Top 10 Myths about IT Certification

No industry is safe from disbelief or proliferation of myths... Here are few myths regarding IT Certifications!

1.    Certifications are Vendor-Centric

There are people who believe that the purpose of a certification is to measure a person's understanding of some of the functionality of a vendor's product and hence are vendor-centric. In reality, the vendor who creates the product is best-qualified to teach an individual about product and develop certifications around this.

 

2.    Certification’s Life-Cycle is Short

Certificates are valid for limited time period, after which the individual needs to revise it or completely start again for the new certification series. It is true that vendors keep on modifying their certification offerings. This is a positive step because it keeps the certifications up-to-date with emerging technologies and practical situations. Technological developments do happen at a more rapid pace. Employers hire those with knowledge on the latest technology and hence there is merit in keeping abreast with new certifications.

 

3.    Certifications are not Real- World Oriented

This myth advocates that as all certifications are vendor-oriented, they do not prepare you for the real world. In the real world, every environment has technologies from multiple vendors i.e., No environment is only made up of Microsoft or UNIX or Linux. Since real world enterprises work on several platforms, technologies and integrated systems, it is important for engineers and scientists to understand about these systems in a short timeframe. Many certifications involve working on real industry problems and simulate the real world through simulations.

 

4.    No Oversight Body

All certifications are vendor-centric, so there is no one over-seeing the whole process of certifications. This is not true!  An association of leading IT companies; Microsoft, Sun, CompTIA, Novell, Linux, HP, IBM and exam provider Prometric formed a council named, Information Technology Certification Council (ITCC) to administer the certification process. ITCC tackle important issues facing the IT certification industry, including exam security, perception versus actual IT certification and training to test taker ratios.

 

5.     Degree vs. Certification vs. Experience

There will always be anxiety in the market over the value for degree versus the necessity of certification versus the need for experience. Certifications prove deep level of knowledge as well as has upper hand over other non-certified professionals.

 

6.     HR people are not in contact with Real World

HR executives are hiring non-certified professionals instead of certified professionals which “devalued” the certifications. This is not true as well - HR execs who seek proof of claims through certification are more in touch with reality than those who rely on allegation alone.

 

7.     Budget Cuts

Some companies have cut training funds, many have not. For training and certification, investments are required. Many employers today are reimbursing training and other types of training expenses. Reimbursements of training expenses attract employees and it is an effective way for employees to improve their skill sets.

 

8.     Certifications have been de-valued

This myth explores the possibility that certifications are de-valued because applicants cheat on exams. However, the incorporation of replication and other performance-based measures are strong measures against cheating, since it's nearly unfeasible to plagiarize in an emulated environment.

 

9.     Surplus of Certified People

This myth is around the fact that people are losing interest in certifications due to a surplus of certified IT Professionals available in IT industry. In fact nothing could be further from reality. There is incessant need for people who understand and navigate to latest technology. As the world around us changes and business environment changes as well, skill sets also need to change.

 

10.No One Knows Which Cert is Important

Irrespective of the number of certifications or the domains, getting reliably certified in your area of expertise is never a bad idea. Certification is a strong acknowledgement of initiative, knowledge and skill. It improves your knowledge and differentiates you from other non certified individuals.

Certification makes an individual a valuable employee. It also attaches credibility to one’s skill sets. Certification gives you a significant advantage in your career advancement. Is Certification a benefit? Answer is “definitely YES!”. It not only helps the professional who possesses it but the company and IT industry as well.

 Adapted from:  Addressing the Top 10 Myths about IT Certification