If you are a software developer working with the Microsoft tool set, you may have considered going after one of the many certifications in Microsoft technologies.
Many developers are unsure if the time and expense it takes to get Microsoft certified is worth it.
Here are some things to consider before you go down that route.
Before you can begin to calculate return on investment, first you need to know how much the investment is.
Microsoft Certification exams typically cost $125 a piece.
That is the cost for a single exam.
However, a particular Certification credential may require multiple exams.
So you need to look up the credential you'd like to get and how many exams it requires to calculate the total cost.
You may be able to find some discount vouchers or coupons for these exams to bring the cost down a little bit.
One other tip is to look up the Microsoft Second Shot offer.
With this offer, you are allowed to take a test for a second time free of charge if you do not get a passing score on your first attempt.
To determine your time investment, go through the bulleted list of topics to be covered on each exam and based on your familiarity with each item, try and get a sense of how much time it will take to study each topic properly.
Now onto the question of how helpful it will be in your career to get any of these developer certifications or credentials.
As a person who has been on both sides of the hiring desk I know the perspective of both the employer and the candidates.
Most candidates feel that having passed a certification exam proves expertise in the technology, but the employers may not always see it that way.
As someone who has conducted numerous interviews, I have spoken with candidates that have certifications and those that do not.
So here is my assessment of when it is helpful to get such a certification.
If you are a junior level developer and do not have a lot of working experience under your belt just yet, it would be worthwhile for you to consider going for a certification.
From an employer's point of view, this shows desire to make yourself a better and more knowledgeable professional.
It will not automatically land you a job (you will still have to prove yourself in a technical screen), but it will likely win you some points.
I know from firsthand experience that it is absolutely worthwhile to seek out the knowledge that the exam is testing even if you do not intend to take the actual exam.
Many people I know go through the exam preparation process just because they know it will give them exposure to things they may not run across otherwise.
So even if they do not end up taking the exam, the knowledge gained in the process of preparing for the exam is worthwhile on its own.
If you are a seasoned professional, you will find that is doubly true.
By that I mean, the preparation itself will be more worthwhile because an employer will not likely care too much about a certification on the resume of a candidate who already has several years of real world working experience.
So depending on where you are in your career, a certification can be a goal definitely worth pursuing to show on your resume.