Certifications are often lambasted as “worthless pieces of paper” and “experience is more important.” But for some people, certifications are more important than experience.
A substitute for experience#
Newcomers to the IT world face the classic problem: how do you get experience without a job? Sure, you can tinker around on your own time, but how do you prove that experience? That’s where certifications come in.
Certifications show a prospective employer that you care enough and have the initiative to spend your own time and money to become a better IT professional. You might have tons of experience with IT as a hobby. But how do you prove that?
With a piece of paper.
Certifications get you hired#
They are what get your resume looked at, instead of being tossed into the shredder by HR.
They are what get you the interview.
They are the tie-breaker between you and that other equally qualified person who doesn’t have a cert.
If you have a stack of certifications under your belt, you’re going to be a step ahead of the naysayers who think certifications are a joke, a scam, or a racket.
Certifications mean higher pay#
My first IT certification was the CompTIA A+ in 2002. That helped me land one very low paying job. During that time, I also got my Microsoft MCSA.
Fast-forward a few years. I got a job at a local technology reseller where I earned my Network+, Cisco CCNA , CCDA, and finally my CCNP, all within a year. Shortly after that, I was able to get a job that almost doubled my salary.
A couple years later, I got my Citrix CCA. My salary went up by 50%. It increased a few percent each year thereafter.
Oh, and I forgot to mention: no college degree.
You’re always a beginner#
Even if you’ve been in the field for 20 years, you’re always a beginner when it comes to emerging technologies. You can work your tail off to get experience with the latest and greatest, but if you want to turn that experience into a raise or new position, you have to prove your skills.
When you put in your resume against someone fresh out of college – and they have that highly sought after certification and you don’t – well, you can guess who’s getting the callback.