What is the point of professional qualifications?

[TykeMerc]

Ok smart boy, ur shed pics and tech stack therein, show us. Bet it's a Hayter Hayterette crappy two stroke lawnmower and not a decent bit of Unix bit anywhere...

Or any model railway stuff u've hidden from the missus.... I've got loads stashed away there....

Mum said it's bed time now - night....

Interesting you follow up a criticism of your English and write it using the mentally deficient txtspk of the moron generation.

To return to the initial question, qualifications are largely for box ticking purposes so that your CV gets read and seriously considered.

Let's face it a lot of the qualifications that used to be meaningful indications that you knew your job (e.g. MCSE in the NT 3.51 days) have been devalued by hothouse courses designed to get a pass and not teach the core or specialist skills.

[sasguru]

Four interviews in a row, perm and contract I need to complete client based tests, ranging from 20 minutes to half a flipping day.

Does this mean taking time and effort to pass ISTQB, ISEB, IKM and OGC certified exams are a waste of space??

There is absolutely nothing, nada, stuff all contracting in my area just now apart from a major firm who advised the agent I was too good and would make the test manager on the project feel uncomfortable. Understandable for a permie job, but contracting you surely want the best that there is?!?

Seriously tempted to take a nice local job for mid 30's for a few years which I can quite literally cycle to instead of chasing down contracts that are not in existance.

Is the gamble of seeing how things are on the contract market in the new year one that is worth taking these days, like it was in the old days?

Local contracts seem to be around the pro-rata 45K mark which is making me feel that it is not worth the faff.

It is clear that firms are now wanting their testers to be hybrid developers - eg, I am being asked not just for experience of having testing on c#, but need to have actual development coding skills.

It is scary out there......

Depends on the pro equals. If its maths or stats its constant 1000+ squid a day. If its some Bulltulip pm stuff, you're stuffed.

[AtW]

Four interviews in a row, perm and contract I need to complete client based tests, ranging from 20 minutes to half a flipping day.

Does this mean taking time and effort to pass ISTQB, ISEB, IKM and OGC certified exams are a waste of space??

There is absolutely nothing, nada, stuff all contracting in my area just now apart from a major firm who advised the agent I was too good and would make the test manager on the project feel uncomfortable. Understandable for a permie job, but contracting you surely want the best that there is?!?

Seriously tempted to take a nice local job for mid 30's for a few years which I can quite literally cycle to instead of chasing down contracts that are not in existance.

Is the gamble of seeing how things are on the contract market in the new year one that is worth taking these days, like it was in the old days?

Local contracts seem to be around the pro-rata 45K mark which is making me feel that it is not worth the faff.

It is clear that firms are now wanting their testers to be hybrid developers - eg, I am being asked not just for experience of having testing on c#, but need to have actual development coding skills.

It is scary out there......

Depends on the pro equals. If its maths or stats its constant 1000+ squid a day. If its some Bulltulip pm stuff, you're stuffed.

[Mich the Tester]

Four interviews in a row, perm and contract I need to complete client based tests, ranging from 20 minutes to half a flipping day.

Does this mean taking time and effort to pass ISTQB, ISEB, IKM and OGC certified exams are a waste of space??

There is absolutely nothing, nada, stuff all contracting in my area just now apart from a major firm who advised the agent I was too good and would make the test manager on the project feel uncomfortable. Understandable for a permie job, but contracting you surely want the best that there is?!?

Seriously tempted to take a nice local job for mid 30's for a few years which I can quite literally cycle to instead of chasing down contracts that are not in existance.

Is the gamble of seeing how things are on the contract market in the new year one that is worth taking these days, like it was in the old days?

Local contracts seem to be around the pro-rata 45K mark which is making me feel that it is not worth the faff.

It is clear that firms are now wanting their testers to be hybrid developers - eg, I am being asked not just for experience of having testing on c#, but need to have actual development coding skills.

It is scary out there......

For a while ISEB Practitioner/ISTQB Advanced was good for getting your CV to the top of the pile at big corporates, but now so many people have it the effect is weakened. Plus; When ISEB was rebuilt into ISTQB the practitioner exam went from open questions to multiple guess and that devalued it in many people's eyes. Also, ISTQB is not popular in the Agile community as it's seen as a leftover from Waterfail days.

If you really want a good testing qualification that could get your CV in the right pile, do the Certified Agile Tester. If, on the other hand, you want to be a really good tester then try Cem Kaner's BBST. » BBST&#174 Courses Tough, but worth it.

[SupremeSpod]

OP, maybe the interviewers just don't like you.

Just saying, like...

[The Spartan]

I have the ISEB/ISTQB Foundation Certificate in Software Testing and I think it's tulipe, the course was garbage and I didn't learn anything. Why people insist on useless qualifications is beyond me, I've been testing for almost 7 years now and feel the experience I have gained far outweighs any worth a certification could give me.

[Mich the Tester]

I have the ISEB/ISTQB Foundation Certificate in Software Testing and I think it's tulipe, the course was garbage and I didn't learn anything. Why people insist on useless qualifications is beyond me, I've been testing for almost 7 years now and feel the experience I have gained far outweighs any worth a certification could give me.

Agreed; ISEB/ISTQB foundation is a disgrace to the testing craft. Practitioner used to be worthwhile but is now heavily devalued.

But I can tell you why they insist on this crap; HR and Purchasing numpties, and PMs who've just been promoted and know nothing about testing are scared tulipless of hiring a dud, so if they ask for the certifications they can cover their back by saying 'oh well he had all the best credentials'.

It's a game. Play it well and you'll win. Sometimes.

[Old Hack]

My degree < fck all

Online applications > 5 pages = binned

If a CV + references doesn't cut it and a 20 minute tech interview I don't want to work for them.

Carry on

WCHS

I have a very solid CV, references and work history. If that, plus the interview isn't enough, I am not about to take some peurile test thank you very much. I have walked out on interviews which have stated in the middle, and 'we expect you to complete a 30 minute test once the interview concludes'.

Some want the moon on a stick.

[speling bee]

I reluctantly did my PRINCE2 Practitioner last year. It helps get past the agent filter but is of no use beyond that: then it is down to your experience, skills and personality.

[Mich the Tester]

WCHS

I have a very solid CV, references and work history. If that, plus the interview isn't enough, I am not about to take some peurile test thank you very much. I have walked out on interviews which have stated in the middle, and 'we expect you to complete a 30 minute test once the interview concludes'.

Some want the moon on a stick.

Here's another issue; HR numpties trying to pretend that their job is a 'profession' and grabbing newfangled tricks to try and make themselves look like serious, objective professionals in the hope of impressing senior management (who are sometimes just as clueless).