I’m not here to talk about the value of technology certifications for companies, but rather to talk about the value these bring to you -- individually.
I have often heard people say: “Why do I need to get this certification? I have enough experience.” Yes… that is true, a certification on a piece of paper does not replace a real experience on a product in the field; but can we state that it brings no value at all?
In my point of view, at a higher level, there are some strong reasons to justify the value of obtaining certifications:
- It is a way to validate your skills. If you are an expert, there is no difficulty or problem to get a certification. It is just a validation of your knowledge.
- It is a way to prove to your employer that your skills are up to date and that you are valuable for the team and are able to learn.
- Getting a certification aligned to your market/industry, keeps you “marketable.” Even if you do not think of moving to a new company, you will always have an advantage over your team members.
- If you are working in service delivery, you may have more interesting missions than people with no certification. I have even seen some clients asking for resources with specific certifications. So, it can be a factor for the choice of the missions.
- For me, it is also a personal satisfaction and, even if you know the technology, you can anyway learn some stuff that you didn’t know earlier.
For sure, some people are obtaining certifications by cheating, using some dumps of the exams; but that may be a dangerous game. When you will need to work and prove your value, you’ll be caught red-handed. Under such circumstances, you risk losing your credibility or worse, your job!
In my opinion, certifications are not only valuable but are absolutely necessary in IT. You would definitely need to invest quality time and effort to prepare for the exam, but once you get the certification, you will reap immense benefits. Whether you agree or disagree, do not hesitate to comment and share your opinions. Meanwhile, I’ll go and learn something more …
Gregory Bouchu is senior infrastructure consultant for Sogeti Switzerland since 2013. Sogeti is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Capgemini S.A.
