# Should I Take This Certification?

> Run this on one specific certification, not on the idea of certification in general. Read
> [Certifications](/academy/certifications/) for the reasoning behind each question.

**Certification:** _______________  **Provider:** _______________
**Cost:** _______  **Date:** _______

## 1. Does it pass a real filter?

- [ ] I searched **actual job adverts** for the role I want, and it appears in them
- [ ] Number of relevant adverts listing it: ____ of ____ checked
- [ ] It appears as a **requirement**, not just "nice to have"
- [ ] My current or target employer needs certified staff for a partnership tier

🔴 This is the strongest single reason to take one, and it is measurable rather than a matter of
opinion — either the adverts ask for it or they do not. If it appears in zero of twenty, be honest
with yourself that whatever is motivating this, it is not access to the role.

**Adverts checked, and where:** _______________

## 2. Is the assessment worth anything?

- [ ] **Proctored** — not "watch the videos, receive the certificate"
- [ ] **Performance-based** (you do the work) rather than multiple choice
- [ ] There is a meaningful failure rate
- [ ] It has an experience requirement

Performance-based assessments — where you complete real tasks under time pressure — are far
better evidence than recognition tests, and interviewers know the difference.

**If nobody fails it, it certifies attendance.** That is not worthless, but do not expect it to
carry weight.

## 3. Will it still be worth something?

- [ ] The provider is a major platform or a vendor-neutral body
- [ ] It is not tied to one narrow product
- [ ] The technology has been mainstream for more than a couple of years
- [ ] It is likely to still exist in three years

**Renewal required?** yes / no — every ____ years, cost ____

Factor renewal in. A portfolio of five certifications is a recurring commitment in both money and
weekends, which is an argument for holding one relevant credential rather than collecting them.

## 4. The true cost

| | |
|---|---|
| Exam fee | |
| Retake fee, if needed | |
| Course or practice material | |
| **Hours of study** | |
| Renewal every ___ years | |
| **Who pays** | me / employer |

**If the employer pays and it serves a partnership requirement, the calculation changes entirely.**
Take it — the structured syllabus alone has value.

**Hours available per week:** ____ **Target exam date:** _______

Open-ended certification study has a very low completion rate. Commit to a date or do not start.

## 5. The honest alternative

- [ ] I considered spending the same hours building something instead
- [ ] I already have a track record I can point at in this area
- [ ] I can currently discuss a real system I built and the trade-offs I made

**What I would build with the same hours:** _______________

🔴 If you already have shipped systems you can explain, a certificate adds very little — senior
hiring conversations rarely reach it. If you have nothing to point at, a certificate **plus** a
real project is substantially stronger than either alone. See [Projects](/academy/projects/).

## 6. Motivation check

Tick the honest one:

- [ ] It passes a filter I am currently failing
- [ ] My employer needs it commercially
- [ ] I want the structured syllabus to force coverage of a subject
- [ ] I am changing field and have no track record yet
- [ ] I am avoiding building something
- [ ] Everyone else on the team has one

The last two are worth sitting with. Neither is a reason to spend the money, and the fifth is the
most common unstated one.

## Decision

| | |
|---|---|
| Appears in real adverts | yes / no |
| Assessment is proctored / hands-on | yes / no |
| Employer pays | yes / no |
| I have a track record already | yes / no |
| **Decision** | take it / build something instead / defer |
| Exam date committed | |

**Reasoning in one sentence:** _______________