I wrote the original post for this thread and am reposting it here:
A question that inevitably comes up for many consultants is whether or not to become certified in a technology. If the decision is made to become certified, the question then becomes which technology, and why?
There is no easy answer to the question. Frankly, it is my opinion that certification holds no real value. I believe that you can obtain the necessary skills and experience to move ahead in your career without the cost and effort involved in becoming certified. I've made that choice myself.
That being said, your choice is not mine to make. I do think that certification may make you slightly more marketable than a non-certified professional. It may also make no difference at all. For example, let's say you become certified in Oracle and have 1 year of Oracle DBA experience. You're competing for a contract against another professional with 5 years of Oracle DBA experience. Who will get the contract? It's unlikely that the certification is giving you an edge over the more experienced professional.
In another example, it may give you an edge. Let's say you have 5 years of experience and certification in Oracle, and you're competing against a professional with 5 years experience as well, without the certification. In that case, the certification may give you an edge.
When asking the question of whether or not a certification "is worth it", you also have to ask "worth it to whom?" There is a difference between what value the certification holds for you when competing against other professionals in your field, as opposed to the value the certification holds for a client. Unless the client makes regular use of consultants, or has a seasoned IT staff of their own, they probably have no clue about certifications and what they mean.
Consequently, don't bet on the certification having any value to the client. Having certification will probably not open doors for you with new clients (except in rare situations where you're competing against other consultants and need an edge) and will not likely even interest your past clients.
If you're thinking about certification, make the decision with open eyes. Realize that the value of certification lies primarily in your own mind. Ask yourself what value it holds for you.
