[ILUG] Linux/UNIX certification

[Thomas Bridge]

On Fri, Feb 18, 2005 at 11:45:16AM +0000, Gareth Eason wrote:
 
> 	I think there is some over-optimism on channel regarding this. My 
> attitude would be that if you can get some certification, get it. It 
> almost doesn't matter what it is, provided it's from a reasonably well 
> recognised body.
 
> 	I would politely suggest that anyone who claims that certification 
> (bits of paper) doesn't matter when looking for a job clearly has not 
> gone looking for a job recently (in the past 3 years, say.) I totally 
> agree that when on the job, it's experience that counts, not the paper. 
> However, to get to the interview where you're talking to people who 
> realise this, and can evaluate your experience in some useful / relevant 
> fashion, you first have to get past HR - and possibly past an  agency.

I know I'm not alone in this - a few years ago I sent my CV in for a Linux
job which required "HTTP" experience, so I mentioned in my CV I had apache
and IIS experience.    Agent wouldn't forward the CV to her client.

My own personal view on Linuyx certifications in particular is that unless
the company has a very specific requirement for a certification (RedHat 
partner for instance), even though they are a better reflection of your
ability than say a MCP, they are actually less relevant.    People 
recruiting Linux people know certifications are not the be all and end all.
 
> pointing out that I had been using MS products extensively since DOS 
> 2.10, and having written training courses and trained people who do have 
> MSCEs (and other qualifications which I regard as actually meaningful), 
> the HR Drone was adament that having an MSCE was a requirement for the 
> job. As it turns out, I almost certainly didn't want the job - but 

I wouldn't want this job precisely because the people hiring seemed to 
place more emphasis on paper than ability.    

> 	I'm currently working through the material to do an RHCE - not 
> 	because I don't know about RedHat Linux (and/or many other flavours) - but 
> because it's about a billion times easier to just say to some HR drone, 
> "Yes - I must know Linux because I have an RHCE. Next inane question 
> please..." ;-)

Which might impress HR people but is completely useless when it's two
technical managers grilling you on the tech :)   Interestingly, that 
happened to me last year for a job I interviewed and I was offered the
job without talking to any HR person other than the agency guy.

Thomas