Shall I go for certification?

Replies

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  Kaustubh Katdare

  I remember this conversation: #-Link-Snipped-#
  
  Your avatar clearly indicates what mindset you have. As we discussed earlier, that's a very negative attitude to start with. You see, its all about having a cool head when everything goes wrong. Let me repeat, there's no big black hole in your career and things aren't as bad as you think are. I believe you are trying to match up with your friends who cleared all subjects, got engineering degree in 4 years and got placed in IT companies. Why try to be like others? Why not be yourself?
  
  Instead of worrying about jobs and placements (which I think was the primary purpose of taking up engineering education, no?) you should first focus on clearing the subjects if you haven't yet. There's nothing wrong in it and nothing to feel bad about. You can't be good at everything. Remember, try to have a cool head and clear mind.
  
  Its no issue that you took 5 years to complete engineering studies. There are thousands out there who took 6+ years and doing fantastically well in life. But you seem too impatient. Get that impatience off your head.
  
  I also don't understand the mindless pursuit of certifications these days. CCNA, RHCE and every damn certification should be done out of interest; not with the 'job' thing in mind. Why waste money in getting certificates when you aren't very sure about your engineering subjects? Wouldn't it be a nicer decision to go through all the engineering subjects right from first year to final year over a period of one-two months and be very sure about your engineering knowledge?
  
  If you must opt for certification, first decide what you like. If you are interested in Linux/Unix you can think of RHCE. If networking is your choice, go for CCNA. Don't divert your liking towards what's HOT in the market. That's very incorrect thing to do. Just do what you like and excel in it. There are plenty of job offers for engineers who excel at something and not for those who know a bit of everything.
  
  I'd also encourage you to develop passion for reading. Reading opens mind to new ideas and you will be pleasantly surprised to realize how big change can books make to one's personality. Pay attention to extra-curricular activities than giving unnecessary importance to certifications and formal course studies.
  
  Start developing contacts and keep an eye on walk-ins and job openings through popular job portals. Get in touch with college alumni and other contacts who may help you finding a job.
  
  Do everything with interest and make sure that you enjoy what you're learning.