RHCE and other certs?

[Dave Ihnat]

On Mon, Apr 16, 2007 at 10:03:30PM -0700, Evan Klitzke wrote:
> <<Working on degree, asks about certs>>

In decreasing order of importance:

  1. Experience.  Real experience trumps all--but then, you somehow have
     to get the chance to get it.  However--self-taught *does* make
     a difference.  If you can point to a live, running website on a
     Linux server running Apache, PostgreSQL or MySQL, etc., it does
     show both knowledge and the ability to assimilate and apply knowledge.

  2. CS degree.  This trumps any cert, period.  I mean a real degree--one
     in which you are trained in data structures, algorithms, etc.; not
     just a Microsoft coding course.  You will have been exposed to a
     broader range of different disciplines than you'll generally be
     able to work in once you have to pay the rent, and experience has
     shown that it really, really makes a difference.

  3. Certs.  Only good ones--something that really required study and
     validation.  I've been working in the field for 30 years, and in
     general, in that time I've seen almost all certs--including that
     of "Professional Engineer" in Illinois--carried by worthless gits.
     The most worthless are vendor certs that are only designed to push
     their product.  Especially after the .bomb around 2000-2002, there
     was a glut of "certified" individuals (people who'd been laid off
     and couldn't find work, so filled their time taking certs in areas
     in which they had no other expertise.)

I would probably lend credence to, say, Cisco or RH certs.  Virtually
none to Microsoft.  Others range between those two extremes.

You didn't say what degree you're taking--but if it isn't CS, it isn't
going to matter nearly as much.  And if it is a vendor-oriented degree,
ditto.  (I don't CARE if you know VB.  I care that you understand concepts
and problem solving techniques based on underlying knowledge of basics.)

Cheers,
--
	Dave Ihnat
	President, DMINET Consulting, Inc.
	dihnat at dminet.com
	773/550.0929