Junilu Lacar wrote:My opinion is that certifications will give you a slight edge over your competition in the early stages of the selection process. However, professional development is more than just knowing about syntax and the mechanics of a language. What I find most disappointing with most candidates I have rejected in the past is that they don't know the first thing about design. I think many of the problems we have in software comes from too many programmers thinking that design is not their responsibility, that it should be done by architects and designers, not programmers. They could not be any more WRONG about that.
Take a look at some of these images of terrible design. Those images are the equivalent of the kind of programs I often see in the real world because of programmers who both don't know how to write good clean code and who don't know anything about design principles.
Below are some references you might want to take a look at to get a better idea of good design. Knowing about basic design principles and how to apply them to your programs is what will really set you apart from other candidates, especially if it's for an entry-level junior position. In my opinion, it's never too soon to learn about design.
Perspective: Code is design - https://www.developerdotstar.com/mag/articles/PDF/DevDotStar_Reeves_CodeAsDesign.pdf
Simple Design: https://martinfowler.com/bliki/BeckDesignRules.html
Book about the 4 Rules of Simple Design: https://leanpub.com/4rulesofsimpledesign
SOLID design: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SOLID
"Clean Code" by Robert Martin - I wish all programmers would read this book first before they try to write any code in a professional capacity.
Finally, here's what Uncle Bob has to say about certifications:
The first principle is the Redaction of Certification Principle (RCP). The principle states:
Certifications generally certify nothing whatever about experience, knowledge, or skill. Generally they certify that the certificate holder has attended (or at least paid to attend) a course. Perhaps they took (and maybe even passed) an exam based on that course.