Is getting certified worth it?
Depends :). Let me explain the why’s in this article and give my experience from the first certification in 2006 and my last in 2022.
1. REAMDE.md
Before I start, the sentence below is highly valuable for everybody, read it before continuing.
Most of my friends and colleagues are very negative about certification schemes in software development, a disdain that I share. This doesn’t mean that I think that certifications in software are bad by definition, just that almost every one we see fails a basic test. (https://martinfowler.com/bliki/CertificationCompetenceCorrelation.html)
2. My journey
Back in time, in 2006 when I took the first certification, the SCJP (Sun Certified Java Programmer 1.4), the company (EDS) had a program to help us (devs) to study and take the certification, was amazing 👏👏👏.
This certification helped me a lot to understand Java and make me a better programmer, since I had at least a minimum idea about Lists, Wrappers, Threads, etc.
As Martin said, the certification should be aligned to the real world, in this case the Java certification were.
After the first one, I became self motivated to achieve more, and then I passed SCWCD, SCBCD (EJB 😢) and the most wanted for me SCEA.
Now, after 4 Java certifications I had only one goal, work as software architect, but wait, will this certification SCEA enable me as an architect?
Nope, unfortunately the intention is to know the concepts, modeling, design but only this certification is not enough.
On the other hand, this certification enables me to know more about the software architect, know more about QOS, and a bunch of new terms unknown to me.
Performing my fast forward career, my last certification was AWS Cloud Practitioner and I enjoy to studying for it and if you ask me to deploy an AWS system I’ll ask help :S, but at least I could learn about Cloud and AWS, it worth it.
3. Does the certification prove that I’m good?
Definitely not. The certification demonstrates that you know what was asked in the exam.
If you think about the Neal Ford article, knowledge breadth versus depth, there are so many areas to know, but the certification puts you in the track to know the core about the tech.
4. Should I avoid the certifications?
Nope, but the certification is the first step to dive into the tech or validate what you know.
5. Does having certification help in the interview?
Sure, at least to have the opportunity to be on the process.
6. I don’t want to study for certification, is there another way to be noticed?
There is, as I mentioned before, I started studying and taking certification because back in 2006 we didn’t have so many ways to be noticed. Now, if you want, you can start writing a blog, tweeting about tech, became a YouTuber, etc
7. Conclusion
If you have time, and your career leads to this path, go ahead and take as much you can, to expand your knowledge.
