IT Qualifications
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Forum Name: General Discussion
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URL: https://forums.webwiz.net/forum_posts.asp?TID=15223
Printed Date: 31 March 2026 at 2:42pm
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Topic: IT Qualifications
Posted By: philcom2000
Subject: IT Qualifications
Date Posted: 25 May 2005 at 2:22pm
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Hi all I’ve been in the computer industry for a number of years now and I am now going to setup on my own. I have no Qualifications what so ever but I am always very busy no one ever asks. My main skills are installing complete networks building PCs and database/webdesign, I want to get a general Qualification just to say I am a professional and not just another no hoper any Ideas on a good course to take their are so many which are far to in depth for what I need. |
Replies:
Posted By: dpyers
Date Posted: 25 May 2005 at 4:05pm
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Kind of depends upon who your tagret market is. For some markets, certs don't mean a thing because they don't know what it means. A MS cert might mean something because of the "MS". An A+ cert leaves them clueless.
I find that even with corporate markets, certs have varying value depending upon who your talking to. Most of them have mixed environments so a cert might help for part of the load, but be valueless for other aspects of the job.
Certs also have a limited lifespan so you need to be certain of your return on investment. I have a very smart friend who collects certs - MS, Cisco, Novell, Sun, etc. Has over 70 certs collected over 15-20 years. About 15 are still valid. He works mostly for corporates who will pay for certification.
Some certs are valueless in themselves. A Sun Certified Java Programmer knows java syntax so the cert doesn't impress me. A Sun Certified Java Developer knows coding technique, so that's what I look for.
A couple of jears back Sun changed their certified Architect program to align with major industry environments - e.g. IBM Java Architect, MS Java Architect, Oracle Java Architect, etc. The hiring gatekeepers see IBM and discount the resume because they're a MS shop although 85-90% of the content is cross-environment.
Certs can however be and integral part of your business model if they offer a clue to the clueless and insight to those in the know. Should be tied in to your business description though.
I am PMI certified - Project Management Institute. It's something that works into both ends of the business - Corporate and Small-Medium business services.
For Corporates, some are PMI shops but all of them know about it and have other certified people onboard. For the Small-Medium sized businesses I sell web implementation services. Do the grunt work, coding and hosting mostly myself but farm out graphics and sometimes other work. I don't build web sites. I increase business capability through web projects. So we have business strategy sessions, planning sessions, test plans, project status, etc. I sell the project, not the site. The words "Project Management" in the cert are understandable to the most obtuse client even if they don't grasp what the cert entails. They understand it's part of the value add and get the warm fuzzies.
The key part of your OP is "no one ever asks". No small business ever asked if I was PMI Certified. Being able to display the certification however helps because thay can see the direct relationship between it and the services I offer even if they won't understand what the cert entails. Certainly more pertainent than an NT Admin cert I picked up in the 90's.
I supply prospects with links to the PMI site and with contact info of former customers who agree to act as references. They get confused by the cert site but sold by the references. If I had to go without certs or without references, I'd toss the cert.
If I were you, I'd concenterate on obtaining and categorizing my references - what references to use for what type of work. The direction your business goes will drive your need/lack of need for certs.
I'd also recomend that anyone starting out in independent consulting read books by Alan Weiss. Does a good job of descibing how to transition from run-of-the-mill task based consulting to value based consulting. Teaches you to think like a consultant - not like a small business owner. Gives you a larger context for action.
EDIT:
Please forgive the length of this missive as I did not have the time to make it small.
- Blais Pascal ------------- 
Lead me not into temptation... I know the short cut, follow me. |
Posted By: philcom2000
Date Posted: 25 May 2005 at 5:01pm
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Thanks dpyers for the reply, a few very interesting points raised. I think the best thing i can do at the moment is to sort out where I am expecting my business to head and try to sort something to suit with my local business centre. |
Posted By: the boss
Date Posted: 28 May 2005 at 7:15am
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i am network admin.. i dont have any certs.. my pay scale is always lagging behind compared to amature admins who dont know sh*t.. but have certs!!
moral: cert pays.. ------------- http://www.web2messenger.com/theboss"> 
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Posted By: dfrancis
Date Posted: 28 May 2005 at 8:01am
I would have to agree, if you were seeking employment, your credentials are what your compensation would be based on. That said, a long list of happy customers is going to make the local marketing effort much more profitable than a litany of acronyms and initials. Make a list of Happy customers, successful installs, working websites and notable achievements. Contact those principal if possible and get testimonials. Publish those testimonials on your website and in your company literature.
On a side note, making the effort to review your accomplishments will also help you discover your target market. By looking at what you've done and who you have made happy, you can direct your marketing efforts to capture more in that niche.
(That would be "marketing in a nut shell" by David Francis LOL
 )Good luck! I mean IT!
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the boss wrote:Posted By: philcom2000
Date Posted: 28 May 2005 at 3:03pm
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Whats the best sort of certs to go for there are so many micky mouse ones out there On another note my portfolio is going well alot of customers are keen to write a testomonial, thanks guys for the great advice.
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.Posted By: dpyers
Date Posted: 28 May 2005 at 3:42pm
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The best kind of cert is something that means something to your customers. In my case, it wasn't a technical cert. You need to figure out what you need to be certified in before you go shopping for the cert.
If you want the cert for personal reasons to feel more professional, go for anything that fills that need. If you want it for marketing reasons, go with something that means something to your customers - e.g. something they know a little about.
As Dave noted, certs are more useful when seeking employment than when seeking contracts. Have you lost any contract work to certified people? Have you lost any work to people with better references or more experience?
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Lead me not into temptation... I know the short cut, follow me. |
Posted By: philcom2000
Date Posted: 28 May 2005 at 4:23pm
Ive never lost a contract due to no certs because i like to think i give my clients what they need at a price they cant refuse, also i get alot of work from word of mouth. Here in Cornwall good affordable IT Professionals are rare to find.(Someone will kill me for saying that )so i guess i am lucky there.(none of your guys move here mind)
Although down here in cornwall things are going well when I worked in Bristol things wasn’t quite so easy i needed a lot of inside help to get the contracts networking with the right people was always important.
I think i will give the certs a miss for a while or at least until i have a clear view if where i am heading.
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Posted By: dj air
Date Posted: 28 May 2005 at 4:35pm
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well thats 2 in cornwall lol. where abouts are you |
Posted By: dfrancis
Date Posted: 28 May 2005 at 4:56pm
NO WAY!!
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Posted By: dj air
Date Posted: 28 May 2005 at 5:08pm
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yes i live in cornwall i know its shocking.. lol. be over populated soon.  |
Posted By: philcom2000
Date Posted: 29 May 2005 at 2:23am
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I live in Hayle |
, Moved to Bristol a few years back then retured home because i missed my watersports.
Posted By: the boss
Date Posted: 31 May 2005 at 6:38am
i worked for the city chamber of commerce.. for 2 years.. i have a letter from them proving my employment history with them..does that count  ------------- http://www.web2messenger.com/theboss">
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Posted By: dfrancis
Date Posted: 31 May 2005 at 10:15am
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Everything counts my friend!!
I guess the bottom line is if the people you seek employment and /or contracts from are hung up on "certifications", then it might be a good investment of time and money.
For my client base, being able to make things work and having the ability to show them how I have done it before (Letter from chamber works here), then they are receptive and will pay me for my services.
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Posted By: the boss
Date Posted: 01 June 2005 at 4:40am
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------------- http://www.web2messenger.com/theboss">
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