Is it worth doing a certification?

[cntl1]

I have spare time on my hands and I am in the middle on revising things I've done in my past job.

For folks like me who want to get into contracting, is it worth doing a certification? Will that help me?

I probably can do something like Querying Microsoft SQL Server 2012/2014 at first sitting without much preparation. Doing a full MS SQL certification stack would be a bit more work since I need to revise on some things, but still doable reasonably quickly.

[VillageContractor]

It helps. By how much will depend on the industry/qualification etc

[DimPrawn]

It helps in some cases to get your CV infront of the client. That's really all it does, but if your CV isn't getting to clients (agents binning you), that makes all the difference.

[northernladuk]

You need to understand what you are to a client. Once you understand what you offer and why the client pays top dollar for you this type of question will become a lot more apparent.

[cntl1]

You need to understand what you are to a client. Once you understand what you offer and why the client pays top dollar for you this type of question will become a lot more apparent.

Hear, hear. I guess the perm mindset still too ingrained in me.

[ChrisFromGreece]

Depends on what your skillset is and whether you want to develop more an existing skill or learn a new one.

More often than not I would say yes it does worth doing a cert.

[quackhandle]

I have spare time on my hands and I am in the middle on revising things I've done in my past job.

For folks like me who want to get into contracting, is it worth doing a certification? Will that help me?

I probably can do something like Querying Microsoft SQL Server 2012/2014 at first sitting without much preparation. Doing a full MS SQL certification stack would be a bit more work since I need to revise on some things, but still doable reasonably quickly.

It's your contracting experience that will get you into contracting.

Good luck.

ps - Remember if you want the full MCSA for that there's another two exams to sit. Sodding M$ have put the price up n'all, was £99 when I did the MCITP.

qh

[sal]

It doesn't hurt your chances, how much it improves them varies wildly on the agent/client. In most cases it's only to get your CV on the agency search engine radar. I have never ever had to prove that i have the certificates listed in my CV.

I have seen way too many "experienced" contractors with a number of certificates from MSFT, VMWare, Cisco who can't tie their own shoes, god only knows how they got them. No idea if it was only in their CVs or if they actually had them.

Personally i don't think that the MS certification holds any water. It is way too devalued by exam dumps, nowadays you can even do them at home with enough ways to cheat on them.Then MSFT decided to make them expire... right. Have about a dozen of them, but not gonna work towards any new ones. Trying to steer my career away from MSFT anyway.

TL;DR If you have the time - do at least a couple, they are usually piss easy if you have the hands on experience and dirt cheap in the case of MSFT ones

[Bee]

If the client wants some knowledge, could be helpful, but if they want an expert I have my droughts.
Sometimes if we have a certification they required experience, if we have experience they required a certification.
It depends how the clients wants to complicate.

In contracting they required experts, but it depend on the role. If they required a PM ou a BA with some MS SQL knowledge a certification could be your salvation.

[MrMarkyMark]

Never had to bother myself.
A series of multiple choice, cram style exams is never a substitute for working knowledge and experience.

Obviously certain certs like Cisco with working lab elements are a different ball game.