Technical Certifications are NOT worth it.. Here's why!

[@DorianDevelops]

How do you feel about technical certs?

[@crolombiano4226]

If it doesn't hurt...

[@rebelsdeveloper367]

long time ago we want microsoft certificate but cant afford . Nowdays student can get free via their slyabus university . What i know only network certificate worth .

[@t.warren1363]

Best way to get past HR filters (freaking ATS) and are good for introductory knowledge of I.T. Won’t 100% get you the job; that’s up to the person.

[@noelia2971]

I don't like them very much, I mean they're not that necessary. I'm just trying to learn all I can for free and applying it to a real problem.

[@fnregistration]

Just another way for companies to rip people off. Get f'd by college tuition then get ripped off by cert exams.

[@Thomas-od2ki]

certifications are definitley worth it the only reason I have been considered for internships and jobs. Coding might be different but Cybersecurity/IT should def have them. getting a bunch is a bad idea but having at least 1-2 is certainly helpful

[@uzobolarinwa9571]

Hi Thomas, would you have any suggestions on cybersecurity/IT certs that helped you that might be a good place to start?

[@Thomas-od2ki]

@@uzobolarinwa9571 I got my security+ which got me an internship and a help desk job. most college kids dont have a security+ cert. it really depends on how much you know. if you dont know much about computers or networking and are a complete beginner take Compita a+ or network+ but if you are confident enough take the security+ its a higher level cert than the previous ones so its the only one you'll need

[@jodiciuej2513]

So anyone can become a literal expert in cybersecurity, but if they don't have a certificate, they won't get a job? Sounds fun...

[@Thomas-od2ki]

@@jodiciuej2513 listen if you cant pass the security+ exam you dont deserve to be in cybersecurity imo. its very basic stuff that every person in cyber should know and its very cheap as a cert

[@jodiciuej2513]

@@Thomas-od2ki My point was not about if someone is able to pass an exam, I'm sure any expert in the field can. I just don't like that it's the only aspect to which someone is able to get a job in Cyberscurity. Should'nt it be similar to Computer Science? Where a good portfolio and some interviews with technical questions is enough to get a job.

[@syn4588]

I got a job 2 weeks after getting A+ certified. I think it was worth it as a first step out of retail/fast food.

[@meno7888]

What website course did you use? Im taking google certificate course

[@syn4588]

@@meno7888 I bought the A+ Passport book by Mike Meyers. I didn't use any videos.

[@meno7888]

Ok congratulations for the job, i hope i get a job too in UX design

[@ramonsito9687]

Sorry i have to disagree. I believe certifications is your way in, at least for HR side.

[@David_10157]

Sorry bud, but you're talking outside your field of expertise here. In my experience, my technical certifications took me from making 40k yr to making well over 6 figures in 5 years. Granted, I also had an undergrad degree but it was in an unrelated field. Moreover, in every hiring panel I've been in, I always look at the candidate with certifications. I always recommend people work up to mid-level certs asap, and then branch out.

[@journeysend1754]

I think you missed the WHOLE point of the video, he's saying that most people get these certs with not knowing how to do the job and not understanding the things they need for the job. If you know what you are doing / have experience that it will most definitely help, but this video is for the people trying to get their feet wet not those who just dipped there toes in the tech pool

[@David_10157]

@@journeysend1754 no I absolutely did not. Studying for certifications is experience. Building and practicing in a home lab is experience. That’s how you get your feet wet and prove to an employer you have a certain set of skills. The skills may not apply to their environment but that’s where on the job training comes in. The employer should not be training you on IT.

[@max_rove]

@@David_10157 Agreed

[@syn4588]

@@journeysend1754 It is hard to get an entry level job without a cert and those jobs are going to train you anyways. So it really doesn't matter. You can do all the projects you want at home and fill your resume up, at the end of the day that's not getting you an interview.

[@journeysend1754]

@@syn4588 I hope you realize that I do agree with you, not every job will train but we're actually on the same page. most people hiring have little knowledge on tech (usually). I was just making the point he was making in the video if you had watched it

[@getgoodorstaybad6849]

I disagree, I did the A+ net+ sec+ route and got a tech school IT cert saying I finished their tech program. Starting from zero knowledge they were immensely helpful and were a good introduction to IT. Experience definitely speaks louder, but to get relevant experience I had to get certs to get me in the door. The training programs I did to get the certs were fairly in depth and I feel like I learned a lot along the way. I enjoy and agree with most of your videos but in my experience certs are worth it.

[@nicoleenesse]

Certs do help with giving you good structure . This is really important when beginning

[@MrIllustrative]

Totally agree. What I took from what he was saying is in fields such UI/UX Design, Web Development/Design, Programming etc. technical Certs aren't really the only (or even best) routes for getting a job. Which I would be inclined to agree, as a self thought Designer myself, as within those fields skills and experience are what rein supreme. However, in terms of Computer Sciences (IT Technician, Network Engineer, Systems Admin, Cyber Security etc.) these Technical Certs go a long way in educating, preparing and making individuals competent enough to actually do the work those fields require, especially if you're a beginner or someone just entering the IT field. HTML CSS JavaScript, Python etc. are all open source technologies which can be accessed and learned pretty easily and there are a long list of institutions and organisations that provide resources to do just that (for absolutely free), but learning Networking, Cyber Security, Cloud Computing etc. is something else entirely, as those subjects are much more in depth and broad when it comes to the knowledge base, especially considering the rate in which technology on a whole is advancing. All in all there isn't one single route in order to achieve your job goals, but some routes are more viable than others. I'd say if you/re getting into the technical side of the IT industry (Network Management, System Administration, Cyber Security, Cloud Computing etc.) a Technical Cert goes a long way, but if your getting into the Design(Creative)/Development side of things (Front-End, Back-End, Web Design, UX/UI, Software Developing etc.) then maybe the self thought route is better suited for you. Which is a point I believe he kinda glossed over but was trying to make in the video.

[@briodom7119]

@@MrIllustrative I am thinking of making a complete career pivot from HR to IT. Cybersecurity has been very interesting to me so far. Other than certs, do you have any suggestions on how I can enter into the field? I saw you say that you went to an IT Schoo, any suggestions on that? Thank you in advance.

[@roseyodyssey4236]

I agree with most of your videos but I feel like this one is very misleading. This video is coming from "Software Developer/Web Developer" perspective, it doesn't even consider what the certifications actually teach. It is laughable that you are recommanding building a home server to become a network engineer - besides the fact that it is freaking expensive to properly build a home server (Just watch Craft Computing to get a taste) - when in the "real world" you will rarely be asked to configure a pfSense on a Proxmox Hypervisor. Don't underestimate the scale of maintaining an enterprise network infrastructure, knowing how to properly configure a Cisco/Juniper switch is as important as knowing the theory. These certifications exists for a reason. I got my first job because of CCNA without no background experience at a very big enterprise. Yes, they are for putting your foot at the door of IT world but don't be fool that you can just brain dump the whole exam without knowing a lot of theory. Some certs even recommand or require that you have a certain amount of experience in that field. EDIT: Also cert exam prices are a drop in the ocean compared to college degrees.

[@TaHrPa]

As someone who's been in IT for 7 years I have to say relevant certificates are a MUST for SOME positions like Networking and anything to do with Azure/AWS. I've never seen the company hire a NOC engineer without at least CCNP or a server guy without MCSA. It's a bare minimum. As for programming - absolutely no certification is required. Just your personal knowledge and skills.

[@MrIllustrative]

Absolutely spot on! I think that's where the disconnect is, as those two fields alone (though IT related) are vastly different in terms of knowledge, skill and application requirements. Not saying one is better than the other or that one is even harder than the other, but they are different. I'm in Design and Development and thinking of getting into Networking and Cyber Security, and boy it scares the hell out of me thinking about the switch.

[@ramblinman7153]

I work within the DoD as a senior unix systems engineer and have for the past 7 years. I only know of a couple of people that I've worked with over the years have a RHCSA or for those who work with Windows, a MCSA.

[@absolute-6664urazz]

That how toxic the new workforce is... 20yrs as Network Engineer, almost no one in my whole dept had any certs... shrugs 🤷‍♀ 🤷‍♀

[@riyapandey5973]

Hey what certificate would be required to become a software engineer?

[@f1amesoff]

That’s nonsense. The knowledge an engineer need for work is an engineering degree, no matter for which field it is.

[@Showmatic]

They're pretty important in Cybersecurity and maybe general IT, but for web dev and for many software dev jobs, a portfolio is often enough to get started.

[@shakiramj51]

and Data Science?

[@Showmatic]

@@shakiramj51 that too, I'm assuming

[@kimjongun1777]

He is talking crap these dude

[@MrClassicmetal]

​@@shakiramj51In the data fields nobody cares about your portfolio. It's experience that counts.

[@LearningandTechnology]

On this one I’ll disagree. I’ve been in the field since the mid 80’s and have seen several “waves” of certifications. Some were “golden tickets”, some were “paper carts” and the list goes on. The cert alone is not going to change who you are, but studying the material for the certifications will create a broad range of skills that you can then build upon. For some they are an entry into new skills, for some they are a ratification of skills. I think that saying they aren’t worth it may be over-simplistic and might steer people away from tools that can help them in their careers. Full disclosure: I have several certifications and acknowledge that not all certs are equal - but a solid CCNA or specialized Cloud, Infrastructure cert can go a long way.

[@yanksbroncs413]

First job, no. If you’re in the industry and have very little experience, it can definitely help to get a much better job. Getting cloud certifications will 100% open up doors for you. Big companies incentivize them so they can say they have a “GCP SME” on staff. You still need to have exposure to the platforms or industry.

[@nicoleenesse]

I agree. A lot of the time certifications are for compliance reasons for the company. In some roles you MUST have some type of security certification in order to keep yur job

[@artillla]

Personally, I wouldn’t be where I am now without IT certs. 7 years ago, no college, no skills , dead end job… The certificates gave me some foundational skills (at the time Net + and CCENT) and something relevant to put on my CV so it wasn’t just binned. Now I still occasionally do certs, more so the validate the skills I have at the time. Because hell, I put a lot of effort into learning topics may as well put a little bit more and have something to prove it. And I find this goes a long was for promotions and salary discussions. The dumps are a real problem though… But if you’re doing them and interviewing, you’re only fooling yourself…

[@KevtechITSupport]

I have trained over 300 students in IT. Some got jobs just having comptia a+, some got jobs without nothing just projects, some got jobs with only a computer science degree. It goes back to the resume, home labs, how you market yourself, having a good linkedin profile, and who you know along with references.

[@derekagard]

Had comptia a plus but did not get a decent job in my country..but wont give up will fnd a way

[@claytonmatt4334]

What are projects? I'm new to this stuff

[@KevtechITSupport]

@claytonmatt4334 build a homelab for IT Support. Same came be done with other jobs. IT Support would be to learn office 365, active directory, ticketing system, ntfs. You can learn those skills by creating a vm on the cloud or locally to your pc.

[@claytonmatt4334]

@@KevtechITSupport Nice, thank you.

[@chrisroberts5300]

I think it depends on your industry. I'm currently a developer in the defense sector, and for the level I am at Sec+ is required to get admin rights and access to the database.

[@JDMorris81]

I work for DoD in a different field but would like to transition. Do they require a CS degree?

[@chrisroberts5300]

@@JDMorris81 I don't have any degree yet, just depends on the contract

[@seapeajones]

Yup, certain industries require certs for the job, period. CEH and a couple others I can't recall are required for other DoD positions.

[@ramblinman7153]

Same.

[@vfryhn2]

I think certificates have some value just to show them up to the world and become a little more "valuable" for some employers, but also I think nothing is more valuable than to have real world experience and show it out there with projects that you have done

[@sarahfuntanilla6542]

Nicely Done Man!

[@doug2bitemore]

Ok so i have about 4 cents on this subject. So im finishing my first year as a systems administrator and before this job i had no professional experience in IT. I had spent 5 years building gaming desktops so i certainly didn't come in with 0 compute knowledge. Before i landed this job i had obtained my ccna and security + certification. Now i added the Python PCAP and Azure Az-104 to my resume. As for certifications i feel like people get the wrong idea about them, i view them as a learning tool that gives you something to show for your work if you pass the exam. Now if you only use brain dumps to prepare for the exam then you will obtain very little applicable knowledge for the real world. You must focus on LEARNING the material conceptually and practically if you want to improve your prowess in that field. That is where certifications hold the most of their value imo, they are incentives for learning platforms and broadcasting that knowledge to the world. If you only use brain dumps to obtain your certs then that'll show quickly in the real world or interviews. That being said certs arent the end all be all you'll always have to learn material outside of those domains in the real world. But certs imo gave me the necessary edge to learn the foundational skills & concepts to grow as an administrator. You can accomplish all of the above without certs but certs gives you something to show and a direction to persue a skillset.

[@elkinhuertas2137]

Hey Doug, I was wondering if I could ask you of how you got your position. I am too trying to get a Sysadmin job with my bachelors and some certs, ccna and sec+ are one of them, so that I can skip help desk. If you got any recommendations I would love to hear from you or we could link up in LinkedIn if that works. Thank you.

[@doug2bitemore]

Hey so there was an element of luck to how i landed the job. The company that i work for needed administrators and they essentially took me on in a "Junior Systems Administrator " role that quickly turned into an SA job after 4 months. This was 1 of 3 job opportunities that i took ( the other 2 were similar but i turned them down because i didnt like the vibes that i was getting from management and reviews). The biggest thing is getting to the interview and conveying your foundational know and willingness /capability to learn. I definitely had my own homelab so that i at least understood the very basics of active directory, and windows server. Ill private message my linkedIn.

[@max_rove]

Exactly. People are always looking for shortcuts and then they complain. Their purpose needs to be BOTH: Learning the material AND getting certified. People who ask are certifications worth it, are the type of people who are always looking for brain dumps or some way to just pass the exam with little regard for learning. These people will not succeed long term, with or without certifications. :)

[@benlabrum8806]

Certs are great because they also show you are serious about what you want to do and are willing to put in the time. Certs are also good because they give you a baseline knowledge that you can build off of, especially if you are new to the field.

[@GenXdad]

Jeez.. thank goodness I came to the comments. I'm looking to get into developing and have been considering the free Google certs. I now know to get them. Thanks IT Community.

[@sebaba001]

The only certs i would consider would be aws/azure. Teaching my self to become a web dev and I think for someone with no experience, no degree(in CS field) and only projects and independent stuff to show, a cert in those cloud services that alllwaayysss show up in the job search might be a good idea. I wouldnt take so many though, just take for example an aws cert at the same time i am doing and hosting a webapp with aws to really drill it through my brain.

[@akin242002]

Google Cloud Platform (GCP) data certificate is also great to have. Ford is desperate for Google Cloud Platform certification holders for their EV data management.

[@akin242002]

Also CompTIA A+ if a person wants to start a career in IT support and eventually become System Administrator.

[@sebaba001]

@@akin242002 I want to do web-dev or app-dev 100%! I really like the idea of being able to create stuff from scratch. Ideally I would become a full-stack but I realize the best jobs and more widely available jobs are either specialized in front or back or automation/testing. For now I am learning full-stack style and then whichever entry job of those I can land I will grow from there. Planning to go hard on this to start applying around July-August.

[@bashkimbajrami6758]

@@akin242002 I agree with you

[@scottlee38]

For any college student reading this: You need the certifications that your job requires. End of story. I know Dorian is saying something different, but a degree is damn near useless these days (depending on your field). Also you need internship experience. That part is spot on.

[@jay_stack1270]

Thanks @scott lee I’m currently taking my AAS Computer Science….Do you think getting a BSc CS is worth it? Cuz of all these student loans & stuff

[@scottlee38]

@Jay_ Stack So basically, it would benefit you to ensure that you get what your career field requires first. I would search positions on LinkedIn, then copy the certification requirements and do a reverse search on each cert. Basically, get the cert name and paste it in the job search bar and see which ones populate the most jobs. That will tell you which is more important. Degrees are a "given" meaning a company pretty much expects everyone to have (a degree), so its nothing really special. A combination of internship experience and certifications will give you a huge advantage in most technical fields. I work with people that have no degree but have certs. Some certifications are even worth as much as a masters degree.

[@paul3734]

The CompTIA "trifecta" got me started in IT and was the reason I was able to get an interview. Dorian is right, they won't get you a job. But getting you into the interview room is many times all you need.

[@savagepro9060]

This is cert-fkin confusing. Often you need certifications to get a job. Then some jobs ask for experience. Other jobs ask for experience, plus tech certs. Some tech certs need experience as prerequisite. Some people who succeed say you don't need certs. Some jobs ask for college degrees, PLUS certs. In some instances it boils down to who you know and who knows you!

[@ontanicolae1794]

so many people here disagreeing, im really confused on how should i go about this

[@chawaphiri1196]

It's also the entire problem with university. It just shows you studied for a test

[@delturge]

Certifications encompass a body of knowledge. In I.T., you tend to be a knowledge worker. There is too much to explain and learn to dismiss these bodies of knowledge. You have to start somewhere, and having the certifications is a good place to start. Everyone cannot get a job without some kind of qualification backing them. Minorities do not have the luxury of someone just assuming they can do something. Moreover, certifications get highly specific and advanced. Many have performance based components. At the end of the day, you either have the will to learn and pay your dues, or expect someone to just let you in. Depending on who you are, you might not have that luxury.

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[@dlengelkes]

Some Government jobs require a Comptia Security+ equivalent.

[@sanmiguel8433]

What about Harvard c50x program ? They are giving out a certificate is not worthy ?

[@a.pixel.revolution]

So how do I go on this path to learn the info I need? Wonder if there is any organized site or company to help beginners in an easy-to-understand method.. that as a bonus, gives you some recognition you completed certain courses, that additionally might get you past that hr person who may not even know the industry that well and just vetting by certificate?

[@MeMe-xm1vn]

Hello, been in IT for 30 years now, holding double MScs. Everyone is speaking from their own experience. Some got a job with a certificate while others failed. So, I agree with both sides of the argument. Though, many are not looking at the main cause of this. For example, many individuals are certified, but they are not working, and it has nothing to do with their knowledge, experience, or certification. It’s pure economics. Recently, many technical people were laid off, and it has nothing to do with education or experience. So, certifications can get some people a job, but the economy is in a bad shape and the level of competition is high, unless you want to work for yourself.

[@Frissdas1207]

More often than not, if you're working for or applying to a major company worth any significant amount of money your certs are going to matter. I love that you're telling people not to waste their time/money getting them because all you're doing is making the competition dwindle for people like me. Documented and proven continuing education is not a detractor. If you're just a paper tiger, you'll be found out pretty quickly as an imposter anyway. Over half of the companies I've worked for require certs on their IT team to maintain brand partnerships i.e. Cisco gold memberships ect. If you're applying for that job and you have a CCNA/CCNP your chances are way better than those who don't. So, by all means people. Please stop getting certs. All you will do is make the market less competitive for those of us who have them. :D

[@dogma7911]

Certs are like degrees, they show that you might have a minimum amount of knowledge. It's just a way to get past the gatekeeper. Create a portfolio of knowledge, and network, Get out there and meet people. I'd skip all low level certs and get a higher one with a great portfolio.

[@MunitionsDudTester]

I understand the sentiment, but certificates are 100% worth it. Things like CompTIA and Azure/AWS are essentially required for some entry jobs (More so for government tech jobs). A lot of the time you won't make it past the HR filter without them on your resume. That being said, nothing beats actual experience, especially if you can find a cert that has a program that has a lot of "hands on" activities as well. The cert programs are great for learning and getting interviews, but having some experience like volunteering for small businesses, churches, etc. as said in the video is what will help land the job.

[@GetShwiftyInHere]

I know this video is a year old at this point, but there are certifications out there that give you hands-on lab experiences. Courera is a great example of this. I've taken their cybersecurity course and it gave me hands on experience with Linux, SQL and Python. I enjoy them because of the structured learning they provide. Being self taught is hard in any industry.

[@jesterjake88]

I JUST got Comptia security +….then see this video…

[@ummesaniyah]

Certification are must for begginners who trying to get into IT without experience… its not about guarantee to job … its about a way to prove your skills

[@RicardoSilvaTripcall]

In more than 20 years working with IT, nobody ever asked me for a certification ... I just have basic Java cert ... but I think they are worthless ... they will just prove that you have studied to pass a exam, have memorized a bunch of things, that you will completely forget in a week. I'm amazed by those people getting all the AWS path certifications, what a waste of time and money. Certifications are money machine for the companies.

[@DorianDevelops]

My thoughts exactly! Seems there's a lot of people in the comments that disagree with us...

[@mpforeverunlimited]

@@DorianDevelops people disagree because they've gotten jobs with certs. I think it's okay to have an opinion based off of your reality

[@polo4941]

Well some of those certs are helping people. They could be worthless to you but helpful to others

[@mr12c41]

You don't know what you're talking about, comptia cert ans cisco cert aloud me to shift ma carrier to IT support and now I'm an engineer in a Canadian compagny so I say to all people these certifications are so valuable

[@bsmakoro]

Appreciate the honesty, bruvh. Saved me time and money to focus on what really matters

[@Syphonix3]

Thank you Dorian for all that you do. I am 37 year old married father of three trying to frantically skill up so I always appreciate all the videos you do on this subject. They may not be leaving comments but so many people draw inspiration from your back story and the knowledge you provide. Good day to you Sir.

[@VantaKat]

Technical certifications are worth it, if you know which certifications are valuable certifications. The problem lies more so in the recent over saturation in non-valuable certifications. There are companies that have consumers pay x amount to receive the company's made certifications. After going through the program and test to receive the certification, people may struggle to find a job because the certification is not valued or doesn't meet the criteria the job market desires. Everyone needs to research, find the exact certifications that are valued in their career field (or desired career field) and determine what certifications to get from there. If you can find a company to hire you and pay for your certifications, that's great! If not, the investment in certifications are still worth it, because it still contributes to the process of getting a better job and most likely a higher pay/salary.

[@RonnygoBOOM]

Thanks a lot for this! I was considering getting a cert through google for UI/UX design, and this helped me to focus on the things I have already learned to build a portfolio.

[@susanchi9284]

Please take the Google UX course, the course helped me build my first case study and shared a lot of resources, tailored my further learning and search into becoming a better designer. The best part is that I applied for financial help and I was granted all the courses free.

[@felixmboya1586]

Do you have to believe it because he says it? Bruh! You need to learn that that is he's OPINION. Don't rely on others while making decisions

[@yeisonalicontrerasrodrigue9273]

He doesn't probably know that there are It certs that are got through a hands-on process which is very hard like Redhat Certifications, you have to go to any RedHat partner and take a two-and-a-half-hour practical test. You will face real technical challenges, that's why is so important this kind of certification and that is why employers give worth to this.

[@peterd5901]

This argument makes no sense. Of course if you want to be a web developer or software engineer the certs aren't worth it. That's like saying being good at tennis is useless if you want to become an NBA player. The IT support certs would help you get a job in IT support, not as a software engineer LOL.

[@wewegomb]

Certificate only good for fresh graduate or someone who apply for entry level, but for senior level or manager level experience is a must.

[@ferrm1992]

From experience I would say that the certs are good to get your feet in the water and get a basis or taste of the role. But, end of the day, what the companies will value more is real-time project/s experience. Hands-on stuff that you were able to do using the methodologies

[@kramer911]

As a guy whos 31, never went to college and is basically glued to security jobs, would you recommend going to a college for "software engineering"? or learning it all myself?. Just trying to pick a career path and I basically have lived on computers my whole life one way or another anyways.. so I figure I shoudl get into this

[@johndoggett4657]

The CCNA and all those comptia certs where the only reason I was looked at for jobs. Also if you want a job with the DOD you need certs.

[@Bigjizay]

Agreed. Certain CompTIA certs and CCNA will help with getting a job.

[@wz8881]

You need the certification to pass HR

[@mankybrains]

Certs are a plus to have on your resume. But it could never substitute real world experience. Imagine building your web project that includes, design, hosting, front-end, back end, deployment to aws or azure. The potential employer will see all of that on your resume and be more impressed to see an actual live project than your certs. Like you said, all the real world experience makes the difference. Being in IT is similar in doing a traditional trade like carpentry, electrician, plumbing especially being a handyman. You do real world projects and show your portfolio to potential employers, customers. They don't care if your certified. I started helping out a friend with a couple of his handyman jobs just for fun. It takes the same amount of work to get things done. The difference is hard physical labor vs hard mental labor. Tradesmen do all the same kinds of jobs in their field, it depends on how well the do it, no different from people who designs webpages or builds networks. Oddly enough, majority of my jobs I got were from training and experience. Here's my first big boy job after high-school. I applied for a entry position at the library. I had worked a job after the 7th grade for a summer youth program before then. The interviewers were more impressed with my organizational skills ( me describing literally cleaning out my room and organizing everything to find things) than the actual work experience at the library. I did not think much that just cleaning my room and making things to help organize my drawer and closet meant anything. So, just get out there and start working on your projects no matter what it is.

[@webmastertools4313]

If certs aren't worth it then what's the way forward?

[@fusilism]

build your own projects, make a sample website to show your capabilities

[@MaruSurfs]

Projects, Projects and more Projects!

[@FadingNebula]

I always believe its best to hear from both sides, and I appreciate your honesty. Sometimes you have to hear the harsh truth of the real world. There are always pros and cons to these things and I do believe you make valid points. Thank you for making these videos!

[@ZbeastVIP]

If you're a developer/programmer/software engineer a certification will do very little for you. I have never seen a coding job that requires or mentions them. Now with that said As a DevOps Engineer, I think certifications are great "nice to have" for IT people (Sysadmins/Cloud Engineers/DevOps engineers). Certifications help you get to pass through the HR/Recruiters and non-technical people, they're also a good way to "COMPLEMENT" your knowledge (certifications are very broad and not many of them are hands-on) but they help you to learn a subject with a clear outline which then can be practice with outside hands-on experience (by building something).....

[@LuminousWhispers11]

Certifications are supposed to validate that you have the baseline knowledge. They are not supposed teach but rather validate. Vendor Specific (Cisco, VMware, Microsoft, AWS, Oracle, Google Cloud, Juniper Networks): I am especially a fan of Cisco certifications as they also validate the foundations while also including labs. Being certified to use a technology is more reliable than vendor netural certifications. That said it is important that a certification exam tests for those foundations along with including that practical testing as well. If you can't transfer knowledge over from a technology then it is useless. Vendor Neutral (CompTIA, EC-Council, (ISC)2, GIAC): They don't actually enforce doing the what is required to achieve certification. People just end up cramming for the tests and don't have that hands on experience. EC-Council and GIAC certifications are rather pricey. It is also very common for vendor netural certifications to be outdated. Which can be a problem for people taking the exam. Practical Certifications (Offensive Security, eLearnSecurity, TCM Security): I dislike Offensive Security due to them having a unrealistic testing method along with their high price tags. I prefer TCM Security because they force you to do the job that they are testing for. Funny enough, I imagine that they save much more money than Offensive Security while also realistically validating the ability to do the job. Experience Required Certifications (ISACA, (ISC)2): Certifications are supposed to validate that you have the baseline knowledge. If work experience is required in one or more of the exam domains then why the hell do you need the certification? If you pass the multiple choice test, you still need those years of experience making the validation that the certification provides miminal. You are simply just using the certification provider's name to make yourself seem more credible. So, I like practical, vendor specific, and simulated certifications. Experience is much more valuable than a certification, but, if the person gets hands on experience along with certifications. Then that is the person I want to work with. Ultimately, I am focusing on Cisco, TCM Security, and the (ISC)2 CISSP certifications. But, ultimately, I like Cisco and TCM Security. The CISSP is only so I am less likely to have a problem in the future. But, I will say that certification environment for Computer Science's sub fields is bloated.

[@ronscheibel7770]

I really appreciate your content! It is really helping me as I continue to teach myself to code. I am at the stage where I finished a bootcamp and CS50. I have a good grasp of HTML, CSS, JS, React, and React Native with experience in Bootstrap, and I had exposure to MongoDB, Express, and Node.js, but I need a lot more practice in all of it and am working on building a portfolio. At what point should I start actually applying to jobs and internships? How many sites should I actually have in my portfolio, and where should I go to start applying? Do you have any suggestions? Indeed? Upwork? Glassdoor? LinkedIn? What is the best route to go?

[@SS4DEUCE]

If you have a good grasp on things you could apply for jr front end dev jobs

[@taterrhead]

truth is you will never feel 'ready' ... start to slowly apply as soon as you have some projects to show off so you can fail and learn from interviews

[@SmashingProdigy]

3 - 5 projects is a good amount to have in your portfolio. If they look basic (or ugly), I would recommend trying to pretty it up a little bit... And make sure that they're the projects you are most proud of. Start applying as soon as your portfolio is set up. Imposter syndrome will get to you and you will never truly know if you're ready until you get your first assignment... You're not expected to know everything, just expected to know how to approach a problem. Indeed and LinkedIn are great places to look for work. LinkedIn especially because you can network, build a public profile, and apply to jobs all in 1 place.

[@Guidinglight09]

I agree with you. Getting a cert is not an indication that you are capable of using the product. I always feel handicapped after I get a certification I’m not a certified AWS architect but I was able to use the platform to setup a CI/CD, Code Pipeline, ELB, EC2, RDS, do ECS configs and task definitions, AWS Cognito and configure security of a SaaS project for 2 years. Thanks to the hands on work, I’m very confident of repeating the experience in another place with cost optimisation yet I apply to companies that require background in AWS cloud architecture in addition to learning on my own their other products and I get rejected ☹️

[@knowledgegirl661]

Love the video, have you heard of careeist or course careers? It's supposed to be an entity for bootcamp to get into tech, would love to hear your thoughts

[@joshu4780]

I think you based your argument off of some invalid logic. Are tech certs going to be "all you need" you switch careers? Not necessarily. Are tech certs invalid because some people cheat on them? No, they are not necessarily invalid just because some people cheat. Those people will be weeded out, and those who took got the certification legitimately will stand out. If you sincerely take these courses and pass certification, you've learned and proven something. Does being Adobe certified make you a Graphic Designer? No, but an Adobe Certified Graphic Designer might stand out as the better hire than someone who just has a portfolio.

[@thuglaza4728]

Started doing data analysis projects in Power BI to learn the tool. Once I had some hands-on experience I used a Coursera course to close to gaps in my knowledge. I then decided that I wanted to get a Microsoft certification, and studied for the Pl-300. While doing that I realized that I wasn't learning anything anymore. I was just studying to pass an exam. So I dropped it out of principle. It reminded me how much I despise exams, because you can get the certification without having uses the tools at all.

[@vshokeen7600]

Thankyou so much for the info you give man, it's very helpful and above all genuine. I probably would have said you are underrated but to be honest I think there are only few people who actually want to know the truth, the hard way...so being not so popular at time of clickbaits and fake information is a good thing in my opinion. Keep up the good work buddy, and smile :) you are helping people a lot ie the people who actually want help(not fantasies).

[@VincentGonz]

Dorian, I've been studying front end web development for some a few months now. I really would like your take on this. Do you think the front end web development field is dying? (due to companies like Wix, Square space, etc.)

[@valdanoobieyisi1048]

no not at all. Learn a front end framework and then learn the full stack. youll be fine

[@noherekruger3738]

This advice is outdated. In todays world the only way to get meaningful interviews is to have your resume get picked up by the ATS systems that HR departments use. They're scanning specifically for certs and education. No certs - no job interviews. If you're good at interviews, then more certs will get you more interviews and more jobs. Certs give you and advantage over people that don't. Plus if you can get your company to pay for those certs, even better.

[@mercy1441]

This is quite famous in U.K. right now definitely best way to get a low level job in basic IT, even if it’s admin still better than starving yo Fuel is £1.60 per litre now !

[@Batman_Fan]

I appreciate youir channel and like your videos, was interesting to watch, but I feel that depending on the job, certifications can be worth it. For example, for data analytrics/data science, certifications helped me land my first job with zero experience, as the certificaiton course i did was 60% projects that resembled real world data analysis tasks that workers do, and this helped me a lot, and I had no issues in the interviews. I am unfamiliar with other job lines and certifications done, but I feel in general, it is important to look at waht the certification covers. For data science, I wouldn't even iknow where to start to get a job in it after graduating with no itnernship experience, and it helped turn my life around. I didn't use a big company certification course so I am unaware what google, micrsofot, etc certs are like but got a cert that was partnered with a university, so was very helpful. Thanks for the video though, but I feel in certain industries, certifications can be useful. Maybe it's not very useful for certain job lines, but i feel for cybersecurity and data analysis, two fast growing fields, certs are the best way for someone with no experience in the field to even grasp enough knowedlge to get a starting job then work their way up.

[@johncarlopinlac2411]

In web development particularly front end development(your expertise), sure you may proceed and grow without the certs. But for technical roles like entry-level helpdesk, network engineer, systems admin, cybersecurity analyst/security engineer, certs (e.g. A+, Sec+, Net+, CCNA/NP/IE, OSCP, CISM, CISSP) are extremely helpful if not strictly required to get your foot on the door or advance in your career. Though you made valid points, it's quite obvious you're pretty ignorant about what happens outside your niche.

[@lololololololol444]

I personally know people who do interviews for giant companies and they only look for certs over everything else, boot camps and degrees come as a 2nd or 3rd

[@seapeajones]

Infosec & GRC here. Certs are 100% worth it in our space, especially based on industry. Brain dumps have pretty much been weeded out of IT certs with interactive lab requirements. You understand or you fail. Great advice on building a private lab for IT/INFOSEC practice though. Showing that type of initiative is compelling in an interview.

[@Hyppetrain]

ok and what if I already work in IT (application monitoring), I have some slight, general knowledge of scripting (C#, Python, Javascript), some HTML and CSS. But not much experience with any of it, cause Im 20 years old and graduaded high school 8 months ago, and I want to learn some things to not be forever stuck in my current position. Should I consider some certificates, like the Google ones, or focus on self study? Thanks for the video, appreciate it.

[@blackgirlinatechworld8955]

You need to start building a portfolio of everything you have learned. Do several projects to proof you know what you are doing. That will get a job quicker than any certification.

[@la_dweng6407]

Let me wait with you yere

[@ct8698]

Let me guess, you failed your first cert test. And now all certs are crappy.

[@cgme9535]

Yeah, that’s my guess too. The title and his overall message are arguably untrue and easy to disprove.

[@jostin4041]

Getting certifications if you’re a high school student and your school doesn’t offer ap classes isn’t necessarily a terrible idea. (For the purpose of college admissions that is)

[@Brandyn2893]

Agreed. Only needed a cert to get my foot in the door. I would say a base CCNA is needed most of the time. I never renewed it, just experience after that.

[@polo4941]

But it got you in the door so they aren’t worthless

[@rainbowsunshinekitty3953]

The IT Crowd! I loved that show🥰. Most folks need a directed path. I do. Learning Data Analytics currently. Upping my skills.

[@anonymoushuman8443]

So how are employers supposed to hire you 🙄

[@joshuaharer9813]

You sound salty....like you couldn't obtain the Comp Tia certs? I mean can you imagine doing this for a bachelors degree? "Don't get a BSB-IT, they don't teach you anything...enter HR who wouldn't even give you an interview.... What are you talking about sir. Certs are how people gain formal updated fundamental training. CTF, projects, internships, and volunteering are what a person would use to gain the experience to break in. Keep it accurate man.

[@RjTheTrigun]

I agree with you but damn it if these defense contractors don't require it. Sec +, cissp

[@chrisroberts5300]

Yea I just mentioned that too, Required to get sec+ and next casp or cysa to be eligible next year as a developer.

[@ramblinman7153]

Mostly require sec+, but it's a fairly easy exam.

[@robertlee8519]

Certs are *required* for a lot of jobs, especially in some gov contracts. By definition they're valuable if the market is demanding then, regardless of how useful they are or not.

[@heraldson4508]

Exam date approaching, Money is at stake it is the greatest motivation atleast for me. so i do recommend certs. It is not easy to prove our expertise in some fields such as networking without certs. There are some certs where the knowledge is tested effeciently. Not all certs have only multiple choice questions ( brain dumps don't work always )

[@DanielDogeanu]

I kinda disagree with this one... While I agree that you don't necessarily need them, the courses that you have to take in order to qualify and pass these certifications are really good, and bring a lot of value to people who want to have their learning experience more structured, and who need someone else to show them the path. Certifications are also useful, as you said, to help recruiters vet you more easily. I can't even begin to tell you how much attention I get from recruiters because of my certifications, even though I don't have the right education for most of the companies out there. So my advice would be, if you can afford them, get them! If not, don't stress about them, you can always get them later in your career!

[@camilosixtino]

Thank you

[@brians2328]

CLICKBAIT, YES THEY ARE!

[@Philosophy_85]

Youre 100% righd! I was asked about cloud landing zones in an interview last week. Landing zone arent covered in any aws associate architect study material or tests 🤷🏽‍♂️

[@topsykretts2264]

Definitely important and will help you stand out in a saturated market where everyone has personal projects and boot camp or college education.

[@Osiris_fc]

If this is true I need to move to the US. In Africa no one will even look at your CV if you do not have the cert.

[@psboy13892]

I like the videos title. Straight to the point. No click bait.

[@Droid-jr7zj]

I just think that these certification, is just to pass HR filter , I’m studying for one but I’m a on hands guy so I know most jobs just want to see if you know how to do it 90% of the time,most of the information you can just pull up on the phone while on the job so I get what your saying.

[@olympic-ass-eater]

It is the same thing with a college degree just to pass the job application system to land for an interview.

[@Chris_t0]

programming is easy, security is not, certification or similar are basically required if you have any chance of working in a high paying (generally security) job

[@unearthedtheories5023]

I'm a former repair tech I'd like to know what certifications are the best for my experience?

[@sadyoshhours2769]

judging by your comments and video, it looks like the ideal path is studying for vital certs as well as building stuff in the meantime. Your words have value. thank you

[@artimus7525]

While I do agree with your viewpoints, one main advantage of certs is to bypass the hiring bots on job application websites. Of course if you have human connections with that job then certs may not be necessary.

[@hackedtechnothief]

Correct. Certs are the key to the gatekeepers which is HR.

[@RickSanchez_85]

I'm 40 years old from germany. Never had a single IT-Cert. Just studied Informatic, got my diploma and than tons of working knowledge in different jobs and companies. No need for any kind of certificate to find a new job if your work speaks for yourself. Maybe we just don't need them here in germany compared to the US, don't know, don't care. I work as a data analyst, network administrator and am responsible for the whole IT of our company , database administrator and network administrator all in one, doing programming interfaces to connect the sofotware in our company and so on. So yeah, no need for expensive certs. Never had, never will

[@har0111890011]

You are totally wrong. Certificates are absolutely worth it because for employers its a way to gauge that you can be a fit for them before they do interviews with you etc.

[@tarinvernon7007]

Its interesting that for some companies a paper that says "yes you can do it" that you paid for is more than your whole webpage portfolio that you have been building for years with positive client reviews. Also studied design for 4 years. Nope, get a certificate.

[@TheTaxCollectorsWoW]

Sure, no one gives a shit about certs for UX design or programming. Network engineering and Ethical hacking is a different story, especially if you have no experience. OSCP for ethical hacking is almost required for a pen tester. If you want to do network engineering then a CISCO cert like CCNA is almost required too. OSCP is a 24 hour practical exam where you have to break into 5 machines, then if you score high enough you get another 24 hours to write an industry standard report. So yeah, terrible information on the Networking/Hacking side because no one cares if you set up a router at home.

[@coffeehousephilosopher7936]

Certifications.. unless the employer is willing to pay for training or taking the certification ... Really isn't worth it. Sure you have success stories and what not but being able to do projects and share it with a community trumps that ... The Internet is a resource we all have and teaching your self the skills isn't impossible these days.

[@julienarpin5745]

I completed Google Data Analytics, IBM Data Science, and Imperial College London Mathematics for Machine Learning this month and you expect me to believe words?

[@HN-fb6md]

Dude, I took Coursera courses for Data Analytics and Excel for Business, and none of it was helpful when a problem actually occurred. You felt lost once the final assessment came around and there was no live person to help,

[@AbderrahmanFodili]

Same old what should happen vs what's actually happening. I'm taking a Google UX design course thank you

[@SS4DEUCE]

I’m currently on course 6 out of 7 now

[@hitfan2000]

While I like your videos and what you have to say, I will have to disagree with you here regarding certifications. I've been implementing a daily self-learning regimen and I feel that getting a professional certification is a great way to prove and measure your progress on your learning journey. The value of the certifications is what hiring managers will perceive them to be but also as documented evidence that you're a self-learner. That combined with having a portfolio of side and personal projects are a great combination as well. But of course, nothing beats real world tech industry experience.

[@deletrious]

is your channel basically hating on everytthing for click-bait titles?? LUL

[@chouchounaceur427]

Thnx a lot Man, the honesty about certain things and professional aspect, had me to change my perespective about my career, avoiding a big waste of time on certifications, and focusing on improving my skills and focus on creating project that can reflect my talent and the value i can provide.thnx a again mate, you made my day.