RE: Certification

[Henri Yandell <bayard@generationjava.com>]

That depends Jack.

I would say that if twenty candidates are sitting in front of
HR/recruiters, then the ones with the certification will have a better
chance of going through.

However, I know Java hirers [the technical people rather than HR people]
who would frown on people with certification, especially a lot of it.

One person I approached asking of advice on whether it was worth sinking
time and money into getting certs said that anyone who had the time to do
all that obviously wasn't being very efficient for their employers.

However, for cfowler's mail, I'd not leap to hire someone with a constant
fire to learn new technologies as they can leave a long trail of 'new
technologies' across the projects they work on, leaving you with a wide
legacy trail.

Usually it's a balance of whether they respond to the type of things
you're discussing. Someone who walks in the door, listens to me describe
what we're doing and why and then reels off a long spiel about how much
they're excited by web services or jini is not going to be someone I feel
comfortable about.

Bottom line is:

1) Certificates get you in the door
2) Too many certificates can scare off the interviewers
3) Weak certificates get ignored. Is the Programmers Java one now too weak
to be worth taking unless you have time to get to the Developers one or
Architect?

Hen

On Mon, 4 Nov 2002, Jack J. Coleman wrote:

> SJCP != MCSE
>
> Also, if obtaining a certification does not show one's desire to learn,
> then I don't know what would. (other than the candidate telling you, "Oh
> yes, I have a great desire to learn on my own time.")
>
> Bottom line, two candidates with the same experience and skills, the one
> with the certification will get the job.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: cfowler [mailto:cfowler@outpostsentinel.com]
> Sent: Monday, November 04, 2002 8:42 AM
> To: tom
> Cc: ajug-members@ajug.org
> Subject: Re: Certification
>
>
> Maybe I've been burned too many times here.  When it comes to
> certifications, I ignore them.   when I'm hiring.  Anyone on this list
> can go through the books and pass but that does not mean they can apply
> the concepts very well.  I've found this to be true with almost all
> MCSE's that I have met.  Give them a real problem and a time constraint
> and the buckle under the pressure.   I look at experience, communication
> skills, desire to learn, and finally maybe certification when hiring.
>
> Think about the "desire to learn" part.  I would prefer to hire someone
> who has a constant fire in their person to learn new technologies in
> their spare time than someone that does just the 8-5 bit.
>
>
> On Fri, 2002-11-01 at 13:58, tom wrote:
> > Has anyone taken the Java Certification exam? Is their presently a
> > study group formed, and if not, is their any interest in starting one?
> >
> > tom
> >
> >
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