I have done the certification and will continue to do so. The reason I do it is that as a freelancer anything that will raise me to the top of the pile of applicants for work is good. I would struggle to prove their is any financial return on investment but do it as part of training and development and partly making me more marketable to clients.

I also take time off to do training and development that I pay for. I also take time off for SQL events that may be free or I may have to pay. None of this is to add to my salary, all of it is to try and get better at what I do and if that adds to me being more 'marketable' then good.

Everybody's position is different. Your value as a permanent employee depends more on your actions than on a piece of paper. However when you look for a new position (permanent or temporary) then that bit of paper may make a difference. However Experience is priceless!

E

:w00t:

Apologies for long post