I thought the "experience versus certification" debate had finally died a few days ago, but now it resurfaces over on the professional list. I may as well weigh in.
The problem here is clear. Some folks with lots of experience are scared (or merely offended) that some manager or client might think some relative newbie with great-sounding certs is as good or better (or even nearly as good) as the more experienced folks. Many of these experienced people gained their experience in difficult or underpaid conditions. The last thing they want is some ambitious upstart invaders studying hard in the lab, then walking into their field and being treated as their peers. The "experience is everything" crowd should relax right now, because in this economy, they are in the driver's seat. One the other hand, the lab rats, myself included, are justifiably scared. We knew that if by studying hard we managed to reach a higher position than our experience alone would justify, we might face some hostility from those with lots of experience. Now, however, we are given to understand that for employers right now, experience is king, since there are plenty of folks with lots of experience and good certs to fill all positions that HAVE to be filled (as opposed to those positions that employers advertise but are in no hurry to fill). Then, there's the common complaint that, "I'm always having to fix the networks screwed up by the paper-CCNAs, paper-MCSEs, Lab Rats, etc." I have enough experience to know that plenty of the screwing-up of networks is done by folks with lots of experience. It doesn't take long in the field to run across an arrogant but extremely experienced guy who thinks he is the only person in his company who knows anything, and then proceeds to break things that he then cannot fix. A little humility is called for in a field where almost no one can know everything and where most of the greatest gurus make glaring errors. Best regards, Tom Larus "Howard C. Berkowitz"" wrote in message [EMAIL PROTECTED]">news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]... > At 1:49 PM -0400 5/21/02, Thompson Alton wrote: > >Your comments are false and you sound very ignorant. > >I work with guys who have 20 years experience and to trouble shoot a problem > >take months. > > I suggest, Sir, that you examine your logic. > > The Internet and predecessors (including enterprise networks) are at > least 20-30 years old. I first used a time-sharing computer, with > remote access, about 1968. > > Cisco certification is under 10 years old. > > The Internet and its predecessors worked before Cisco certification > > Some people with 20 years experience, therefore, MUST be very > knowledgeable on protocols. Other people with 20 years experience > are not. > > >This is because they don't know how the protocols work. How > >much money can a company afford to lose when production is downloading for a > >considerable amount of time? That's why as a mangersm we send Engineers on > >training to learn about new and merging technologies. And thatms before you > >can put or do any upgrades to the production network you must first try it > >out in the lab. Message Posted at: http://www.groupstudy.com/form/read.php?f=7&i=44670&t=44653 -------------------------------------------------- FAQ, list archives, and subscription info: http://www.groupstudy.com/list/cisco.html Report misconduct and Nondisclosure violations to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
