what they want...

[rek2 at binaryfreedom.info (GNU/Linux)]

On Mon, 2003-01-27 at 12:50, Seth Gordon wrote:
> I had contemplated getting Sun's Java certification and/or the LPI
> certification, but one of my headhunters told me it wasn't worth the
> cost; there are so many people out there with those certificates that
> employers don't pay attention to them.  In this market, experience is
> about the only thing that counts.

My own personal experience is that:

I agree I have never had a problem, my experience and my ex-managers to probe it are the only thing 
I have needed  in the pass, I never have been with out a  job, when it was not a full time I 
was consulting or contracting but never been with out a job since 1987. 
I have lot of certificates I have manage to get tested for free, like the LPI, SAIR GNU/Linux,
CISCO, C programmer, Unix programmer and many other ones, I have never metioned on my resume cause it 
will make more bad than good, is not good to have a 4 page Resume, and I rather put my work experience
projects, and other personal strong points.
Experience is better than any test. of course if you don't have experience you need to have 
some backup but a guy with experience will almost always be preferred.
I myself usually never recommend people that comes with certificates when Human resources
ask for my opinion what I think about the Resume of such and such, I want to see hands on
in tasks not a guy with a good memory for one day that he took the test.

So in 2 words Certificates are OK if you don't have experience but if you do, don't waste your
money or Resume space, if you want to learn something you better on learning by yourself if you 
are capableif not there are many university courses that won't give you certificate but you will learn
by the right people.(sometimes)

my opinion,

ReK2