PHP Certification?

Is anyone here PHP certified? Anyone looking to become certified? I was wondering what the major benefits of being certified are and if it's done anything for your freelance business.

http://www.zend.com/store/education/...tification.php

How would that work quite? I currently get my certifications from 3 of the local colleges here.

I (possibly) could get the certification, but to be honest I'd rather spend the $200 on something more worthwhile since I'm not a professional PHP developer.

As for the benefits... would you hire a plumber who isn't registered with the appropriate governing body?

Originally Posted by Salathe As for the benefits... would you hire a plumber who isn't registered with the appropriate governing body?

I won't

But, does this certification has any affect, if put on the resume

I think on a personal resume or website it would make a big difference especially if a potential client was having a hard time deciding between two very close applicants.

I am not but if I do decide to do any more serious php development maybe it would be worth considering.

Originally Posted by jaswinder_rana But, does this certification has any affect, if put on the resume

I would say so - if you're looking at getting a job *now* then it's well worth being Zend Certified because there are very few people who are, so you'll stand out as well as showing a decent level of knowledge.

The other benefit (for freelancers more than anything) is that you get put into the directory of PHP Certified Developers on Zends website. So if a company went there searching for PHP devs in their area, you'd appear. Well worth the cost of the exam imho.

I have my exam next month, booked it 3 months ago but have been so busy with work I didn't have time to take it! Will finally get it done

It looks like a damned great idea. There are too many 'PHP Developers' at the moment; I'm sure some Open-Source freaks enjoy that a lot but there needs to be more competition, which there isn't without Certifications.

I'm up for it! IMO the more qualifications the better

Certification certainly can't hurt when you go out marketing yourself. The good thing about programming, however, is that you can offer proof of your expertise in your portfolio.

I think even more important than certification in one particular field or platform is your formal education, especially with the huge corporations. The first thing a corporate employer asks for is your education transcripts. They want to know, above all else, that you have the aptitude to learn something that you don't already know. If they just want someone that only knows PHP then why would they need to look any further than what you have already done? As they say, actions speak louder than words!