Benefits to being Certified

[Rich R]

Maybe this is another thread topic, but I would be interested in hearing feedback from the community on the value of certification in relation to your business and actual bottom line.

When presenting a vertical market or specialized product for sale to a client, we've never been asked if anyone involved was "filemaker certified". Honestly, most clients don't really have a clue or care what software platform the solution is based on. Of course, this is just our experience, that's why I'd be interested in what all you have experienced.

However at DevCon this year, I had this conversation with several folks and there seemed to be about a 50/50 split on the subject. One developer said he was one of several Filemaker developers on a project and was sent the wrong contract by the client with a much higher hourly rate then originally agreed on. When he contacted the client, he discovered the client was paying other developers on the same project more money who were "certified".

I am very interested to know what you all think.

[David Jondreau]

I agree this should be another thread. I'm sure one of our friendly moderators will take care of that.

I am not certified, but am studying and will be taking tests soon. I will probably go for both 8 and 9.

I see no reason for someone who considers themself a professional FM developer to NOT get certified. At a $150, it's a steal and it gives the clients and yourself a little confidence or a lot of confidence depending on your perspective of certification.

Now I don't do vertical-market solutions, I create custom made solutions and do support on all solutions and charge an hourly rate, so my skills are important. But if I did do vertical-market and I was certified, I wouldn't wait for the client to ask, I'd tell them in the first meeting and it'd be in my bio and on my business card.

[Lee Smith]

I agree that it should be its own topic and split it off.

Lee

[Rich R]

Good point. The price really isn't that high but one thing recommended to me by some certified developers at devcon was to take one of the classes offered by a trainer specifically for certification. They claim a high success rate. This would, of course, raise the price considerably from 150 to two or three thousand depending on where the class is offered.

And times that by two people - yikes!

I guess I'd like to open this whole topic of certification up. Price, classes - what you all think and your experiences.

I'm new here but am very impressed with the high quality of assistance, friendliness of the people and how much information is here! Of course - we're filemaker folks - I shouldn't expect anything less :(