Reply to: traing Certification on a very tight (naffall) budget?

[SneakySimon]

PMP

Out of interest have any of you done the Project Management Professional (PMP) from PMI, seems much more a requirement in the US but noticed some European projects requiring it. It looks a lot more detailed than prince2 and a lot of requirements to get PDU's to keep the qualification.

I did PMP back on 2004 when I was in permidom so they paid for it all. It may have changed since then but firstly I had to write up all my PM experience and what have you - don't think it was validated in anyway but from that I got something that then allowed me to do the course. I did it for a week (I was in the USA at the time so did it there).

I prefered it as a philosphy to Prince, but felt I needed to do the Prince 2 as so many UK companies as for Prince 2. I didn't bother keeping my PMP up, think you have to redo exams every so often.

[TheSurfer]

Out of interest have any of you done the Project Management Professional (PMP) from PMI, seems much more a requirement in the US but noticed some European projects requiring it. It looks a lot more detailed than prince2 and a lot of requirements to get PDU's to keep the qualification.

[GreenLabel]

Prince 2 foundation is fairly easy to pass without a course. Exam is a multiple choice - don't know anyone who has failed it.

The practioner is more difficult - partly because you need greater knowledge and secondly because the questions are poorly worded with double negatives. Exam again is a multiple choice. I know a couple of guys who did it just reading a book but I wouldn't recommend it.

Yeah, I agree with that. I did Foundation without a course and paid for a short course for the Practitioner. As you've said - the Practitioner exam is difficult not because the subject matter is tough, but largely due to the wording of the questions and the expectation that you apply Prince2 rules over common sense.

[Wilmslow]

Hi,
I've been benched for rather a long time, looking after my dad and the local market is dreck. Even for pretty low-level support work the agencies are disregarding my experience and asking for certs.

I need something recent on my CV (to counteract the tulip contracts I have had recently) so thinking of getting the following certifications:

Cisco CCNA
ITIL / ETOM
ISEB (software VV&T)
Prince2
DOORS

What are typical course fees if I were to take courses?
Any suggestions how to attain these on a low budget? I have some switches, routers educational materials for the Cisco CCIE as I worked extensively with Cisco, Geotel & Stratacom equipment in the past
Any recommended free or cheap materials for the others?

Can I take the exams without forking out for a course?

Hi Aman,

I am thinking you probably need to get your CV overhauled to be honest.

Many contractor CV’s highlight the skills area without actually certified courses.

A carefully crafted CV can give the impression of certificates coming out of your backside in an honest way……

Do you know of any contractors in your line of work who can review your CV, or let you have a copy of theirs to work from?

Are you wanting to move into new territory – in which case, a little poetic license will be needed?

Bottom line – get your CV prepared to what the agents want to see to get you placed, and the rest is easy.

Taking an honest look at your CV and working out the approach to get it dealt with is darned tough.

[SneakySimon]

ITIL Foundation can be done with out a course, though the more advanced ITIL exams require you to take the corresponding courses if I'm not mistaken. CCNA, Prince2 Foundation, and Prince2 Practitioner can all be done without a course.

I'm not sure on DOORS or ISEB.

Prince 2 foundation is fairly easy to pass without a course. Exam is a multiple choice - don't know anyone who has failed it.

The practioner is more difficult - partly because you need greater knowledge and secondly because the questions are poorly worded with double negatives. Exam again is a multiple choice. I know a couple of guys who did it just reading a book but I wouldn't recommend it.

[TheSurfer]

Well I hope it goes well for you. My advice if you want to work only in your own city contracting will be tough (unless your city is London ) so maybe look at permydom as well. However some people seem to find most of their work close to home so I wouldn't rule it out.

[Aman]

I have experience in all the areas; 3 years as an integration engineer (VV&T), three years PE/PM, worked with Cisco stuff since 1992 in varoius roles, Stratacom since 94, 3 year Geotel on the IE gig. There's probably not much new knowldge to me in the ISEB ITIL, defo not in the CCNA but I probably could learn from the Prince2 P.

It's just the local market is dicatating these certs even for tulippy badly paid gigs and staff roles. Must haves, no negotiation. It's a small city, two unis churning out IT and EE grads every year with CCNA and other certifications being part of the degrees. I was at an honorary graduation thing speaking with a local tech college lecturer this afternoon, even the HNC and HNDs graduands are leaving with CCNA certs under their belts.

I don;t like the situation of vendors certs becoming so prevalent and at numpty level but that's how it rolls and I need to work.

I'm fine for finding gigs away, I just can't afford to move and not sure if I should with my Dad needing visual help.

[TheSurfer]

My only advice would be if you do a cert then do one in the area where you want to find a contract. Agents just do keyword searches on the skills/certs required for a contract and I haven't found them generally to care that you have amassed a few....although others can correct me based on their experience.

I've contracted about 60% of the time since 1989, with a few breaks to start side projects, travel etc., In that time I've only done 2 certifications; my original SAP Academy and this year the Prince2 Practitioner, with nothing in between for 10 years! I agree with stek I've never been asked for a certification either.....BUT.... I believe that if you don't necessarily have the right experience then a certification to get some base knowledge, combined with some 'creative' focusing of your CV on your newfound skill can get you in . Of course you have to be able to blag it initially and learn quickly but thats the old school contracting way...always stay one day ahead of the client!

My philosophy is definitely changing now though I'll probably try to look at taking a course or so a year, as to be honest the courses I've taken have actually been a laugh and met some good people....and as a side point on both courses I have taken I have got contacts that have led to work.

In terms of self study if your like GreenLabel then do the self study option for sure. I am just too lazy for that, the only way I can ever pass an exam is to sit in a class for a few days to force myself to focus on it then take the exam.

[Aman]

Thanks for the recommendations. I'm benched just now and it's that time of year when things may get quiet on the contracts front so it'll keep me busy over the quiet period.

A one and a half day course is feasible, as I'd probalbly have to travel i's only one or two nights accommodation costs..

For some reason, I never thought of looking on YouTube for industry training videos (though I often brush up on Berkeley, MIT, Stanford, Michigan, Yale opencourseware).

I've viewed a few ITIL vids, I can see YouTube is going to be a very good preparation resource.

[GreenLabel]

GreenLabel.
Do you know any good texts for the ITIL, P2F, P2P? The local bookshops here in the sticks are tulip.

I used this one to pass the ITIL Foundation. It's a dead easy exam. There are also a lot of resources on YouTube if you're struggling with any particular part of the subject matter.

I self-studied for the Prince2 Foundation using the official text and the Passing the Prince2 Exams book. That exam isn't particularly hard either. The Practitioner exam is a bit more difficult, and I used a 1.5 day course for that one. The course fee - which included the exam fee - wasn't much more than the price of sitting the exam on its own, so it was a bit of a no-brainer really.

Mind you I was on the bench at the time, so I didn't have the additional cost of lost invoicing to think about.

[Zippy]

The PRINCE2 stuff can be done without a course but spaces for the public exams fill up quick (plus you have to pay and buy the manual). You should be able to get a full foundation and practitioner course for about £600 and - if you are serious about doing it - you may find it a hell of a lot easier (and not much more expensive) if you just cough up.

[Acme Thunderer]

Thanks. Which book did you use? Could you recommend a book? The SQA ones I have that I used for my Engineering Council parts 2 are probably out of date as there's no mention of methodologies like Agile.

I used the BCS recommended book Software Testing an ISEB Foundation.

I's also worth getting the syllabus from the BCS as it changes from time to time

IIRC the exam costs £120. More details from the BCS/ISEB websire

[northernladuk]

Nick a cert from some brown noses desk at your current client, scan it change your name on it and blag it when you get a gig..Whats the worst they can do? Let you go?

Sorted

[Aman]

For ISEB just read the book and search the Web for sample questions. That's how I passed mine at foundation level

Thanks. Which book did you use? Could you recommend a book? The SQA ones I have that I used for my Engineering Council part 2 are probably out of date as there's no mention of methodologies like Agile.

I think ISEB may be one of the cheaper ones to do, ith the least preparation. I have £100-200 in my spreadsheet but I'll need to start shopping around again cos I can't recall where I picked that figure from.

GreenLabel.
Do you know any good texts for the ITIL, P2F, P2P? The local bookshops here in the sticks are tulip.

Stek.
I've never taken any vendor courses either. The vendors I've worked at said not to bother with them. I've only been asked for certificates once, the tw*t of a manager 'lost' them.

[stek]

Tho I have to say, never done any courses and never been asked for any certs, contracting since 1992 apart from the odd permie break for a rest.