Originally posted by Like Zhang:
So I don't know if I should take Sun's certificate or Other's (like IBM). Sun's certificate seems to be a "general" test on J2EE. While IBM's seem to be more practical.
How do you think? I will be very appreciated to have some advices.
Well, let's start with the basic idea. I do agree somewhat with Serge, but...
The Sun exams (SCWCD/SCBCD) are good places to start with proof of knowledge and understanding of J2EE. IBM's exams 483 and 484 are likewise good for this - they show an understanding of how J2EE works (483/484 for the entire API, and the two Sun exams for Servlets/JSP and EJB respectively). These are all generally vendor-neutral, as they deal more with the API sets than with any specific server-implementation.
And I also agree with Serge that 486 (UML) is a good one to add to this skillset, or possibly Sun's
SCEA exam, to show experience with the architecting end of things.
Vendor-specific exams (or even roles, like IBM's Enterprise Developer role) really are more helpful for if employers you're looking to work for are using specific implementations and want demonstration of prior experience. They're helpful... but I don't think that having the certificate for any specific server helps if you don't have the experience on the server. AND, on this one, you can always gain experience to back it up.
As I keep saying, certifications are only worth what you and the potential/current employer think they're worth. They're not the end-all and be-all of experience.