Gee I didn't have to move out of Bayberry!
When I put my certification certificates on my cubicle wall, I didn't get
any more respect. Then again, people already knew me..
Unfortunately, image plays a large role in corporate life.. when I was a
post-sales consultant, we always had to 'dress one level better' than the
customer. For some reason we found it hard to ask for $100+ an hour wearing
blue jeans..though it probably could have been done it at Ebay or some
place like that.
But anyway, HR people are always stuck between a rock and a hard place,
keeping costs down but attracting people, trying to create some kind of
measurement scale that allows more fairness in starting salaries and pay
raises. How can they respond to the pressure of managers asking for new
employees, or ways to retain employees, when upper management does not want
to loosen the purse strings? One way is to compare your company with
another company, or to an average. Part of that average, and part of that
measurement, are degrees and certifications. No, it does not tell the whole
story. Six months of crisis mode is a better education than 4 years of
plodding and maintaining a C average. I feel guilty (a little) passing my
tests when I've never administered a high volume, high availability app,
but I have been working on MQ for three years and I do know something about
it, so yeah, I get a little juiced looking at those certificates,
sometimes. My stuff does work, but people generally notice only when they
don't work. But I've got that paper..
I've only taken a few tests, but these made me think a little more than the
others. I think there are some tests better than others. I remember the
Novell tests from 10 years ago, and the instructor with the photographic
memory bragging about how easy it was to take the tests. But it seems to me
that those tests were all about how to click on a drop down menu, and pick
the sub function that would best do XYZ... Am I imagining things, or are
there some certifications out there that are generally accepted to be worth
more than others?
Wouldn't it be great if a company paid by merit only, and could fire
someone if they didn't measure up? ? but that is so subjective..
From: Christopher Fryett <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> on 11/12/2002 01:09 PM
Please respond to MQSeries List <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
cc:
Subject: Re: MQexam questions
Bobbee,
There are many organizations, or should I just say, management that
requires certifications. The reason for this is because it looks good on
paper, themselves, and overall the organizations when presenting skills to
customers or upper management. Sadly, it is a misconception of what one
person really knows, because I have worked with individuals who never saw
WMQ and passed the test, while others like me thought the test was a pain
in the rear. What does that say? Well, in most cases if you are a very
good test taker you can separate the bogus answers from the correct ones,
while others who don't do well on written tests struggle. This is not just
an issue with IBM certification tests, but is across the board. The only
test I have heard which would count as a nightmare is the certification for
project managers which is an 8 hour test. Now, can you imagine sitting for
8 hours, minus lunch and two breaks?
Does the certification test really prove that you know your stuff? No.
It gives a basis that you have either obtained enough basic knowledge or
skills to pass a test and do some WMQ tasks. It does not prove whether you
know when to use alias queues, remote definition queues, alias QMGR,
clusters, syncpoint control from a local and global perspective, specific
channel definitions, triggering, security, and so forth. That takes
trial-and-error, experience, and overall RTFM.
Certification arguments are the same as the "degree" arguments. Is a
person better skilled writing complex code if they have a certification,
degree, or just plain on-the-job skills? In most cases, the answer is no.
The other answer is, are they writing code to control a missile, sending a
rocket into space, or determining whether to put the money into a checking
account or not. I personally would rather have a Ph.D writing the code for
the missile, but as we all know human error is a factor of life. So, when
the Ph.D writes their code to his the house on Bayberry, but it actually
hits Mayberry we know either the code is wrong or the input was incorrect :
-)
So, if you happen to be a manager that requires certifications, degrees,
or on-the-job skills ask yourself what is more important to the
organization. If certifications are it, then don't waste the candidates
time if you are only looking at certification skills compared to practical
skills. Anyone can learn a product or language if they have a good logical
head on their shoulders, and are hungry enough to "learn".
Just my two cents on a stupid topic that goes around-and-around. If you
pass the test, great. If you don't, it doesn't mean you are less of a
person than the person who passed. I have taken the tests and passed, but
it wasn't on the first try for some of them :-) Then again when I renewed
my driver's license it took two times :-) Doesn't mean I am a bad driver,
just hate those freakin tests!
Chris
Robert Broderick
<robertbroderick@H To:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
OTMAIL.COM> cc:
Sent by: MQSeries Subject: Re: MQexam
questions
List
<MQSERIES@AKH-Wien
.AC.AT>
11/12/2002 07:36
AM
Please respond to
MQSeries List
I took the test some 4 or 5 years back. At that time, my cross platform
experience was very limited. I found the test at that time to be a
distribution of MQSeries knowledge across all the main platforms. I did not
feel it was asking too much from the person taking it.
As for the value of the piece of paper. I do much of the interviewing for
companies, whereever I am at, for people coming in that relate to my area
of
expertise. I don't even go looking for a mention of a certificate on the
resume. I just try to fry you on what your resume states. If you pass my
interview you deserve the job more than me. Also I have been doing this
stuff for about 26 years now and none of the certificates or training on my
resume has ever, to the best of my knowledge, lead me to secure a position.
It may be an indication of things I was familur with. But in the end it was
always my charm and wit, maybe more charm than wit, that got me the
position. I don't believe companies rely on face value a piece of paper
that
states the candidate may be knowledgeable in a certain area.. If they do I
believe the organization needs a reorg.
bobbee
>From: Kenneth M Viney <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Reply-To: MQSeries List <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>Subject: Re: MQexam questions
>Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2002 07:40:11 +1100
>
>I too have cross-platform experience having worked for many years (some
>mornings I wake up and think way too many years) on both distributed
>platforms and OS/390 mainframes etc, etc. I still found the exam goals to
>be way beyond the role of the certification it was directed at. Still it
>is only a piece of paper after all. And experience counts most in the
>real world. A piece of paper only proves you sat and passed an exam and
>not whether you are actually good at your job in the real world. In the
>end in any competitive market all any company ever wants is results that
>maximise their returns and not how many certificates a person has.
>Certificates don't make money in an on-going basis, but people's valued
>experience does. Unfortunately though in today's climate things have
>changed within IT where it is perceived that a piece of paper is now more
>important whereas yesterday the greatest asset within IT was the person.
>Sad but true.
>
>Ken
>(sheesh do I sound disillusioned?)
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Robert Broderick <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Sent by: MQSeries List <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>12/11/2002 07:14
>Please respond to MQSeries List
>
>
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> cc:
> Subject: Re: MQexam questions
>
>
>But what many of those people had was cross platform experience prior to
>getting into the IBM MQSeries stuff. THAT IS A BIG HELP!!!!!
>
>
>
>
>
>
> >From: Kenneth M Viney <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >Reply-To: MQSeries List <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >Subject: Re: MQexam questions
> >Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2002 06:56:11 +1100
> >
> >Tejinder .... Good luck with the exam. The trial questions will give
>you
> >a bit of a hint about what to expect in the real exam. Unfortunately
IBM
> >doesn't offer much else in the way of preparation. A bit of a lack of
> >customer support if you ask me. Oh ... be warned ... hopefully when you
> >sit the exam they won't go and change the pass mark on you. What was
> >stated in the student workshop notes and by the lecturer was not what
>was
> >then required to pass the exam. Almost grounds for a common law
>appeal???
> > Maybe?
> >
> >Bobbee .... sheesh mate if you know guys who can pass that exam with
only
> >class experience then hang on to them!! That was one bloody hard exam
in
> >my book. Almost too hard for an Administrator's role (which is
basically
> >what the Specialist Certification is aimed at) as IBM seems to expect
the
> >MQ Administrator to also be a developer and an architect as well. Gee
at
> >my site we have whole teams of people just for those specific purposes.
> >The certification is directed to a "small-shop" mentality I feel where
>one
> >person does many roles. And yet MQSeries really comes into its own -
> >gains superstar status if you will - at big sites. Yeah yeah I know
and
> >accept all the arguments that having an overall knowledge of the total
> >concepts of a product is good (and preferable) but this is the first and
> >only certification I've come across where you cannot pass unless you are
> >'expert' in many fields beyond the scope of the certification. Which is
> >ironic considering that IBM also offers further certification that is
> >directed specifically at architects. Oh well I'll just keep plugging
>away
> >and continue to hope that I maintain my earning capabilities until that
> >far off distant day when I can finally afford to retire :)
> >
> >Ken
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >Robert Broderick <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >Sent by: MQSeries List <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >12/11/2002 05:18
> >Please respond to MQSeries List
> >
> >
> > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > cc:
> > Subject: Re: MQexam questions
> >
> >
> >The base rule here is if you get an 85 or better on the practise exam
you
> >will probably pass the real exam. The reason it is usually is a good
idea
> >to
> >have some real life experience is that they, IBM, actually put 'MUCHO'
> >thought into designing the questions for the test. When you take the
test
> >there will be times where all the answere are or seem true. This is
where
> >'book-only' knowledge will lead you down the merry path. Experience will
> >tell you that although you can issue that command or you can set up a
> >server/cluster that way.....WHY WOULD YOU! I know people who have passed
> >the
> >test given just classes and MANY who have not. It's your money.
> >
> >
> > bobbee
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > >From: Jeffrey Ross <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > >Reply-To: MQSeries List <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > >Subject: Re: MQexam questions
> > >Date: Mon, 11 Nov 2002 07:42:13 -0600
> > >
> > >Tejinder,
> > >
> > >If you have been administering MQ long enough, those 27 sample
> > >questions should be sufficient to give you an idea of what the test
> > >entails, and you should pass fairly easily. If you are new to MQ, you
> > >should probably work with it for awhile before you try and become
> > >certified.
> > >
> > >Thanks,
> > >Jeff
> > >
> > >Jeffrey D. Ross
> > >Certified IBM WebSphere MQ Specialist
> > >TransUnion, LLC
> > >
> > > >>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 11/11/02 12:44:11 AM >>>
> > >Hi all ,
> > >
> > >I am prpearing for 95 MQseries Specialist exam.....can
> > >anybody give me an idea where to find mock questions
> > >except the 27 questions in Topcat 2 and the IBM site
> > >one,
> > >
> > >Thanx in advance and regards,
> > >Tejinder
> > >
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