding the payroll and playing games, good people will leave and that will gut your company. As with everything, there are gold diggers to be avoided.