Is it worth getting certified with Whidbey around the corner?

Hi There

I am working full time as a C# developer and hope to achieve MCAD by
early 2006 and MCSD by mid 2006 (if I study hard).

However, am I wasting my time ? Does anyone know what is going to
happen with the .NET certification path ? Will there be an 'upgrade'
exam to Whidbey or will I have to take 5 exams again ?

Thanks In Advance
Bill

 

When i first think to achieve MCAD, i had the same doubt
But i decide to go on regardless what happen with the .net path.
Now i`m MCAD (i took about five months )
i sugest you to do the same...go on an achieve your cert

What people say is that there will be an upgrade exam for .net 2.0, but i'm
sure before it be released i will already have achieve the mcsd and mcdba.

 

Take a look at the article on
http://www.mcpmag.com/news/article.asp?EditorialsID=821. Yup, the cert is
significantly changing. There is an upgrade path to those who are certified
in previous versions of .Net.

As to whether it's worth upgrading from MCSD to the new certs is up to you,
although I might wait for the feedback cycle that's sure to start by the end
of the year.

 

Thanks Bob, that's exactly the kind of info I was after.

Do you know when in September they will release the certification
details for Whidbey ?

I'm starting to wonder about the whole certification thing - whether it
is worth it at all!! It takes such an effort to work full time and
study, then at most your certifications only last a few years ... Think
about the amount of effort it would have taken to keep certified over
the last 5 years ... If you got MCSD in VS6, then that was 4 exams.
Then MCSD in .NET 2003, that was another 5 exams (potentially 4 if you
had the right elective). Then another 2 exams for .NET 2005. That's
11 exams in 5 years !!!

And who knows what it will take to 'keep certified' over the next 20
years !?!? There is sure to be a couple more 'paradigm shifts' which
will require getting a whole new certification (like from VS6 to .NET).

I suppose I'll just do 70-316 and re-assess when the new exam schedules
come out.

Cheers
Bill

 

Things always move forward and change ... That's the nature of life. Iam just
wondering where we will be today if the innovation stopped in electronics
after video cassettes or walkman were invented ... No snappy DVD players or
ultra-cool mp3 players !

 

Technology moves at an astonishing rate and I agree that on the whole,
it makes us better off. However this is a different point to what I
was making.

I don't think it is worth being "Microsoft certified" when the
certification only lasts a few years. Effectively all I am doing is
pouring more money into Microsoft's coffers and book publishers.

I believe that 'self study', keeping up to speed with Google groups and
practical experience are making me a far better programmer than any of
the work I have done on the Microsoft certifications. People pass
Microsoft exams by giving the Microsoft answers, not the real-world
answers.

 

I will said it is not worth as much as people think unless your company paid
for it.
The issues is that M$ is pouring new stuff very fast in the last few yrs.
Do you realize the time span different in VB to .net, .net 2002 to .net
2003., and .net 2003 to .net 2005? Or, NT4.0 to 2K and 2K to 2k3?
And, do you notice the # of people holding up-to-date M$cert is less and
less?
I think that is one of reason why M$ changing the name as well. Therefore,
for the M$ partner stuff, M$ can forces people jumping loop again.
Egghead

 

July 18, 2005

Well I know one thing for a fact. The MCAD certification has meant the
difference for me between being just another developer and one that is quite
frequently going on tours of the Redmond campus and talking with many
different product groups... I have another meeting planned with Sr Mgmt with
a product group soon, and the certification definitely was an eye catcher!
It was Tremendously worth it for what it has accomplished for me!

--
Joseph Bittman
Microsoft Certified Application Developer

Web Site: http://71.39.42.23
Static IP

 

Well Good On You !!! You must be very proud of yourself. By the way,
say hello to the big BG from me.

 

When I'm talking to people interested in certification, I put it this way.
The only way to compare it is how hireable you are with it versus without
it. In the good old days, certifications meant something more because of
the rarity of it and the scarcity of IT folks in general. Those days are
long gone.

As far as the constant upgrading, look at it from the hiring parties
perspective. If the person has a certification, I'd like to know what layer
of technology it's in. The certification has some additional value if the
person has kept up to date with it.

There's no question that anyone who just does the certs and has no
experience isn't as good as the certification would lead us to believe. And
we all know people who are great programmers or infrastructure people who
don't have any certifications. But it's a good addition.

For what it's worth.

 

July 19, 2005

Haven't seen him yet.....

--
Joseph Bittman
Microsoft Certified Application Developer

Web Site: http://71.39.42.23
Static IP