Eric M. Burke, an author for O'Reilly, has a recent post titled "Does Java Certification Matter?" His post is specifically about Java certifications, but some of his points apply regardless of the vendor. Specifically, he asks whether we should care about certification. He raises a few interesting points in favor of certifications:

  • There is a remote possibility that some companies prefer certified programmers over non-certified programmers. Regardless of whether this means anything, being certified might help you get your foot in the door.
  • Given two otherwise identical programmers, would you hire the one who is certified or the one who is not? Perhaps the certification gives one a slight edge. This is a weak argument, though. I'm a "hard" technical interviewer, and I find it pretty easy to distinguish between someone who really knows Java versus someone with limited knowledge.
  • The mere act of studying for certification helps you learn more about Java. This is particularly important for people new to Java, such as those switching from some other language.

I'll comment on these point-by-point.

1) This is actually one of my arguments in favor of going after certifications. Certifications can help float your resume to the top, if all other things are equal. Furthermore, some companies may use certifications as a way to screen candidates.

2) This goes back to point one. I don't know if it would affect a decision whether to hire someone, but it could very well affect whether the candidate is called in for an interview. As Eric mentions, it's fairly easy to distinguish whether someone actually knows a technology during an interview, regardless of certifications. However, having the certification may mean the difference between an interview or not.

3) This is one of the reasons that I might go after a particular certification. It gives me a particular focus when studying. For example, if someone wants to learn more about XML in .NET, studying for the 70-310 or the 70-320 exam might provide a foundational focus to pursue. Or, if someone wants to learn more about security as it relates to .NET programming, studying for the 70-330 or the 70-340 exam might provide the appropriate focus.

Eric states later in his post that he believes that certifications are most important for beginners. Although I think that there's some truth to that statement, I also believe that experienced developers can benefit for the same reasons he provides. Furthermore, many developers may not have the opportunity to work with newer technologies in their job, so studying for a certification exam can provide a starting place for learning new technologies.

What do you think? Do you think certifications matter? Are you planning on taking a certification exam in the next six months? Why or why not?