Oracle Certification

I often hear questions such as: "Is it worth it to get certified?", "Should I get my team certified?", and "What is the value of certification?"

To answer these questions, I often share the key data points in our latest Global Oracle Certification Program Survey. More recently I’ve also found myself sharing some additional perspective points that I have come to believe quite strongly:

The real value of certification isn’t so much the ‘piece of paper’ you receive, although this is indeed an important token of your achievement. The true value sought by professionals and their clients is found in the steps that a person must goes through in order to pass the required exams.

Everyone can identify with the anxiety that comes with the prospect of taking a test. In preparation, most people have to study: train, read, research and practice. I see a lot of people that even create flash cards or their own practice questions. Serious preparation is typically a tedious process that is done over the course of several days, weeks or even months. There is plenty of time to learn and absorb the topics/concepts and to get some ‘hands-on time’ with the technology. It is this very studying that leads to greater learning and understanding - hence creating a great value for each of the customers whom hires this professional to work on their systems.

I want to point out that this principle applies to anyone of almost any level of experience. The breadth and depth of what is covered on the exams (or the exam objectives) typically requires even experienced professionals to prepare well – think, practice, train and study. If this process is taken seriously, then it is almost certain that they will learn something new or understand something old a little better.

Regards,

Paul Sorensen
Director, Oracle Certification

Obviously you all know that I think certification is great. It can be an important career-building tool for people who take the process seriously (see my previous blog entry). However it’s my strong feeling that certification alone is only a part of the equation in building your career. There are other very important factors that you should consider if you want to advance and expand your career. Some suggestions are:

• Broaden your job experience - Volunteer for a tough new project at work or volunteer to manage your local junior soccer team’s website. Pursue things that expand your experience and help you meet (and impress) new people.
• Get additional training - You might need to take training in conjunction with your certification, but if possible don’t stop there. There are many opportunities for additional training - advanced courses, self-study CDs, online courses, white papers, etc.
• Increase your product experience - Download the latest version of the product, install it locally and become familiar with it. Don’t forget to review any accompanying documentation or white papers.
• Finish your university, college or technical degree (if possible) - If you are close, why not finish it up?
• Build your reference base - To get a good job or promotion, you need people who are willing to vouch for you. Work hard to build trust with your peers, bosses and associates. As a part of this effort, focus on improving your communication skills.

Getting certified is a great way to build your career. Going through the certification process will help you increase your knowledge, expand your skill-set and boost your confidence. However certification alone is not enough. You should include some of the items above to help expand your career even further. You never know - it might just put you on the fast track!

Note to Hiring Managers: Just as candidate should not stake their careers solely on certification, you should not hire someone just because they are certified. Certification is an important factor and should play a role in your hiring process, but you should also base your hiring decisions on experience, education/training and communication skills (among other things). Most importantly you should follow up carefully with the candidate’s references. By looking at the whole package and verifying the details with multiple references you will improve your chances of hiring the right candidate.

Paul Sorensen | Director, Oracle Certification

The unsettling news of the global economy is unwelcome to IT professionals looking to improve their careers. It seems that during tougher economic times – not only are there fewer opportunities for promotions, training or new/challenging projects, but sometimes even earning a living can become an issue.

A typical response for most of us is to scale back our spending as much as possible and only spend or invest where it’s most wise. For many Oracle IT Professionals, a smart and inexpensive way to invest in your career and touch up your resume during a rough economy is to get or add an Oracle certification. By going through the process to earn an Oracle certification process, you improve your skills and knowledge, gain confidence, and add to your professional credibility. Oracle certification may help provide that differentiation and credibility that you need to get a new job or keep the one you have.

Several situations might make you consider getting certified now:

• You are an experienced Oracle IT professional but have never considered certification.
• You are already certified, but on an old version.
• You are already certified and there is an add-on Expert (OCE) track available in your technology domain.

Not Certified: If you have taken Oracle training, have the skills, knowledge and experience, but have never gotten certified – you might strongly consider certification. There are lots of options, and in most instances you can get started without a mandatory training requirement. This by the way, is a perfect time for OCAs who have never completed OCP to consider finishing their certification.

Certified on an old version: Version upgrades typically (1) don’t have a mandatory training requirement (although training is recommended if your knowledge is not strong), and (2) usually only require that you pass a single exam. In cases where you are behind multiple versions, Oracle often offers bridge exams that enable you to skip a version when you upgrade.

Expert Track: Oracle has a growing number of add-ons to our database tracks. Consider highlighting advanced skills by specializing in RAC or Performance Tuning. Additionally there are many standalone Expert Tracks that might fit your domain and provide you with additional credibility (such as SQL Expert or 11i Workflow Expert).

Please note that I am not advocating that the credential alone will get you a new job; however as I’ve mentioned before, the process that you go through to become certified – along with the recognition that the credential brings – improves the chances that you will do better in a tough economy, especially if you are already an experienced Oracle IT Professional. It’s a relatively inexpensive investment that can only help you move your career forward – even in tough economic times.

Paul Sorensen,
Director, Oracle Certification

I’ve seen a few articles lately that remind us that - in spite of the current economic climate - it is a good time to be a Database Administrator, both now and in the future.

In a CNN article the author lists Database Administrator (DBA) as one of the Top Ten Promising jobs with solid job growth outlook over the next several years. Additionally, a US-oriented salary survey indicates encouragingly high salaries for DBAs and Senior DBAs. Most importantly what these articles both indicate is that the DBA job role indeed continues to be a critical, high paying role with solid future prospects.

Now as much as ever, DBAs of all skill levels should look to shore up their skill sets and resumés. Certification can be a relatively inexpensive (although not easy) way to enhance your credibility and prospects while adding to your skills and knowledge.

As you evaluate your current situation, remember to consider certification as a part of your career-planning strategy – whether you need to upgrade, have never certified before, or are looking to specialize with an Expert designation.

Paul Sorensen,
Director, Oracle Certification