Is getting a VCP certification worth it?
by VCPHelp on 27/02/11 at 2:36 pm
This is something commonly asked, and obviously, it’s hard to answer because no company that hires you gives you a totally honest answer about why they chose you over some other guy. But, that’s how the employer game is played, so why not maximize your chances of being “the one”?
The way I look at being VMware VCP certified is that it’s one more reason for an employer to choose me. And IMO, it’s a big one…
Just look at all the TV commercials, web ads, etc. all touting “the cloud” and how it’s revolutionizing the IT world. That’s not B.S. — things like VMware are making inroads into the core infrastructure of small and large companies around the world.
And guess what? Once an environment is converted over to running on a platform like VMware, it’s difficult to change that. Once the sysadmins know the joys of VMotion and never having to take servers down to do hardware maintenance… Once the bean counters see that their hardware, datacenter, cooling, and other overhead costs are down because they are utilizing resources more effectively… On and on…
VMware is here to stay (just look at the stock performance!) and having a VCP is like the capstone on your other foundation skills like Windows admin, AD, networking, etc.
So, logically, you can see and understand why having a VCP is well worth the few hundred bucks and a weekend or two of your time. Even if it gives you a 1% chance over someone else, it’s unquestionably worth it.
Second, just go to any of the job sites like Dice, CareerBuilder, etc. and search for “VMware”. You’re going to find hundreds, if not thousands, of positions that all want some level of VMware experience. Remember, everyone from small to large businesses are adopting this stuff at an incredible pace.
These career site search results alone should be enough reason for you to be interested in getting a VCP.
Imagine, especially in the crappy economy we’re in as I write this, the dozens of resumes a hiring manager gets for every single job posting. How can you stand out from the other applicants? Having an “up and coming” hot certification like a VCP could very well be the answer.
VMware is the higher-level admin stuff at most companies (leaving the rack-and-stack stuff to the junior guys) and having a VCP just reinforces that you’d be a good candidate to consider for the role — that you took your knowledge of VMware seriously enough to get the paper credentials to prove it.
As cheap as the VCP is to get, I simply see no reason why you would not want it.
Why wouldn’t you do everything possible to land that job you dream of, or to even get another $5K per year salary (which pays for the VCP many times over EVERY year!)? It’s not like going back to school that takes years of your life and tens of thousands of dollars. Grab a VCP exam preparation kit, spend a weekend or two reviewing the kit materials, and then spend a couple hundred bucks on the exam fee (and that’s if your current company won’t pay for it). All done, nice and simple!
VCP 4.0 test preparation kit
wewe
Feb 25th, 2012
I agree with Vmware you need to take the course to take the exam.
Ramesh
Feb 11th, 2012
I passed my MSCE. CCNA, CCIE (qualifying exam) reading books, of course I have hands on experience too, I have designed and Implemented 4 virtual data centers.
Why should VMWare make us take the course, to do the exam, VMware test the candidates however they choose to. VMWare should find better ways to money..
VCP CERT is not expensive, you are good and about 7 experience, you bill $100/hr, the certification will pay for it in week.
Aaron
Oct 21st, 2011
Great site,
I was looking at taking the VMware course online from Canada and the price is $3,500 roughly. So with that said, I was looking for material to study from before taking the 5day online course and writting the exam.
I will surely read through your knowledge base!
Thanks once again for this great site,
Aaron
Adrian
Jul 19th, 2011
Few bux? To become VCP I been told that – unlike MSCE\MCITP & CCNA- you cant just pick up a book – study and then take the exam. The VMWARE cert requires you to attend the school and then based on that you are allowed to take the exam. The school is $3495(classroom and $2800 on line) plus about $200 for the cert. In today’s economy thats a lot of money for a cert.
Eric
Nov 16th, 2011
Just a quick post to Adrian, I have my CCNA, and it takes more than just “picking up a book” to pass that test my friend. In fact, the CCNA and all other cisco test are more difficult than most because you are required to test with simulators and hands on material, basically meaning you have to be able to apply what you learned in order to pass. Unlike most test (VCP) where it just multiple choice multiple answer.
Nick
Jan 3rd, 2012
I think the point still remains that you can obtain a CCNA by knowing the material and taking a test (whether you take classes, are an experienced network engineer, or self-study). For a VCP, you must take some amount VMware curriculum courses before taking a test to become certified.
VCPHelp
Jul 19th, 2011
True, if you haven’t taken the Install & Configure class already (the one that is required to take the VCP) or you cannot get a company to pay for it, it is not cheap. However, once you get the VCP, it is relatively cheap to stay on top of it. Either way, however, those little chance that your career won’t benefit from having a VCP IMO.
As for requiring more than a book to pass, that’s why I have this site. My post on “Doing it the hard way” provides a very detailed list of things you can study, for free, in the PDF docs.