[Web4lib] Network certifications

[Cloutman, David]

-----Original Message-----
From: Dan Lester [mailto:dan at riverofdata.com] 
Sent: Monday, December 03, 2007 12:51 PM
To: Cloutman, David
Cc: web4lib at webjunction.org
Subject: Re[2]: [Web4lib] Network certifications


> Hello David,

> Thursday, November 29, 2007, 12:45:49 PM, you wrote:

>> Certifications generally indicate that an employee can read a book
and
>> take a test. Some certifications are harder than others to obtain. 

> No argument with that comment.  However, to me the most important
> thing is to know, or decide what KIND of networks he is going to work
> on.  Windows?  Novell?  Internet beyond the internal network?
> Something else?  MCSE?  CNA?  CCNA?  (and on and on)

With regards to that, I would say it's a balance between what interests
him, the needs organizations he is looking to work for, and the
marketability of the software in question. That's something that an
individual needs to figure out themselves before investing the time in a
certification.


> And, despite the comment that the certs don't necessarily prove real
> world skills, they're still often the union card, just like the MLS or
> PhD in other worlds, which also don't prove that one can function as a
> librarian or teach a college class.

I wouldn't disagree with that statement. Unfortunatly these certs are
often a _requirement_, and my experience is that organizations that make
hiring decisions that are heavily based upon certifications rather than
problem solving ability tend to have less skilled people with less
flexible thinking, which can make for a pretty miserable working
experience. My bias is that I am usually on the software development
end, which means my work is creative in nature and requires me to
interface with people who have good problem solving skills. IT folks who
got their job because they memorized a book generally don't fit this
bill, so the FUD factor is pretty high in these shops and I sometimes
have to fight tooth and nail just to do my work according to best
practices. And, of course, there is always the issue of a system
breaking in a novel way, a situation in which these people generally
cease functioning and can actually be more of a henderence than a help.

So that's my perspective. Your milage may vary.

- David

---
David Cloutman <dcloutman at co.marin.ca.us>
Electronic Services Librarian
Marin County Free Library 

Email Disclaimer: http://www.co.marin.ca.us/nav/misc/EmailDisclaimer.cfm