Are you improving?

[Marc]

Just interested to see how many people are still learning and after more certifications.

 

Im personally a big advocate of self improvement in many respects. I read self improvement books and have read many of Zig Ziglar stuff alone with his audio books, Dale Carnegie stuff (primarily how to win friends an influence people which I think every kid should be made to read at school), and quite a lot more. So Im constantly out to improve what I do and make myself better. My aim a couple of years ago was to become the owner of a big board, which is something I have hit.

 

So my next goal is to become a certified Microsoft developer. Now I have opened up the first one of the self paced books for the first exam only this weekend (although been halted a little with a work project, however that will pass ). I will go through all four of the books in the next 12 months, and I will pass all four of the exams. I dont do ifs, I find em boring.

 

So are you still improving? what are you doing? I can honestly say Im interested

[CHiLL]

Well, at the moment I'm still early in my career. I've been in this job (basically my first real job after eduction) for two years now, and I've learnt so much from the work place.

 

However, I would like to take some Microsoft exams as I currently have none. I did Cisco CCNA Semester 1 & 2, but couldn't afford to carry it on at the time, and now I can...I don't think it's the right path for me now. I'd like to start with MCDST/MCP exams first, but there aren't any exam centres around me, unless I go all the way to Manchester.

[Victor Leigh]

Yes, I am moving forward with each passing day. The only difference is that I have given up on paper certification a very long time ago. I got on very well in life without depending on a little piece of paper hanging on the wall. In cyber space, it's results that count. Past performance is only a guide but it's no guarantee of future success.

 

So how do I learn new things?

 

Well, the same old way that I had been learning all these past five decades - by trial and error. It may sounds like an inefficient way to learn but, from my personal experience, it's not how much you learn in a fixed period of time that counts; it's what you can do with what you have learned and also how long you can remember what you have learned.

 

Quite logical, isn't it? If you learn a lot but cannot do anything effective with your knowledge, then you are not much different from someone who hasn't learned the knowledge that you did. Also if you cannot remember what you have learned, then it's the same as not having learned anything at all.

 

So, for me, as I head into my sixth decade of life on this lonely planet, I am still stumbling and fumbling my way around. And having fun at the same time, too.

[ridwan sameer]

Im Still Schooling.

And According to my Grades... Im not Improving Any Bit

[Marc]

Yes, I am moving forward with each passing day. The only difference is that I have given up on paper certification a very long time ago. I got on very well in life without depending on a little piece of paper hanging on the wall. In cyber space, it's results that count. Past performance is only a guide but it's no guarantee of future success.

 

So how do I learn new things?

 

Well, the same old way that I had been learning all these past five decades - by trial and error. It may sounds like an inefficient way to learn but, from my personal experience, it's not how much you learn in a fixed period of time that counts; it's what you can do with what you have learned and also how long you can remember what you have learned.

 

Quite logical, isn't it? If you learn a lot but cannot do anything effective with your knowledge, then you are not much different from someone who hasn't learned the knowledge that you did. Also if you cannot remember what you have learned, then it's the same as not having learned anything at all.

 

So, for me, as I head into my sixth decade of life on this lonely planet, I am still stumbling and fumbling my way around. And having fun at the same time, too.

 

Completely agree with this sentement. Qualifications dont replace experience in an way shape or form, however they do add to it. When I say development I am actually doing the database developer courses. Now SQL is something I have a lot of proven experience with, and furthermore no matter how much they say that they use "real life scenarios" they generally do not. This said however I believe there are always things that you can learn from doing these kinds of courses, especially if you are doing them alongside what you actually do in the real world. Its not nessecarily a proof to others that I can forefill the criteria of being a qualified database developer as proof to myself.

[bryce12]

While I'm not planning to do any certification as of now, I highly admire people who take time from their busy schedules and get some certification. But I feel that we should have some hands on experience in the field rather than just blindingly appearing in one exam after another. Victor has put it very well and I prefer to work in a technology for few months before even thinking of appearing in a certification exam.