why hasn't certifications gone all practical & awful job descriptions

shochan

IMO, should there not be more practical certification exams out there instead of the multiple choice tests?  Just memorizing practice questions and IT concepts doesn't truly prove you know how to do the practical work or configurations.  I feel l can have all the certifications in the world but not know how to perform the job requirements that position.

The reasons I ask this is because a lot of times job descriptions are ALWAYS not what the job entails.  I recall having an interview where they wanted a senior level guy like myself, yet this hospital wanted them to have programming, sys admin, security, web guy, softskills and experience.  Do they not know that most IT ppl are usually specialized in just a couple of these?  I mean, if you have all of those skills, then kiddos to you!  I am just saying the typical IT person won't have all of those skills.  It just blows my mind how many HR recruiters don't know what the hell they are looking for in a candidate.  Pretty frustrating.  

oh wait, I forgot to mention...perhaps the multiple choice tests are just a money grab for the software companies. LOL

Anyway off the soap box...feel free to comment, suggest, or brag all you want!
Cheers!

SteveLavoie

Well.. I think there is place for both type of certification knowlege/multiple choice  vs  practical. Both are useful and mean different thing. It is also important to understand concept and to have the right terminology and vocabulary. They are great at the entry-level to give a good basis for future knowledge.  

UnixGuy

I wondered the same, but it gets a bit more complicated. Imagine CISM or CISSP being practical, you'll need to submit written solutions/recommendations and possibly need a human to mark the test so it's harder to do

TechGromit

The last SANS exam I took had some of this. They showed you a malware sample screen shot using a software tool and you had to answer several questions about it, but the answers were multiple choice questions.

JDMurray

I think the answer is "cert vendors are getting there, but practical exam items are difficult to do well." Although still primarily knowledge-based, the CompTIA exams have added some skills-based practical items, and I'm expecting to see more on the CySA+ beta I'm taking next month. GIAC exams are also adding practical items that test skill at performing certain types of tasks, but not all exam content is suited to some sort of hands-on demonstration in an on-screen exam. And I haven't taken a Cisco exam in years, but a packet-tracer-like practical exam is certainly doable.

SteveLavoie

I did the GIAC GPEN exam, there were 72 multiple choice question and 8 practical question. It is something nice, but I think real practical certification should be in the same style as eJPT or OSCP.  Less directed than GIAC GPEN. 

E Double U

shochan said:

The reasons I ask this is because a lot of times job descriptions are ALWAYS not what the job entails.  I recall having an interview where they wanted a senior level guy like myself, yet this hospital wanted them to have programming, sys admin, security, web guy, softskills and experience.  Do they not know that most IT ppl are usually specialized in just a couple of these?  I mean, if you have all of those skills, then kiddos to you!  I am just saying the typical IT person won't have all of those skills.  It just blows my mind how many HR recruiters don't know what the hell they are looking for in a candidate.  Pretty frustrating.  

I don't see the connection between this paragraph and the title of the thread. Misalignment between job descriptions and actual job duties is not caused by the style of questions on an exam. 

Passing an exam demonstrates that one has a baseline understanding of the material convered on the exam. I do not expect more or less. Practical exams do exist (i.e. Offensive Security), but those are aimed at very specific job areas. Given that almost every job I have had required more well-rounded employees (including soft skills), I do not think there will be any exam that nails it in all areas. But anyone that can pass an exam related to the job would probably be able to learn the actual duties of the job. 

Just my $0.02 :-)

shochan

E Double U said:

shochan said:

The reasons I ask this is because a lot of times job descriptions are ALWAYS not what the job entails.  I recall having an interview where they wanted a senior level guy like myself, yet this hospital wanted them to have programming, sys admin, security, web guy, softskills and experience.  Do they not know that most IT ppl are usually specialized in just a couple of these?  I mean, if you have all of those skills, then kiddos to you!  I am just saying the typical IT person won't have all of those skills.  It just blows my mind how many HR recruiters don't know what the hell they are looking for in a candidate.  Pretty frustrating.  

I don't see the connection between this paragraph and the title of the thread. Misalignment between job descriptions and actual job duties is not caused by the style of questions on an exam. 

Passing an exam demonstrates that one has a baseline understanding of the material convered on the exam. I do not expect more or less. Practical exams do exist (i.e. Offensive Security), but those are aimed at very specific job areas. Given that almost every job I have had required more well-rounded employees (including soft skills), I do not think there will be any exam that nails it all areas. But anyone that can pass an exam related to the job would probably be able to learn the actual duties of the job. 

Just my $0.02 :-)

Ok, thanks for constructive criticism - I have edited the OP to include this misaligned post.