Documentum/ EMC Proven Professional Certification- Does It Matter?

With the economy faltering and the supply of Documentum professionals at an all-time high, people are calling and asking whether becoming certified would give them an edge.

My answer is "no"; I have never had a client list it as a requirement or even as a "nice to have", and because I work on filling more than 100 Documentum-related jobs a year, I think I have a pretty good view of the marketplace. But who knows, your experience may be different.

So, I've created a poll on Linkedin and would love it if you took a moment to respond.

I will predict one thing: EMC Partner firms and companies in the outsourcing business will care more about it than anyone else; they believe that it helps them sell their services. I don't know that it inspires confidence in Documentum teams at home. Your thoughts?

If you'd respond to the poll on Linkedin, I'd be grateful. If you don't want your comments to be public, respond to the poll then e-mail me back-channel (Virginia@BrilliantLeap.com) or call me (Virginia) @ (973) 744-8164. I'll write a post on the results.

Comments

[doQuent]

I have mused about certifications in general and some Documentum ones in particular. My take is that the learning from preparation for the exam serves one more than the piece of paper/logo that comes with passing the exam. Here are some more elaborate thoughts on the topic - http://doquent.wordpress.com/2008/08/01/fundamentals-trap-for-documentum-professionals/

[Ross Suda]

In my opinion, most certifications (i.e. Microsoft, A+, etc.) are useless pieces of paper that, at most, show somebody spent some time scanning through books or sample tests and can regurgitate answers to questions that might appear on a "certification" exam.

Hands-on industry experience is far more valuable and useful in the real world. It proves (1) that you indeed possess sufficient knowledge of a given topic/technology, and, (2) if you are confronted with a problem or situation in which you lack expertise, you are resourceful enough to obtain (whether it be via colleagues, reading manuals, conducting web research, calling vendor support, etc.) the information necessary to arrive at an effective solution. Ultimately (1) and (2) demonstrate that you are competent, resourceful, and, that you can think on your feet.

[Jamie Pappas]

Hi Virginia,

I just contributed to questions you sent Polly Pearson for a chat you're probably on now and thought I'd check out your blog when I stumbled across this posting.

In the interest of full-disclosure, I do work at EMC. I have personally been told that the EMCPP certification instills confidence in folks who are facing budget restrictions that their needs are going to be met by going with the person who has the experience and expertise to support their solution. In this tough economy, I think it's hard to gage for sure what will equal a competitive advantage, but I'd say anything folks can do to increase their knowledge and marketability is a good thing.

Looking forward to your future posts!

Cheers,
Jamie Pappas
Manager, Social Media Strategy @ EMC Corp