Other CompTIA certifications - Question for people with a million certs

Author

Question for people with a million certs

javguy

2003-03-20, 10:15 pm

Do you find this may become a hinderance to your career rather than a helper?

I mean if someone sees a person with certs in practically every stream if IT they may wonder how much you really know about these topics or just one of those guys who are really good at writing tests.

I only have 4 right now but have worked hard and honest for each one and I intend to get more because I learn so much studying for each one. I'm just wondering if it is worth the hassle if I'm trying to spice up my resume.

I see so many people here with 10+ certifications. Is it really worth it for you guys and how much has it really helped with your careers? Does anybody experience the law of diminishing returns at any point?

regards.

darthw

2003-03-20, 10:47 pm

I don't think "too many certifications" has hindered my career yet. I am in a position that kind of requires a "jack of all trades" out of the better techs on our team. We do Novell Administration, wireless troubleshooting, cabling, a little IIS, desktop and printer support, server support, and even a little knowledge of construction hasn't hurt me either

. So the more foundational knowledge the better. My boss seems to recognize this as I got a pretty decent raise this year, and he specifically mentioned my continual willingness to learn as scene in my study for certifications.

I would imagine there is some potential for diminishing returns on the number of certifications, but so much depends on the job requirements. Perhaps I would find it problematic if I were laid off and put in a position to find another job. Some employers may think I would be "too expensive" because of my education, certifications, and experience. If I thought that was an issue, I'd still keep certifying, then just list those that specifically meet requirements for an advertised position.

Experience could also help in a way with how the number of certifications are viewed. Someone with little actual IT work experience may be categorized as a "paper tech" if they are heavily certified. However, I think the more years in the biz the more marketable it is to have more certs.

Really, "too many" certifications isn't going to hurt you. Sure you may have to tweak you're resume to show only specific ones at times you feel it may hurt, but the more certs you have the more likely you will have skills to meet the job and the more choices to list.

And really, there is no way I can be a specialist in every certification I have. I get more hands-on with some technologies at work than others, too, so, the same can be said for work experience. My objective in even certifying in those things that I work with, though not as much, is to get a foundational understanding of "The Big Picture", and how all the many technologies work together. It never hurts to get an overall understanding of many things, and a specialty in a few things. It's normal.

MadChef

2003-03-24, 12:48 pm

quote:
Originally posted by javguy
Do you find this may become a hinderance to your career rather than a helper?

First, I don't advertise my certifications typically, so that's not the first thing you'll see about me.
Secondly, I only tell people about three certifications I have: CCIE, CISSP & PMP. I don't see that there's any point in me telling them about others when they don't apply to what I'm doing and I'm not especially good at them anymore. Those three certifications are from different aspects of my career, but I think they compliment each other well.
What I don't understand is why someone who has their CCIE, for example, would still list CCNP, CCNA, CCDA, etc. Who cares if you have your CCNA if you're a CCIE? I think those are just people who like to collect letters after their name.

MadChef

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