RE: AS/400 RPG Certification Test -- MIDRANGE-L

I didn't find the CDP exam a joke.  There were some questions on there that 
were definitely based on experience.  I remember one on negotiating a 
maintenance contract.  I talked with a sharp coworker on that.  He missed it 
but he had no experience in that issue.

Who would you rather hire to be a RPG coder in your shop - someone with a 
bachelors degree in fine arts or someone with an RPG certificate?  If I am 
hiring someone to be a RPG coder I could not possibly care less whether or not 
they have a masters degree.  Maybe if they were to be an analyst that might 
matter, although APICS certification would probably weigh in more.  After all 
what is a degree but being good at taking a boatload of tests?




jmorris@shellvacationsllc.com on 09/08/98 10:11:10 AM
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Subject:        RE: AS/400 RPG Certification Test

Hey Brad, 
You and I have something in common.. Degree's are worth a hell of a lot
more than a test... When I had a bachelors degree someone wanted to know
if I was a CDP?? Remember the certified data processors exam... what a
joke.. Now I have a Master's and do think someone will ask me to be a
certified RPG coder??? I believe a good general business background with
an emphasis on accounting is worth a tad bit more than a certificate.. I
have a birth certificate (is that worth anything) I guess I need it when
I die... It will help with writing the obituary... Let's put education
in its place... A degree means you have set out to accomplish something
and done it... You have achieved a goal... A certification test means
you passed a test... Just my personal opinion.... fyi

-----Original Message-----
From: Stone, Brad V (TC) [mailto:bvstone@taylorcorp.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 08, 1998 8:11 AM
To: 'MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com'
Subject: RE: AS/400 RPG Certification Test


Doesn't a degree say more than certification?  A degree (2 year or 4
year) says that at least you took 2 years of tests, and passed.  This
certification is, to me, nothing more that the midrange world trying to
be politically correct.

If you going to certify someone, or be certified, it should be a "pop
quiz".  Either you know it or you don't.  I chuckle when I see posts
here and other places about where to "study" for a certification test.
The test, in its own right, was meant to show what you know, not what
you can memorize.

Bradley V. Stone
bvstone@taylorcorp.com

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Al Barsa, Jr. [SMTP:barsa2@ibm.net]
> Sent: Saturday, September 05, 1998 11:41 AM
> To:   MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
> Subject:      Re: AS/400 RPG Certification Test
> 
> At 10:52 AM 9/5/98 -0400, you wrote:
> >Don wrote:
> >
> >>Point to ponder:  When was the last time you went on a interview and
> were
> >>asked if you had ANY certificates?  When was having a certificate a
> hiring
> >>criteria when YOU were looking for employees?
> >>
> >Much as I dislike the RPG Certification test because of errors and
> questions
> >not relevant to RPG, I have to admit having a certification does have
> an
> >impact.  I recently interviewed a prospective employee in Mexico for
> one of
> >my clients.  The interview went okay but was nothing special (my
> guess in
> >part because of language differences).  When I discovered the
> applicant had
> >both the System Administrator and System Operator certifications, I
> made a
> >strong recommendation to hire.  While the certifications were not
> sufficient
> >in and of themselves to make that recommendation, they certainly
> resolved
> >any remaining doubts I might have had about the applicant's
> capabilities.
> 
> I agree with Charlie that the current certificate tests have value,
> however
> the current tests have been written (on purpose IMHO) to be tricky.
> The
> problem is that we need skills.  I would rather have more people able
> to
> pass a reasonable test, than have IBM identify for me the people with
> exceptional skills who are good test takers.
> 
> Al
> 
> 
> 
> 
> +--------------------------------------------------+
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> 
> Al Barsa, Jr. - Account for Midrange-L
> Barsa Consulting, LLC.        
> 400 > 390
> 
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> 
> 
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