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They're good for that which they're designed.
1: A certification on a topic will give you a broad overview of the technology and introduce you to the entire toolkit. You may not be an expert at feature A but at least you'll know it exists.
2: A certification is good for gaining introductory knowledge or for establishing a skeleton upon which you'll hang more detailed knowledge. Anytime I complete book learning I think to myself, "Okay, now I'm ready to learn the material."
I've met people with 'years of experience' that were worthless on the job.
The tools of learning (experience, book learning, etc.) are only worthwhile for students who are paying attention.
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If someone has a cert, it means they're an expert on that subject and should be considered before anyone who doesn't have that cert. Anyone who doesn't have the cert is obviously lacking in expertise.
That statement should have made someone spit coffee on their monitor. The above is everyone's morning troll -- enjoy it in the spirit in which it was offered. 
I have "earned" several certifications -- from a marketing POV, they have value. Lot of job reqs state that various certs are required and/or preferred. On the employer side, certs make it easy to cull resumes -- no cert, resume goes in the bit bucket. That said, I can't agree that certs are used by lazy recruiters, as culling large numbers of resumes is time consuming, but I can't say I'm happy with it, either. But like it or not, it's life.
As others have noted, certs are a time and money pit. Each and every cert I know of requires continual education and some type of recert process. In the case of Microsoft certs, one retires as technology progresses, forcing people to do yet another. I was on the treadmill for years back in the VB days, get close to finishing one cert when Micro$oft would announce that the new version was available and the certs for the old version would be deprecated in XX months. 
But certs sell training and testing. It's big money and both types of organizations heartily support the requirement for certs. Of course they do! It's their revenue stream.
This is not restricted to IT. My wife is a physical therapist and her licensure requires ongoing training.
Is this all bad? No, it's not. I learned early in my career that I'd either move with the technology or I'd be sitting in a vanishing market, working in a technology that no longer has customers.
My advice? Get the certs that are required for the job. Anything else, take courses and/or do self-training. In recent years most tech books are available in eReader format, and I'll have a book open on my tablet while working. It's not quite as convenient as a hard copy book, but 50 ebooks don't weight a metric ton, either. 
A friend takes courses at the local community college -- in subjects for which he knows more than the "professor". Why take the course? It forces him to set aside time, something he might not do if he was simply reading a book and practicing on his own.
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How can it hurt? It's worth it. They've always had value for as long as they've been around. It doesn't mean you know anything or that the testing procedures and questions are not flawed or easy. However, for those who are not technical (Managers, HR, etc), sometimes it's the only thing they understand or can grasp onto.
I have three MCSEs and two MCDBAs (which come with a load of MCPs and MCSA, etc) and while I feel that some of my real world MS skillsets are second to none, I know for sure, that my certifications in several cases played a part in getting my foot in the door or tipping the scale in my favor. It's kind of a pshhh to those of us in the know. However, to the rest, it can seem like a real accomplishment and discipline. Most people don't know how much time, effort and brain power go into it. It's all about perception, just like anything else.
I used to shun certifications that expired too. However, I realize now, that even if it expires, it's still listed on my resume and given weight (I list my certs similar to how I list my education...i.e. by year...and I spell them out, I don't just put the acronym) and most people aren't thinking about them ever expiring. All the certs seem to expire these days anyway (as well as being granulated) as it's the new scam to milk more money out of people. I wouldn't waste my time on a renewal for an older technology (unless necessary), but I would on a nice new shiny certification which looks like one more thing that might sway the vote in my favor.
For those that never bothered for this reason or that reason, it's certainly not based on certifications having a negative impact. I think they are just not motivated enough, or have test anxiety, etc. It's hard to psyche yourself up enough to read a bunch of boring test material and then put a chunk of money on the line with a chance of gaining nothing (i.e. failing). But, it does pay off for maybe a weeks worth of studying and a couple hours of test taking. Chances are, you won't fail. However, if you do, schedule the same test for the next day while the info is still fresh in your head. It certainly can't hurt to have certs on your resume and I feel (in my situation and job market) the difference of a 30%+ increase in salary straight out the gate and getting jobs I wasn't 100% confident about. Later on in your career, as you have more experience, assuming you're where you want to be, they might not play as much of an integral part, as thorough experience speaks much louder than certifications.
modified 26-Jul-17 19:09pm.
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Took a SharePoint dev class and certification many years ago(8+-) No kidding when I say that the Certificate came and said Adcanced SharePoint Certification Spelling theirs
To err is human to really mess up you need a computer
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Depends on why. I'd never recommend doing it for resume or bragging reasons. If you're at a company who needs so many people certified to maintain partnership, then that's one reason (and they should be paying for it). If you're at a company who pays bonuses to get the cert, that's another good reason.
If you want to learn the breadth of a specialized topic, then just study and prepare for the test. Learning all the areas they want you to learn in order to pass the tests and experimenting with them, gives you a decent understanding at a mile high level of the topic and that's a very useful thing. Then you don't need to take the test, you've pursued and gotten the knowledge.
I've twice gone for and received my mcsd cert, but I don't even put it on my resume anymore, one it's expired, two it only matters to consulting companies (where I was working when I got them). As a interviewer or hirer, I'm not impressed at all to see the credentials and even less so if someone tries to mention them as if they were impressive. You're side experiments or your body of work should be what you're judged on, not your learning past or your certifications.
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I started down the MS Cert path years ago. Had the books, did the prep, was just about to take some tests. And then it happened...
Don't recall the exact details, been too many years, but MS basically negated the cert I was first going for and replaced it with something else.
Took a step back and re-evaluated the MS Cert system. Realized what had just happened was an ongoing routine where they kept you always going for the next test to keep your Cert active, or to replace it with the new Cert that superseded the one you currently had.
Decided it was both a time-suck and a money-pit, and haven't bothered with them again. Do read some of the info on occasion, but as mentioned elsewhere, only marginally useful.
Just my 2¢
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Offhand, I'd say "no". I've known an individual or two who got them (I have one from some time ago myself). It's kind of like the situation we have here in Florida with our school system. Everybody is studying to pass a test but they're not really learning anything. I remember one guy in particular that I worked with once that took a series of those. You'd have thought he might have some expertise in it (at the time it was NT administration). He passed a series of 5 tests, got certified as an NT administrator and was coming to me (an un-certified individual) for answers that should have been covered in the cert.
Don't study to pass a test, LEARN the stuff.
If you think hiring a professional is expensive, wait until you hire an amateur! - Red Adair
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For the particular developer, it helps little, I think, because certs usually force you to memorize to the line concepts MS deems important. You won't be lerning much from those.
As a business owner, I require all the people that I hire to have a MS-Cert or obtain it within 6 months (I pay them the exams). This is because MS requires me to have 5 certified engeneers (per competency) to keep my company as a Gold Partner. Being gold gives me access to Microsoft's CRM and oportunities they're working on, which means more sales leads without me having to hire more sales personnel.
So, as an employeer, they are worth a lot to me. I should think many other Microsoft-centric companies are in the same position, so I think the certifications are worth it for developers that want to work for those companies: you help your company, and might improve your salary.
Your mileage may vary though.
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It may help to get a job with additions in your resume, but might not very useful in the real daily development.
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What?
If it's not broken, fix it until it is.
Everything makes sense in someone's mind.
Ya can't fix stupid.
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The original post asked if MS Certifications were worth it. I answered. And to clarify, in my personal experience they have been.
Idaho Edokpayi
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She just got a new debit card (her old one had a broken chip), and she signed it on the MAGNETIC STRIPE! The back of the card even had a box stating 'Sign Here'!
What do you get when you cross a joke with a rhetorical question?
The metaphorical solid rear-end expulsions have impacted the metaphorical motorized bladed rotating air movement mechanism.
Do questions with multiple question marks annoy you???
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If that's the dumbest thing she's done, she's doing pretty good in my opinion.
"the debugger doesn't tell me anything because this code compiles just fine" - random QA comment
"Facebook is where you tell lies to your friends. Twitter is where you tell the truth to strangers." - chriselst
"I don't drink any more... then again, I don't drink any less." - Mike Mullikins uncle
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It took me a full year to teach her how to forward emails, and she still has no clue how to add attachments (after 3 years of showing her).
What do you get when you cross a joke with a rhetorical question?
The metaphorical solid rear-end expulsions have impacted the metaphorical motorized bladed rotating air movement mechanism.
Do questions with multiple question marks annoy you???
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When was the last time you used a stripe reader?
Even my "Chip and PIN" gets little use these days in favour of contactless payment.
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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If you travel in the US, using the mag-stripe is still pretty much the norm...
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Two hours ago, before coming home? They still are everywhere here.
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OriginalGriff wrote: When was the last time you used a stripe reader?
Well, he did say that the chip on her previous one was broken...
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What? Doesn't she know not to sign cards? Write, "Check ID", instead. What is the world coming to? 
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PIEBALDconsult wrote: Write, "Check ID", instead.
Many merchants refuse to accept a card with that written on the back. Crazy but true.
Marc
Latest Article - Create a Dockerized Python Fiddle Web App
Learning to code with python is like learning to swim with those little arm floaties. It gives you undeserved confidence and will eventually drown you. - DangerBunny
Artificial intelligence is the only remedy for natural stupidity. - CDP1802
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I just simply don't bother signing my cards at all (and thanks to the missus, that's up to like 12 now...) Every card I've ever had and used for longer than six months has had the signature strip worn completely off from removing/replacing it in my wallet. I can count the number of times I've been asked for ID because of it on one hand.
Besides, with chips now, most merchants just assume if the transaction goes through it's all good anyway (never had a card checked for a signature or ID after the chip switch-over.)
The durability of those chips, however, is another conversation entirely... 
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Quote: The back of the card even had a box stating 'Sign Here'!
Pretty natural, her innate feeling kept repeating: "don't trust bankers".
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I have the same feeling about my mom, stoned by medicaments against pain against destroyed vertebras. I spoke with my son about it (my mom 84, son 20, me 54). My son told me, pleeeaaasse just be a bit lenient with her! Me 
modified 19-Jan-21 21:04pm.
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She signed it in a secure manner, no one can copy and use her signature for nefarious purposes if they can't see her signature.
When signing the card readers I don't think that the quality and consistency of the signature matters anyway. I can draw a slightly squiggly line from left to right and the signature is accepted.
It was broke, so I fixed it.
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