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<DIV><SPAN class=515484918-25022003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>I have
always seen certifications as merely a tool for validating your credentials to
clients, or for competing for a position with an organization. It is
a competition, after all, and given equal experience the position will go to the
one with the cert vs. one without. Remember, the people making these
decisions often times do not have the experience to make the best decision
themselves.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=515484918-25022003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=515484918-25022003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Once
in the door they are pretty much meaningless - experience and judgement will get
the job done over factiods learned in cramming for a
certification.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=515484918-25022003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=515484918-25022003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Just
my two cents. Personally, I'll be beefing up on certs because there are
specific things I want to do in the next few years and I want every edge on the
competition I can get.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=515484918-25022003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=515484918-25022003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Mark
Porter</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=515484918-25022003><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> Wortz, Charles
[mailto:CWortz@tea.state.tx.us]<BR><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, February 25, 2003
7:58 AM<BR><B>To:</B> dba-sqlserver@databaseadvisors.com<BR><B>Subject:</B>
RE: [dba-SQLServer]MCDBA<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=223335416-25022003><FONT color=#0000ff
size=2>Steve,</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=223335416-25022003><FONT color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=223335416-25022003><FONT color=#0000ff size=2>Some
bureaucracies look very favorably on degrees and certificates. Some look
very favorably on your past performance. Which type are you
now at and which type are you looking at for a better paying
job?</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV><!-- Converted from text/rtf format -->
<P><SPAN lang=en-us><B><FONT color=#0000ff>Charles Wortz</FONT></B></SPAN>
<BR><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#0000ff>Software Development
Division</FONT></SPAN> <BR><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#0000ff>Texas
Education Agency</FONT></SPAN> <BR><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#0000ff>1701
N. Congress Ave</FONT></SPAN> <BR><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT color=#0000ff>Austin,
TX 78701-1494</FONT></SPAN> <BR><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT
color=#0000ff>512-463-9493</FONT></SPAN> <BR><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT
color=#0000ff>CWortz@tea.state.tx.us</FONT></SPAN> <BR><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT
color=#000000>(SELECT * FROM users WHERE clue > 0)</FONT></SPAN> </P>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr align=left><FONT
face=Tahoma size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> Steven W. Erbach
[mailto:serbach@new.rr.com] <BR><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday 2003 Feb 25
10:56<BR><B>To:</B> dba-sqlserver@databaseadvisors.com<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re:
[dba-SQLServer]MCDBA<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Allan,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I can appreciate the structured learning bit. I
was wondering because I had a conversation with a good friend who, in the
past, always kept up the certifications that he had. He seems to be despairing
of the cost and bother. Unless one is focused very clearly on one skill these
days, certification can become very expensive very quickly. Some--Cisco, for
example--require re-certification every two years. I just wonder what that
buys you once you get it. Continued advancement? Better-paying
jobs?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I looked up MCDBA certification classes in my
area and found some being offered by another old friend of mine in the Chicago
area. The certification tests apparently cannot be taken unless one also takes
the courses. I found that a bit of a put-off.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I was also curious that, on the Microsoft site,
the MCDBA is geared for those with big company experience and big servers and
big databases. Somehow I doubt that these required courses offer anything in
the way of simulation of huge databases or multiple platform connections...or
do they?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I've worked with PCs since 1982 and on mainframes
for a bit before that, back to 1975. It seems demeaning somehow that I cannot
take a certification test without going through an approved set of courses for
which I pay a large sum of money. I'm perfectly capable of learning SQL
Server--or anything else, for that matter--just fine on my own or in
connection with my client experiences. I guess I'm whining about having to
take those courses. If I do and if I get an MCDBA, what does it
mean?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Regards,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Steve Erbach<BR>Scientific Marketing<BR>Neenah,
WI</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>"Nothing so needs reforming as other people's
habits." - Mark Twain<BR></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
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