Thoughts on the Value of Certifications for Contractors...

[NickNick]

I on the other hand have no qualifications above a cycling proficiency, and I've never once been asked to provide that. (Though I do have it framed at home)

[Ilu]

I find that knowing foreign languages opens a whole new side to contracting than certification, especially if you know Eastern European languages. I'm lucky and know 6 of them fluently and ready for the nod to head over to Poland or Ukraine.

Really? How is the Czech market? I am fluent in the language.

[BrowneIssue]

I on the other hand have no qualifications above a cycling proficiency, and I've never once been asked to provide that. (Though I do have it framed at home)

Quite right too. In this day and age that's a rare qualification indeed and one that few young folk could even aspire to.

[the_duderama]

Quite important form the infrastructure/network side of things - although I also have never been asked to provide proof, other than a technical interveiw or tests. They normally use it to filter people out, also getting the certs without the expereince is much harder.

[kookachoo]

And that should be the ultimate question - will I see a return on my investment?

I took my ISO/IEC 20000 Consultant and Auditor exams and have got precisely 0 contracts off the back of them.

Just hoping this will pick up as the ITIL stuff did 5 years ago...

I've done ISO/IEC 20000 also, it was a bloody good course, and although I haven't got any gigs of the back of it, it made me much more comfortable in the knowledge that I was already implementing ITIL to a darn good standard anyway

I view courses as an achievement in practical experience rather than a textbook way of learning.

[Billy Pilgrim]

I never have really bothered (Java Developer only) but wish that I had taken the time out to do more when I was using various technologies on a day to day basis......

Could have passed (and had paid for) a load of Oracle, Java, .Net certificates without that much extra effort....would now look good on the CV of a person who is required for all-round IT ability (I'm never going to get the nod for an Oracle gig over an experienced Oracle person these days - but good all round experience may tip the balance in close calls when applying for some roles)