Do you prefer work or certs?

DatabaseHead

I'm a work guy personally. I love delivering on projects that help drive the business forward and that enable my business peers to do their job more efficiently.

In short, delivering is my passion. The reason I bring this up, a few years back it was certifications. I love cracking open a book or watching some CBT's, but now I like to learn only when it is in alignment with a project/task.

Is this the common life cycle in your opinion? Or maybe when you find a job you like it takes over your yearning for education? (not completely).

Danielm7

I think everyone is different, but at a certain point people will stop caring how many certs you have. Using an extreme example, I see someone with only helpdesk experience and 20 random certs and someone else with higher level experience and 2 certs, I'm probably going with the one that has the experience I need.

Also, as you get higher in your career, many times you are more specialized, so there is less reason to stockpile certs as you normally aren't trying to pick up a wide array at that point.

One point though, I don't think "yearning for education" and certs are mutually exclusive at all. Most of us learn a lot at our jobs and on our own and it has nothing to do with certification study. I know quite a few very high level employees who are lifelong, constant learners who don't have a single certification (that isn't expired at least) and are brilliant at their jobs and can get new jobs at a drop of a hat. /nitpick_off hah

EANx

A big bunch of certs is really only helpful at the beginning of a career or after the market has imploded and you have to take a step down in order to get back to work. Otherwise, I prefer someone with experience and 1-2 certs that are appropriate to the level that I need. I also think you'll find that the more control the hiring manager has over the entire process, the less the certs matter. So when I hire directly, I'm far more about the experience but when I'm stipulating requirements for a critical position to our contracting firm, a high-end cert makes its way into the mix as well.

You don't need certs like you do experience but it's hard to wrong with one either.

ypark

There are many things at work that I am exposed to that interest me but time outside of work is spent on studying for certs I want. I just hope one day, those two things align and I think studying for certs that are relevant to where I want to be will get me there.

networker050184

I don't think the two are mutually exclusive. I enjoy both.

Dakinggamer87

The beginning of my career I would say certs. However, nowadays I would say work is my preference as I have interests outside of the IT world and certification study. I still plan to do certs here and there when I am interested in a topic or course of study. I'm already content though as I gain plenty of exposure and experience on the job.

mnashe

I guess it depends on the persons situation. When I was a server admin, I didn't need to gain other certifications, or go home and study. I had more than enough knowledge to do my job better than most at the company. I still kept learning tough, because I wanted to grow more professionally. I wanted to learn other things.

I typically don't study strictly for the certification itself. I use the exams as a blueprint to learn things, and figure once I do that, might as well take the exam.

iBrokeIT

networker050184 wrote: »

I don't think the two are mutually exclusive. I enjoy both.

Bingo

I pursue knowledge. Work is the practical application of it and certs are the marketing of it.

Mike7

Studying for that cert increase my knowledge and allow me to do my job better. Unless you are searching for new job opportunities, you do not have to inform the whole world about that newly acquired cert.

PJ_Sneakers

I go after certs that align with what I'm working on. I find it a good way to learn more about the subject and I feel personal accomplishment when I get one. Other than that, some are necessary for my job.

TheFORCE

PJ_Sneakers wrote: »

I go after certs that align with what I'm working on. I find it a good way to learn more about the subject and I feel personal accomplishment when I get one. Other than that, some are necessary for my job.

Same here, what aligns with work, you get the most out of the certificate and makes it more enjoyable.

OctalDump

Apparently, for me, it is study and learning. The work I've enjoyed most is where I've been able to grow and extend my knowledge. Once I get to the point of real competence, where the problems are easy, I lose passion for the job. It's a bit silly really, since it is usually at that level where I would do my best work, solving a problem in 10 minutes rather than 3 hours, so it's where I'd be delivering best value to my client/employer.

UnixGuy

DatabaseHead I was a lot like you, preferred to learn more, but projects was always a good opportunity to apply what I learned.

My problem today is that I have a big social life so I find it hard to get to studying..but I should!

DatabaseHead

That's awesome you have a big social life, I think that is fantastic.

As I start to age, mine has began to get smaller, especially with kids and a wife. I have only so many hours to spend on career building activities a month and instead of picking up a book I'd rather spend time working on project during the weekends, (not full out, just an hours here and there, when life permits). I enjoy that so much more and it tallies up as real world experience. Which by most standards is the best. Maybe because I learn better by actually doing the activity, rather than watching or reading about it.

I remember when I first started reading up on VBA, it wasn't sticking then I said screw it let's build this solution (tool) and it began to come to me. Tons of Google at first but eventually I learned the difference between and function and a subroutine and then I started coding collections and loops etc. The project took me down a path that was "organic" whereas the certification criteria doesn't do that.

Anyway What I really meant to say was I prefer to complete projects rather than study for certifications now. It wasn't always like that though, I used to love certing up. Still LIKE it, but no longer is a primary focus.

Oh and BTW I love certifications, IMO having 1 - 2 big time professional certs tied together with a good degree and solid experience is beautiful.