Re: Oracle Certification: Is it worth it?

I interview a lot of DBAs and developers. The value of certification to a candidate I am considering is that it indicates that he has the interest, and has spent the effort, to try to develop his skills. This might get me to make that first phone call to a candidate I would otherwise pass up. After that first call, what counts is experience, knowledge, attitude and all the other things that affect a hiring decision. The only exception is that for an entry level position, I would probably favor a certified candidate over another with the same experience.

I think the real value of certification is the process it makes you go through to prepare for the exams. You will learn things you did not know, and get a better understanding of things you already know.

The Oracle exams basically test what is in the corresponding course. If you have the course materials, they are easy to prepare for and pass. Questions are all multiple choice, unless something has changed since I took them. Microsoft exams are more difficult.. They test your experience and knowledge in all areas of the relevant product. Besides multiple choice questions, they have scenario questions and simulations. Received on Sat Jul 25 1998 - 13:10:13 CDT