Hi Tara,
I graduated from Northeastern University on June 2003. I have taken teh following certifications from Sun, apart from hunting for a job.
Sun Certified programmer for Java 1.2 (July 2003)
Sun certified programmer for Web Component Developer (September 2003)
Sun certified programmer for Business Component Developer (October 2003)
Currently preparing for Sun certified java Developer
I took these exams as i was completely new to
J2EE and wanted a way to demonstrate my skillset in J2EE.
It has really been a wonderful experience as I have now a strong theoretical knowledge of the technologies. Even though they are theoretical right now, I am sure that they would really help me in any job related to J2EE. I am confident that my learning pace would be much faster !!!.
I have also learnt a great deal in Java that was not taught in my graduate level course.
And taking these certifications has also helped me put myself ahead of other candidates (recent graduates) looking for entry level jobs.
I have even got a couple of interview calls because of the certifications !!
Here is my full Info
First name: Hari Vignesh
Last name: Padmanaban
College : Northeastern University
Experience with Java : Academic (1.5 yrs)
Hope this helps