MS Certifications.. is it Worth it?
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Just read [this](https://www.codeproject.com/Articles/816579/Book-review-MCSD-Certification-Toolkit-Exam-Progra) I considered going for MS Certs a while back. At that time it seemed like the opinions were split on whether or not certs had any real value. So, for those who have gotten MS Certs, do you think it was worth it? What benefits did you obtain from getting it? Would you do it again? For those who chose not to, why not?
If it's not broken, fix it until it is. Everything makes sense in someone's mind. Ya can't fix stupid.
I started down the MS Cert path years ago. Had the books, did the prep, was just about to take some tests. And then it happened... Don't recall the exact details, been too many years, but MS basically negated the cert I was first going for and replaced it with something else. Took a step back and re-evaluated the MS Cert system. Realized what had just happened was an ongoing routine where they kept you always going for the next test to keep your Cert active, or to replace it with the new Cert that superseded the one you currently had. Decided it was both a time-suck and a money-pit, and haven't bothered with them again. Do read some of the info on occasion, but as mentioned elsewhere, only marginally useful. Just my 2¢
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Just read [this](https://www.codeproject.com/Articles/816579/Book-review-MCSD-Certification-Toolkit-Exam-Progra) I considered going for MS Certs a while back. At that time it seemed like the opinions were split on whether or not certs had any real value. So, for those who have gotten MS Certs, do you think it was worth it? What benefits did you obtain from getting it? Would you do it again? For those who chose not to, why not?
If it's not broken, fix it until it is. Everything makes sense in someone's mind. Ya can't fix stupid.
Offhand, I'd say "no". I've known an individual or two who got them (I have one from some time ago myself). It's kind of like the situation we have here in Florida with our school system. Everybody is studying to pass a test but they're not really learning anything. I remember one guy in particular that I worked with once that took a series of those. You'd have thought he might have some expertise in it (at the time it was NT administration). He passed a series of 5 tests, got certified as an NT administrator and was coming to me (an un-certified individual) for answers that should have been covered in the cert. Don't study to pass a test, LEARN the stuff.
If you think hiring a professional is expensive, wait until you hire an amateur! - Red Adair
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Jeremy Falcon wrote:
act is, the most succeful people in the world dropped out of college
Really hoping (and working) for that :cool:
Jeremy Falcon wrote:
you limit yourself to that of the organization
Couldn't agree more, but spoon feeding does have its benefits, like actually learning the basics before going full three course. It makes a difference. Although I have not finished it, I learned some valuable concepts from my engineering course, which I would unlikely learn on my own. But back to the subject, MS Certifications to me are mostly worthless. It never served me for anything, except taking space on my resume.
To alcohol! The cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems - Homer Simpson ---- Our heads are round so our thoughts can change direction - Francis Picabia
Fabio Franco wrote:
Couldn't agree more, but spoon feeding does have its benefits, like actually learning the basics before going full three course. It makes a difference. Although I have not finished it, I learned some valuable concepts from my engineering course, which I would unlikely learn on my own.
You're absolutely correct sir. Courses aren't a bad thing, but they are the beginning of your education, not the end. So that's a good way to put it.
Jeremy Falcon
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If that's what you need to hear. On a different note, that's the first time I've seen that emoji on here. :omg:
Jeremy Falcon
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Fabio Franco wrote:
Couldn't agree more, but spoon feeding does have its benefits, like actually learning the basics before going full three course. It makes a difference. Although I have not finished it, I learned some valuable concepts from my engineering course, which I would unlikely learn on my own.
You're absolutely correct sir. Courses aren't a bad thing, but they are the beginning of your education, not the end. So that's a good way to put it.
Jeremy Falcon
Jeremy Falcon wrote:
hey are the beginning of your education, not the end.
Agreed, although I did start learning to program before taking a course ;P
To alcohol! The cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems - Homer Simpson ---- Our heads are round so our thoughts can change direction - Francis Picabia
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Just read [this](https://www.codeproject.com/Articles/816579/Book-review-MCSD-Certification-Toolkit-Exam-Progra) I considered going for MS Certs a while back. At that time it seemed like the opinions were split on whether or not certs had any real value. So, for those who have gotten MS Certs, do you think it was worth it? What benefits did you obtain from getting it? Would you do it again? For those who chose not to, why not?
If it's not broken, fix it until it is. Everything makes sense in someone's mind. Ya can't fix stupid.
For the particular developer, it helps little, I think, because certs usually force you to memorize to the line concepts MS deems important. You won't be lerning much from those. As a business owner, I require all the people that I hire to have a MS-Cert or obtain it within 6 months (I pay them the exams). This is because MS requires me to have 5 certified engeneers (per competency) to keep my company as a Gold Partner. Being gold gives me access to Microsoft's CRM and oportunities they're working on, which means more sales leads without me having to hire more sales personnel. So, as an employeer, they are worth a lot to me. I should think many other Microsoft-centric companies are in the same position, so I think the certifications are worth it for developers that want to work for those companies: you help your company, and might improve your salary. Your mileage may vary though.
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Just read [this](https://www.codeproject.com/Articles/816579/Book-review-MCSD-Certification-Toolkit-Exam-Progra) I considered going for MS Certs a while back. At that time it seemed like the opinions were split on whether or not certs had any real value. So, for those who have gotten MS Certs, do you think it was worth it? What benefits did you obtain from getting it? Would you do it again? For those who chose not to, why not?
If it's not broken, fix it until it is. Everything makes sense in someone's mind. Ya can't fix stupid.
It may help to get a job with additions in your resume, but might not very useful in the real daily development.
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Just read [this](https://www.codeproject.com/Articles/816579/Book-review-MCSD-Certification-Toolkit-Exam-Progra) I considered going for MS Certs a while back. At that time it seemed like the opinions were split on whether or not certs had any real value. So, for those who have gotten MS Certs, do you think it was worth it? What benefits did you obtain from getting it? Would you do it again? For those who chose not to, why not?
If it's not broken, fix it until it is. Everything makes sense in someone's mind. Ya can't fix stupid.
Yes.
Idaho Edokpayi
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Yes.
Idaho Edokpayi
What?
If it's not broken, fix it until it is. Everything makes sense in someone's mind. Ya can't fix stupid.
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What?
If it's not broken, fix it until it is. Everything makes sense in someone's mind. Ya can't fix stupid.
The original post asked if MS Certifications were worth it. I answered. And to clarify, in my personal experience they have been.
Idaho Edokpayi
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After over two decades of being in the industry of being hired and doing the hiring I learned this... if an employer gets too excited about certs than that employer doesn't know what they're doing. Certs are useful *only* to convey some competence to people that have no other way to gauge it by virtue of them not knowing what they're doing, they have money to pay for employees and that's all. Last MS class I took was for SharePoint development a couple years ago. It was a joke. The books where nothing more than reference material I could find online and all the instructor did was read from the book. To top it off, they go over entry level concepts and pretend it's advanced stuff. It's more about money than anything else IMO. Nothing beats real world experience. Certs are like vitamin supplements, they're ok to buy, but don't stop eating food (experience). Certificates expire. They're not hard to get, etc. I used to keep up with them and I don't now. What I find works better is a lot of work experience. If you have that, then certs are less important. If you have no experience, then they help. But even outside of that... a portfolio. Show the employer what you can do. A great portfolio goes much further than a cert that's really aimed at the lowest bars of the industry.
Jeremy Falcon
Certs are like cars with built in obsolescence.
We're philosophical about power outages here. A.C. come, A.C. go.