| July 2007 |
| MCSE. SSCP. PMP. LPIC. NCDE. CISM. My, what impressive certifications you have. Are they helping you get the jobs you want? |
| by Don Willmott |
Certainly, if you've spent thousands of dollars and thousands of hours acquiring a fistful of certifications you're justified in wondering whether it's all been worth it - and whether you should collect even more. Of course, software and programming languages don't stand still, and no sooner do you acquire proficiency on Version 8 than Version 9 comes along, and it's back to class, back to the testing center, and back to your checking account one more time.
If you want to know whether certifications really matter, the people to ask are recruiters at staffing agencies, the same folks who sort through thousands of resumes to find ideal job candidates. If you ask them - and we did - you'll learn that they use all those acronyms to conduct at least a preliminary pass on the piles of resumes they receive.
"If I'm looking for, say, a project manager, the certifications help me when I'm searching through resumes," says Mike Giglio, Boston-area Recruiting Manager for IT staffing firm Sapphire Technologies. "I may just search on 'PMP.' At least that way I know I'll get a list of seasoned project managers who have passed what's known to be a very tough certification test."
Katherine Spencer Lee, executive director of IT recruiter Robert Half Technology, agrees. "Certifications show potential employers that an individual is familiar with a particular technology or practice, and provide them with extra assurance of expertise in the areas listed on a resume," she says. "They also show an enhanced level of commitment to a particular type of technology or application."
Many recruiters echo Lee's point: Your collection of certifications - and your willingness to keep them current - doesn't just show that you're smart. It shows that you care, and that's the kind of person they want to hire.
The Real World Matters
At the same time, it's unlikely you'll ever be hired on the basis of certifications alone. Employers also look for a track record of successful real-world experience. "While a certification can demonstrate knowledge in a given area, it doesn't demonstrate ability to effectively apply that knowledge in the workplace," notes Lee. "Ideally, job seekers should combine a certification with practical IT experience, whether it's an internship, volunteer work, or a paid position." As Giglio puts it, "You can go to school and get an MBA, but if you don't have any real-world experience, I wouldn't recommend you for a high-ranking business leadership spot. If someone has five years of experience plus the relevant certifications, I'm going to think he's good, but I'd still be willing to compare him to someone with ten years of experience and no certifications."
Are All Classes Equal?
With a wealth of classroom, online and book-based certification programs available, you may wonder whether you're signing up for one that has the respect of employers. "There's so much variation among all of the training providers and certifying bodies that it's hard to generalize about this," says Lee. "But I'd recommend that people ask their peers about which certifications and courses they found most valuable. Ask around about which certifications are held in the highest regard." Giglio suggests using a brand-name strategy, seeking certifications from the same firms that create the software you're studying. For example, look for Cisco classes run by Cisco and Java classes run by Sun. "I can pretty much trust that those certifications are for real and truly do mean something," he says.
Also, keep in mind you may be able to get your employer to cover your professional development costs if you're a full-time employee and respected by your supervisors. Some companies even give staffers time off for classes or study.
Salary Strangeness
Oddly, certifications don't guarantee higher salaries. In some recent cases, the exact opposite has proved true. Every three months, Foote Partners publishes a salary survey based on responses from 65,000 IT professionals. In the most recent (April 2007), the pay for 149 leading non-certified IT skills grew 4.1 percent over the previous six months and 9.1 percent year over year. Meanwhile pay for 141 certified IT skills actually fell 1.1 percent over six months and 2.1 percent year over year.
While there's no single explanation for this, David Foote, Foote Partners chief executive and chief research officer, reveals one unquestioned area of big growth: "IT security. It's the area that grew in value in the past six months, up an average of 1.7 percent across the entire group of 27 security certifications that we survey." Foote says security salaries went flat after an oversupply of talent was attracted by the Patriot Act, the Homeland Security Act, and Sarbanes-Oxley hiring a few years ago. Now, however, more government regulation should create a new wave of jobs. "Department of Defense Directive 8570 requires approximately 110,000 Information Assurance professionals in assigned duty positions to be certified within a five-year period," says Foote. "Within five years, Directive 8570 could potentially require certification for 400,000 DOD employees and contractors." So if you're looking for that next certificate to pursue, think security.
Taking Stock
Use certifications to make yourself look smart and to kick start your career ("If you don't have ten to 12 years experience then you simply have to have them," says Giglio). But always remember that there's no substitute for successful real-world experience. And no matter what certificates you collect, keep your eye on the full story your resume tells. As Lee says, "Employers are more interested in job seekers who show a consistent track record of completing projects on-time and on-budget, and learning about the circumstances under which they worked." She sums it up this way: "A mix of relevant, broad-based certifications can help support an IT professional who has experience in the field as well as a strong set of skills."
Don Willmott is a New York City-based journalist who focuses on Internet and technology trends.
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