Zend PHP 5 Certification: Me Too

hi my friend, i have read your post on http://www.planet-php.net/. i think you hiring people based on a “test” is too risk for your company.

i though your guys are long time software developer, why treat an exam(certification) so serious?
i just do not get this kind of attitude, so many msce, certified java programmers on the market, who cares.

I’m certainly not suggesting that people be hired solely on the basis of being Zend Certified.

What I am saying is that too many employers get snowed by people who can talk the talk, but can’t walk the walk. Being Zend Certified helps *some* in confirming that a candidate has a general clue about the language.

That said, I know of some ZCE folk who I still wouldn’t hire.

I’m also not referring to MCSE or Java certifications. I have known several MCSE people who weren’t worth a damn, so I’m familiar with the certification-means-nothing syndrome.

However, I do believe that the Zend Certification Exam, *when combined with* other indicators such as open source project participation, as well as the general rapport in an interview process are all helpful measures for determining whether or not to hire someone.

Hey Clay, I’m probably one of the lucky few who got their current job because of my ZCE. I wrote the PHP 4 version about this time last year, and when I interviewed for a job back in November of last year they chose me after only one interview because of the ZCE and my overall knowledge. They specifically mentioned the ZCE as what tipped things in my favour.

Zend certified or not, when hiring programmers I put candidates through my own practical test.

This involves sitting them in a room with a laptop running W/L AMP, a local copy of the PHP docs, a basic editor, no internet access, and given a small programming/design task to complete within an hour.

The task should be relevant to the role you are employing for. It takes a little fine tuning to define the task but its well worth it.

I find it really does show who can “walk the walk”.

[...] The feedback from partipants has been positive as well. See here for the remarks by Davey Shafik, Tobias Schlitt and by self-proclaimed Zend basher Clay Loveless who suggests that the certification can help when hiring new programmers. A really nice comment in Clay’s blog entry comes from Chris Hartjes, who writes: “Hey Clay, I’m probably one of the lucky few who got their current job because of my ZCE. I wrote the PHP 4 version about this time last year, and when I interviewed for a job back in November of last year they chose me after only one interview because of the ZCE and my overall knowledge. They specifically mentioned the ZCE as what tipped things in my favour.” [...]

Stephen Kurzeja, I would like to take your test in the same way to write an essay in Japanese language by holding a pen in your feet )
I hope that on one day you will have to go through the same kind of interview tests. Heeee Heeeee…… your big brother Tom Flint.
You would only get hired laptop repair technicians by the way you take interview people. After that how would you expect them to code PhP for you? LOL…..

Hi, first time reader!

I think that while a ZCE is a good example of somebody that would be good at PHP you should not disregard people without it. Some people are not ideally suited to exams. Due to certain personality types the pressure placed on somebody to do well is multiplied in a timed situation like that.

I realise that people will be under-pressure in a work place, however its in a different way and effects people very differently.

However, contrary to that point. I do think being a ZCE is a good way to go for any PHP developer *BUT* its not the be-all and end-all of testing somebody’s PHP skills.

Also, in fairness should you also test current employees and fire them if they fail? Even the good workers.