Are MS Certs worth anything?

**ruth11** · 13 September 2007, 10:27

As someone who hasn't been contracting for very long, but has extensive MS experience, I'd like to know this too. I don't have 2003 certs because I never needed them as a permie, but am planning to do them just so that I have got them now that I'm a contractor.
Didn't need them to get my first contract, but it's not that kind of role anyway. But then I didn't need them to get another offer that WAS that kind of role - I had to turn that one down though because I'd already taken the first offer!
Would be good to know if it's a waste of money and time.

**daviejones** · 13 September 2007, 10:30

I think they are good to have but as someone who usually does the interview, I look for experience rather than certs. They have become less valuable now that every engineer has one...

**MikeC1408** · 13 September 2007, 11:37

Currently working in a contract and there is a permie who claims to be MS certified.

What he knows could be written on the back of a stamp

Not sure about tipping an interview in your favour. I think that previous gigs on a CV would count for more IMHO.

**DBA_bloke** · 13 September 2007, 12:09

Certs: Best to get them. Some gigs insist upon them. The Client may have some sort of rule stipulating that anyone working on xyz needs to have a recognized cert in xyz. No matter that they're, to some, a bit of a joke.

**gables** · 13 September 2007, 12:12

Originally posted by daviejones View Post

I think they are good to have but as someone who usually does the interview, I look for experience rather than certs. They have become less valuable now that every engineer has one...

I completely agree with this, however, don't agencies use the certs as a filter? In this case clients might not get the experienced contractor who is right for the role.

**gables** · 13 September 2007, 12:14

[QUOTE=MikeC1408;301175]Currently working in a contract and there is a permie who claims to be MS certified.

What he knows could be written on the back of a stamp

...QUOTE]

I remember interviewing people like this, funnily it was one reason why I didn't bother with the certs then as felt I could demonstrate my skills at the interview. Trouble is these days it's getting past the agency filter to the interview where the certs seem to matter, ho hum.

**NotAllThere** · 13 September 2007, 12:41

When an agency says "are you certified" just say yes. Tell the client the agency got it wrong. If your conscience bothers you, then put your own filter before the question, which rephrases it as "would you pass the certification exams?".

**dr_beat** · 13 September 2007, 14:29

Often had people tell me that they are worth diddly squat! This is usually down to the braindumping syndrome! But what people seem to forget is that exactly the same issues affect Degrees, HNDs, GCSEs etc...People can cheat on all sorts of exams/assesments. I note that the ITIL exam is suffering from braindumps too! They are also plumbers and electricians out there who fake their qualifications and even school teachers that fake QTS status etc. It's the way of the world but for some reason cheating only seems to devalue IT certs - all the rest - other qualifications and professions - are unaffected i.e. GCSEs, Degrees, plumbers, electricians blah blah.

For me Certs are an excellent way to a) get to know a product and b) be able to provide proof that you know the product! I agree that it can't give you real world experience but it's better then nothing!

9 times out of 10 it is usually the uncertified that regard certs as being worthless. I know a few certified people who are doing rather well - one thing they all say is that their MCSE/CCNA or CNE gets them the interview.

**ruth11** · 13 September 2007, 14:41

My CV gets past the filters because I am MCSE qualified. It might only be in NT 4.0 but it still gets me past the filters and it's still a valid qualification!

It also proves that I've been doing the job for a long time and that I have the ability to pass the exams if I took them. Maybe that's why people don't particularly seem bothered that I haven't taken the new ones.

Are MS Certs worth anything?