Well, it was fun to build, but I'm not getting calls.
Posted on 06/20/2015 2:22:39 AM PDT by Cronos
Hi. I've been in the business intelligence/analytics business for 15 years now and I've got certifications for Oracle, Teradata, DB2, SQLServer, Business Objects, PMP but I've not really found these certifications to bring any more to my career -- neither in terms of getting a different job (though I move company only, on average 4 years), nor in terms of more money.
what's my fellow freepers' experience? Have any certifications been really useful to you, more than experience?
Oh, and I'm not talking about the learning/reading -- THAT I've always found useful, but those can be done pretty much for free, whereas certifications cost $$
The three most important things in todays job market are:
A powerful Linkedin account.
Upgraded training if possible.
Flexibility to move to other locations.
I needed all 3 to get my current job.
Well, it was fun to build, but I'm not getting calls.
Once you have a track record of sucess in the field, additional certifcations are a waste of time and money.
Your comment about HR is spot on. Where I work HR has rejected excellent job candidates that have long track records of above standard performance because they don’t have degrees only to hire people with degrees that where complete idiots. It harmed the company, it harmed the moral and it makes it difficult for skilled workers to get in the door. But then again, I have long believed that HR was not there to help the employee. They are there to prevent the employee from harming the company.
How about learning "writing"? That might be useful for articles like this.
In my experience, competent people got positions by their competence, and incompetent people got positions by “credentials”.
But that is a thing of the past. Now, they have made relative competence indistinguishable. You are not allowed to discriminate on the basis of ability. In accordance with Gresham’s Law, the technically competent have left the market, and only incompetent, well credentialed candidates are left.
My recommendation is for you to start a business and be your own boss. There is no place for competent people in today’s corporate world.
Some of the best computer guys I have had working for me had no formal training. Some of the worst had no formal training. The same goes for some with a wall of certificates - best and worst. If your potential employer only looks at certs you may not want to work there.
Oh and if you want security become very good at fixing SAP issues. Guaranteed job for life!
“But then again, I have long believed that HR was not there to help the employee.”
Indeed. The sole purpose of HR is to protect the company from the employees. Period.
She then learned how to set up facebook and linkedin pages for all those same customers and for herself. She gets a job offer every week in her inbox from her linkedin page, due to her analyst skills, which she did not learn in trade schools or in college.
She has had four or so jobs since graduation from college and recently was invited to Silicon valley to attend a very elite "secret" google analytic conference. She is still single so I asked her about the men there she saw, they are all geeks Mom, I asked her if she was a geek and she said, yes!
All HR looks at in most companies do you have a Cert. They get you past HR.
Back in my contract programming days (1990-2000), with every resume I sent out, I attached a "Technical Addendum". In that business, your energies were concentrated on solving a problem, forgetting about it and moving on. About half-way through listing the challenges and how I handled them, I blurted out "Hell, I'D hire me!".
I led off by stating that resumes have a blue smoke and mirrors tag attached, but if the reader would pass my Addendum to the guy I would be working for (think positive), he would know in a minute if I was blowing smoke.
I had a couple of Head Hunters tell me it saved them from a call back as to some question of my ability, and I got one job in a chemical plant because the manager figured that if I knew of Bill of Materials, I'd easily pick up on the chemical equivalent - "Recipes".
It surprises me to see the number of comments about getting through HR. Does anyone in IT actually go through HR to get an interview/job? In my twenty years in IT, every job I’ve has come from someone I knew professionally bringing me into their company.
I’d say it would be more helpful to cozy up to your favorite vendor/VAR and quietly let them know you are looking. They’ll be familiar with several accounts with similar technology.
Although you are correct about who you know being an effective way to get a job, there are many other great jobs out there in places where you do not know anyone. In a 21st century job search you will not ever be seen if you can’t make it past HR and their applicant clipping if your resume does not meet certain criteria. After that you need to deal with EEOC issues if you do not fit the right profile there, you may be turned down post interview regardless of how good you are. Small firms are much easier to deal with than large majors.
good points.
Hey, thank you — that was excellent advice!!
SAP BW guys get twice or thrice as much as other DW guys
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.