March 3, 2010 at 9:51 am
Lynn Pettis (3/3/2010)
They could tier the certifications, as well. One level for those that have passed the certification tests, but lack real worled experience, a higher level for those with verifiable experience of 1 -3 years, 4 - 6 years, etc. I would think each level would also require tougher testing requirements.
I like the idea of having levels associated with your experience. I'm not sold on each level having tougher testing requirements... that would require re-taking tests (and more $ spent). (Not opposed to it, just not sold on it...)
Wayne
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server 2008
Author - SQL Server T-SQL Recipes
March 3, 2010 at 10:29 am
WayneS (3/3/2010)
Lynn Pettis (3/3/2010)
They could tier the certifications, as well. One level for those that have passed the certification tests, but lack real worled experience, a higher level for those with verifiable experience of 1 -3 years, 4 - 6 years, etc. I would think each level would also require tougher testing requirements.I like the idea of having levels associated with your experience. I'm not sold on each level having tougher testing requirements... that would require re-taking tests (and more $ spent). (Not opposed to it, just not sold on it...)
IIRC, Microsofts certs now expire after 3 years. If that is still the case, you still need to recert periodically. As a USSF and High School Soccer referee, I have to recertify annually, and as you progress up, the tests become harder and the standard tighter. I haven't moved from being a USSF Grade 8 to Grade 7 just because I am not really interested in it. Too much other things going on and at my age, that would probably be about as far as I go. Now, 20 years or so ago, I'd have kept looking at moving up.
With regard to various levels of certification in Microsoft technologies, tougher tests for those with experience, why not. Slightly higher number of points to progress to the next level, again why not. A lower level of points to retain a specific level.
TDWI has two levels in thier certifications. Which level you are at depends on how you score on the test. TDWI also requires submitting 120 recertification credits during the three years your Certification is active. They have a wide range of ways to obtain those creadits, from taking College/University courses, seminars/vendor courses, conferences with eduational content, teaching/lecturing/presenting, published articles/books, taking exams, other certifications, self study.
March 3, 2010 at 11:19 am
I think this really comes to down to personal preference and/or experience. Here's my 1.5 cents:
I am not certified. Based on my current job, salary, experience level, and experience interviewing for other jobs, I'm unlikely to become certified in the near future. I might change that attitude in the future if I were to move into consulting (for whatever reason, it seems more important there).
My attitudes towards those that are certified? That's nice. But if I don't know them, I'm going to assume less knowledge from that individual instead of more based on the number of times I've interviewed people with multiple certifications who absolutely did not know the job of a DBA or the technology involved in any way that would lead me to want to hire them.
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
- Theodore Roosevelt
Author of:
SQL Server Execution Plans
SQL Server Query Performance Tuning
March 3, 2010 at 11:28 am
Grant Fritchey (3/3/2010)
My attitudes towards those that are certified? That's nice. But if I don't know them, I'm going to assume less knowledge from that individual instead of more based on the number of times I've interviewed people with multiple certifications who absolutely did not know the job of a DBA or the technology involved in any way that would lead me to want to hire them.
I have seen this in quite a few occasions. So plus one
-Roy
March 3, 2010 at 11:57 am
I see it now, have a MCDBA working for me that really doesn't get it at all. Do have to say this individual is starting to try, but I couldn't in all good conscious give him a good recommendation if asked.
March 3, 2010 at 12:24 pm
Lynn Pettis (3/3/2010)
IIRC, Microsofts certs now expire after 3 years.
They don't expire. There was a plan for that to happen, but didn't become reality. They are retired and become inactive once mainstream support for the product that you certified on is discontinued.
http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/certification/mcts.aspx#tab3
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
March 3, 2010 at 12:28 pm
GilaMonster (3/3/2010)
Lynn Pettis (3/3/2010)
IIRC, Microsofts certs now expire after 3 years.They don't expire. There was a plan for that to happen, but didn't become reality.
Tells you the last time I looked into getting MS certified (already certifiable 😉 ).
March 3, 2010 at 12:46 pm
Lynn, Atleast you knew that something would happen to the certificate after sometime. I did not.. :hehe:
-Roy
March 3, 2010 at 2:53 pm
The cert is valid for a product. I can claim to be NT 4 certified forever, as well as SQL2000 certified. More companies are asking if you are certified on particular versions rather than a generic MCSE or MCITPro
March 3, 2010 at 6:27 pm
I have a bunch of certifications. Nothing since MCDBA 2000. I did a lot of cert testing early on due to working in environments where it was a 1 man shop - thus I had to cover it all. Were they useful - yes. I learned quite a bit. Now I get to focus mostly on SQL Server and that helps a lot more.
I am starting into studies for SQL 2008 MCITP, and may consider the BI stuff someday. Part of the reason to pursue the cert is educational work related goals.
I have two degrees related to Bus. InfoSys and CS. I think the exams were more rigorous than the college degrees - and a lot more pertinent - just my opinion there.
Have the certs or degrees been helpful, or should one do them? YES. Why? If, for nothing else, it can show the ability to start and complete a goal.
Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
_______________________________________________
I have given a name to my pain...MCM SQL Server, MVP
SQL RNNR
Posting Performance Based Questions - Gail Shaw[/url]
Learn Extended Events
March 3, 2010 at 9:54 pm
I have MCDBA and MCSE, I later upgraded the MCDBA to 2005 DBA MCITP, I was preparing for the old datawarehousing exam when it was canceled so I was one of the early BI MCITP 2005. I did not take the Database Developer exams because those are for Transact-SQL being an application developer I am an ANSI SQL user so I can use Oracle and other RDBMS by just swapping connectionstrings.
I have Asp.net 2.0 C# MCPD I converted from JAVA.
I am one of the few TFS MCTS because we used Team Suites with Oracle and Vault before Microsoft opened the product for use with other vendor tools. The 2010 version of the product family can be used to develop Oracle databases.
actual skills? who wants to know?
:Whistling:
Kind regards,
Gift Peddie
March 4, 2010 at 7:13 am
No certs, my current employer will not assist with the costs of obtaining one and if I need time away to test or train, it comes from my vacation time - of which there isn't much given to newer employees anyway - but it is a job that I enjoy even though it's not a particularly condusive environment for bettering one's self via the "normal" channels of higher learning. I have a Bachelor's degree in information systems, working on a master's. I find real world experience, and boards like SSC, invaluable in enhancing my career - and from a monetary perspective, that's all I can afford right now (no, that's not necessarily a bad thing!). I can answer most questions accurately, and honestly, during an interview. While I don't have the papers, I think I have a bit of the pedigree.....
-- You can't be late until you show up.
March 5, 2010 at 6:36 am
I've couple of those MCITP and MCSE things, but I didn't even mention them in my CV when I was searching for a job. :crazy:
-------------------------------------------------------------
"It takes 15 minutes to learn the game and a lifetime to master"
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March 5, 2010 at 6:43 am
D.Oc (3/5/2010)
I've couple of those MCITP and MCSE things, but I didn't even mention them in my CV when I was searching for a job. :crazy:
That would mean that you did the certification just for your satisfaction and not as door opener for jobs. I respect that.. 🙂
-Roy
March 5, 2010 at 7:26 am
Okay, now my 2 cents. I just passed my first certification exam yesterday (70-432). I bought the exam test prep kit, mainly because it included practice tests and I had an Amazon gift card I could use. The test kit helped me on the features I don't have experience with like clustering and log shipping, and the new 2008 features like PBM, Data Collector, TDE.
I'm doing the certification process to fill in the gaps in my knowledge and experience. I tend to only study things I need for my day to day job, so this gives me a reason to get outside my current environment.
As far as the test, I think I could have passed it without any studying and if you have experience with the enterprise level of the version you are testing for, you likely wouldn't need a lot of study to pass this specific test. I'm scheduling the second test and not going to put a lot of effort into studying for it. I'm pretty confident I can pass it, if not I'll use my second shot code.
I would like to see the test be a little harder. Not enough questions in my opinion.
Jack Corbett
Consultant - Straight Path Solutions
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