[ILUG] Linux/UNIX certification

[Gareth Eason]

	   Hi,

	I'm doing it as self study (In fairness, I've been using RedHat since 
3.something) and have some of the RHCE training material from other 
people who have done courses. I intend to sit the exam some time soon, 
depending on exam availablility, etc. (which I've not got around to 
looking into yet - naughty me :-) )

	If you've been using Linux for a significant period of time, I don't 
imagine that the exams are going to be particularly challenging, 
certainly at the RHCE type level. The RHCE is a practical exam, during 
which you build a RH box from scratch, partition the disks, configure ad 
start some services, break your partition table or MBR or something and 
recover your data using rescue boot, etc. - no rocket science involved 
as far as I can see. I'm sure other people on-list have sat and passed 
it so they may well have a better insight into it than I.

	Hope this helps.

	Best regards,
	-->Gar



Jonathan Harrington wrote:
> Gar,
> That brings me on to another question. Are you studing for the RHCE on
> your own or are you attending a training course?
> Has anyone done the exam without the course? Is it much harder? What
> books and material do people recommend?
> Thanks.
> Jonathan.
> 
> 
> On Fri, 18 Feb 2005 11:45:16 +0000, Gareth Eason <bigbro at skynet.ie> wrote:
> 
>>           Hi,
>>
>>        I think there is some over-optimism on channel regarding this. My
>>attitude would be that if you can get some certification, get it. It
>>almost doesn't matter what it is, provided it's from a reasonably well
>>recognised body.
>>
>>        I would politely suggest that anyone who claims that certification
>>(bits of paper) doesn't matter when looking for a job clearly has not
>>gone looking for a job recently (in the past 3 years, say.) I totally
>>agree that when on the job, it's experience that counts, not the paper.
>>However, to get to the interview where you're talking to people who
>>realise this, and can evaluate your experience in some useful / relevant
>>fashion, you first have to get past HR - and possibly past an  agency.
>>
>>        As one personal example (I've heard many more similar examples from
>>other people) I was completely refused an interview for a mixed
>>win32/*NIX environment job because I didn't have an MSCE! Despite me
>>pointing out that I had been using MS products extensively since DOS
>>2.10, and having written training courses and trained people who do have
>>MSCEs (and other qualifications which I regard as actually meaningful),
>>the HR Drone was adament that having an MSCE was a requirement for the
>>job. As it turns out, I almost certainly didn't want the job - but
>>hopefully this illustrates the point that 'bits-of-paper'(tm) do have
>>their uses... granted, only because of the lack of understanding in HR
>>and recruitment agencies (or the poor specifications given to
>>HR/agencies by the technical managers regarding employee requirements!)
>>
>>        I'm currently working through the material to do an RHCE - not because
>>I don't know about RedHat Linux (and/or many other flavours) - but
>>because it's about a billion times easier to just say to some HR drone,
>>"Yes - I must know Linux because I have an RHCE. Next inane question
>>please..." ;-)
>>
>>        Best regards,
>>        -->Gar
>>
>>
>>Thomas Bridge wrote:
>>
>>>On Thu, Feb 17, 2005 at 11:04:44AM +0000, thomas thumb wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>Looking for a few opinions on Linux/UNIX certification.
>>>>Firstly. If I apply for a system admin job in your company, would a
>>>>cert influence you in any way? Are they a waste of time? Is experience
>>>>all that counts?
>>>
>>>
>>>Unless the company has a requirement for a particular certification (I don't
>>>know about Linux, but Cisco partners must have a certain number of CCNAs,
>>>CCNPs and CCIEs) certification might get you the interview but would probably
>>>not get you the job unless you could back it up with real life experience.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>Secondly, Which would influence you more, a red hat or a solaris
>>>>qualification? I know people are going to say red hat for a linux job,
>>>>solaris cert for a solaris job but if I had a solaris cert and went
>>>>for a linux job would it help and vice-versa?
>>>
>>>
>>>Either - I'd expect Unix/Linux skills to be reasonably portable accross
>>>the variations.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>And thirdly if I went for a unix development job in your company would
>>>>a unix admin cert help my application? Would I be more likely to get
>>>>an interview?
>>>
>>>
>>>Development is different - if you mean writing code.    I wouldn't pay
>>>much attention to system admin abilities in that situation, though having
>>>some awareness of systems practices is still an asset,
>>>
>>>Thomas
>>>
>>
>>--
>>Irish Linux Users' Group
>>http://www.linux.ie/mailman/listinfo/ilug/
>>
>>