I was talking to a friend of mine the other day, and she was talking on and on about the ECDL certificate for computer literacy, which I don't own. However, I would bet my left kidney that I know more about computers than she does, and all if not most of us on these forums do as well. So I am wondering, for people like us, is it really necessary to have an ECDL in order to "boost" our CV or something? (This sounds hilarious, considering ECDL is downright retarded compared to the things we discuss and know) Has anyone got an ECDL here? and if yes, why did they need to get one? Also, people who have done dev. work, do THEY need an ECDL in order to convince an employer at a non-dev related position of their computer literacy?:shrug:
Oh you mean a "PC drivers license" (translated from Danish) ? lol oh fuck I think we could all here get that kind of certificate, with our left hand tied behind our back.
I had the option as a module of my degree (no joke) and we HAD to do it. I chose not to pay for the certificate (150 GBP) and I have never been asked for one since, though I know they are more popular in Europe. I think any kind of computing degree > ECDL, but if you don't have one and have the cash it is worth having one on your CV.
I haven't got an official computer related degree, although I have professional experience obviously. Talk about hypocricy :S
I deliberately didn't get one because I always try to steer clear of european led directive rubbish. ...Rather than tell an employer what you know it basically tells them what you don't know, beware!
Employers that would allow you purely judging by the certificates on your CV instead of based on what you really KNOW is an employer you dont wanna have (imho). Having said that, i also need to do (and have done) a number of certificates because some clients i get sent out to are so dumbass to require them...
Experience is what counts at the end of the day really, because that's what gets the work done. But in all honesty, mr.X can't know about your skills and abilities just because you describe them in a piece of paper, whereas certificates act as checkpoints of knowledge. ECDL is made for computer dumbasses, in a world where not everyone is a coder, and thanks (?) to all the ease of use Windows and the GUIs offer, people don't have to actualy know much to operate a computer (which for me is still a tool,and not a toy)
How can an employer test what you really know without employing you? Qualifications don't replace experience but they show that you have been trained in the relevant skills applicable to a job. I've seen people get passed over for promotions because of certificates on someone elses CV, which is wrong if the experience and the skills are there, but that is the real world for you. Don't under estimate them. EDIT: Also just because you're able to program in C or whatever, doesn't mean you are able to create an Access database or create high level excel spreadsheets. I don't know if it changed, but ECDL was mostly geared towards office applications and not programming stuff.
