I've been in the IT field for more than a quarter of a century and I decided early on that I would not put any effort into certifications. My career has been going very well with each new position a significant increase from the previous in pay, benefits, and working environment.

I'm sure having certifications must be better than not having them but I'm also sure that, in my case at least, certifications are not necessary to succeed. So I guess what I mean by "better" is that having certifications may open doors to interviews that some could not get without certifications and maybe even increase the chances for success but are in no way required for success.

So if you want that slight extra chance for success and think it is worth all the extra effort and aggravation that goes along with it then certifications are for you. But if you feel that experience and continually looking for new opportunities for advancement are all that's needed then certifications will be a waste of time for you.

In my case, that latter has proven to be true over a long and successful career. I'm sure there are also many examples of successful people who have chosen the former. So it would be interesting to know where the numbers point.

Are there more success stories out there for people with certifications or people without certifications?

Enjoy!