Diploma vs Certifactions

qsub

If it came down to it, two people, One has a Diploma in whatever the employer is looking to hire, the other holds certificates in whatever the employer is looking to hire.

Who would most likely get the job assume they both carry same personality traits etc.. the employer has to choose diploma or certificate?
I'm just asking certificate or Diploma only, no work experience.

lazyart

I'd say a degree holds more clout than a cert in most cases. Consider what it takes to earn either one....

garv221

Thats a tough one. It would come down to the interview, depending solely on the interviewer. Why do you ask? Are you weighing between the two?

ajs1976

It can also depend on what type of company. If the company is a school, they will most likely put more value in a degree. If th company is a IT reseller, they may put more value in certs, specifically vendor certs.

If you are trying to decide between Certs and a Degree, do both. I used some of my certs to test out of class towards and associates degree. I then used some of my classes to help me prep for cert exams.

skully93

I've heard both sides of the fence. Some people prefer degrees, others would rather you be certified, though you MUST have experience too. Keeps people from being 'paper tigers', which I 100% agree with.

We had someone apply once that was barely 18 and had a list of Certs that made our beloved Webmaster look like an amateur. However, he had only built his own machine, had no relevant work experience.

I bet if you sat him down to actually do a lot of things, he'd flip.

Conversely, I know a fair amount of people with degrees that couldn't pass the A+ or Network+, so what would be the point unless you were a manager?

xevious

lazyart wrote:

I'd say a degree holds more clout than a cert in most cases. Consider what it takes to earn either one....

I agree, the degree holds an advantage here.

Both made it as a finalist, so the company obviously wants someone that can do the job as its first priority. Since they both can do it - what should they look at next?

My guess, it's the non-technical stuff. 4-years of writing BS reports (mostly overnight in my case) and knowing where to get these documents coil-bound with a clear front cover is the key...

kicker22

just do me a favor and do the following if you want to get job, and you are not too old for it...

1. Get a B.S Degree
2. Get Certified
3. Get work experience

and just be on the top, and stop trying to knock down one of the corner stones..

mobri09

Kicker22 said it! Especially in this economy. But it all depends on who you know as well!

drewm320

The degree is far more difficult to earn than a stack of certs and it is almost impossible to **** your way through four years of school. A degree 'should' carry more weight in most cases.

But then there are always businesses, particularly those who pimp out their people to clients, who look at a candidate and think "This guy has an MCSE, CCNP and RHCE, I can bill him out at $200/hr and make a ton of money".

TattooMatt

I was recently enrolled in a Diploma class for Network Security. Unfortunately the Institute was bought out by U of Phoenix but that's a different story.

They prepared students in their chosen area and awarded them with a diploma. Students were responsible for scheduling their own cert exams as they went along. The Institute put alot of weight on the certs even though they handed out diplomas upon graduation.

(Diplomas are different from degrees though)

sab4you

you really cannot answer that question - its entirely up to the company hiring.

I think your best bet is always to look at local jobs in your area. See what they want. This is the best method to plan your path and education.

garv221

They're both the same - Worthless without experience.
Experience outweights everything in every profession.

sab4you

actually I could say one more thing.
If its a choice between the 2 for you, then get the degree.

who knows if you get burnt out on computers and hate them in 10 years. What good will a cert do you then? A degree with help with a computer job as well as any other job. A cert will only help a computer job.

garv221

sab4you wrote:

actually I could say one more thing.
If its a choice between the 2 for you, then get the degree.

who knows if you get burnt out on computers and hate them in 10 years. What good will a cert do you then? A degree with help with a computer job as well as any other job. A cert will only help a computer job.

Nice point & I couldn't agree more. That puts this thread to rest.