AWS Certifications vs Skills | Azure Certifications vs Skills (The Hiring Managers View)

Summary

In this video, Michael Gibbs, founder of GoCloud Careers, discusses the importance of certifications versus skills from a hiring manager's perspective. He emphasizes that while certifications can open doors, it's the skills that secure employment. Suggesting a balance, Gibbs advises obtaining challenging certifications to build your brand and complement them with the necessary skills. He also notes that certifications are more critical early in one's career and offers free resources to help viewers develop a successful tech career.

Takeaways

• 😀 Employers hire to get work done, they need people with the skills to accomplish specific tasks.
• 📈 Certifications can help you get an interview but skills are crucial to get hired and perform well in the job.
• 🏆 Challenging certifications like CCIE are highly valued as they often come with strong skills.
• 🚫 Not all certifications guarantee job skills; some may only test knowledge of service names or configurations.
• 🔑 Certifications, even easier ones, can still be valuable for learning and to get your foot in the door.
• 📚 Employers value both certifications and skills, but the ability to do the job well is paramount.
• 💼 As you progress in your career, the importance of certifications decreases, and the focus shifts to planning and strategy.
• 🌟 Getting 2-3 challenging certifications can significantly enhance your brand and open up interview opportunities.
• 📈 In early career stages, certifications play a more significant role in getting interviews due to less experience.
• 🎓 Free resources and webinars are available to help build skills and understand the tech career landscape.

Q & A

What is the primary reason employers hire employees?

Employers hire because they have work to be done and need people with the skills to accomplish it.

What perspective does Michael Gibbs provide in the video?

Michael Gibbs provides the perspective of a hiring manager, having been both an individual contributor and a manager in the tech industry.

Why are certifications important according to Michael Gibbs?

Certifications are important because they build your brand and can help you get an interview, which is a stepping stone towards getting hired.

How do certifications and skills relate to each other in the hiring process?

Certifications can indicate that you have the skills needed for a job, but having both certifications and skills is ideal as it increases your chances of getting hired.

What is an example of a certification that builds skills, as mentioned by Michael Gibbs?

An example of a certification that builds skills is the Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE), which is known for being challenging and thus often equates to having good skills.

What is the role of AWS certifications in the hiring process?

AWS certifications can be valuable for learning AWS features and functionalities, but they may not necessarily provide the practical skills required for a job, such as a Cloud Architect.

Why might an AWS Solutions Architect Professional exam not fully prepare you for a Cloud Architect role?

The AWS Solutions Architect Professional exam focuses on learning the names and configurations of AWS services, but the actual Cloud Architect role involves much more, such as understanding business goals, rearchitecturing, and managing stakeholders, which are not covered in the exam.

What is the impact of easier certifications with free retakes on their value?

Easier certifications with free retakes may lose their value because more people can pass them, and if they don't correlate with the required skills for a job, their significance diminishes.

What advice does Michael Gibbs give regarding the pursuit of certifications?

Michael Gibbs advises getting two to three challenging certifications that will help build skills and brand, which are more likely to get you good interviews.

How do certifications become less significant as you progress in your career?

As you move up in your career, the focus shifts from hands-on work to planning and strategy, which is why certifications become less significant for higher-level positions like CEO or CIO.

What resources does Michael Gibbs offer to help viewers build their tech careers?

Michael Gibbs offers free documents and webinars that can help viewers learn the right skills and build their careers in technology.