Let's get certified! Here's how to get there by mid-May.

[SumRunner]

If you are out looking for a job in any industry right now, you are finding that it's tough. Not only are the jobs scarce, there are many more people trying to fill those jobs. You'll also find that hiring managers are much more selective about the candidates they hire, and the interview process is much more rigorous. In fact, this is what the managers are being taught. Check out this podcast from the Manager Tools series (a great series for managers, by the way):

http://www.manager-tools.com/2008/12/smart-interviewing-in-a-downturn

So how do you stand out from the other candidates? It's no surprise that I'll tell you certification is the key. It's difficult for many hiring managers to assess technical skills of their candidates. Even if they are technical themselves, the interview process is only a small view of what the candidate can do. So if you can show that you are certified, you can short-cut some of the technical discussions to show that you are as good as you think you are.

There are 3 levels of certification, CLAD (Certified LabVIEW Associate Developer), CLD (Certified LabVIEW Developer), and CLA (Certified LabVIEW Architect). Do you know how many active CLA's we have in the Pacific Northwest? Zero! This is an excellent opportunity to stand out from your peers. More about the importance and path to certification is at http://decibel.ni.com/content/groups/labview-career-network

It's not just important to get the certification, it's important for you to put in the work required to get to that level. We don't really need a certain number of CLA's. But we do need to have developers who can code at that level.Right now, companies are looking for LabVIEW developers who can lead their project teams, which means being able to create an architecture for a large LabVIEW project. Do you have what it takes?

We are doing everything we can to help you get certified. In April, we have our Developer Education Days events in Portland and Seattle. You will learn some valuable skills at these events to help you toward certification. At the end of the day, we will offer the CLAD exam free of charge (save $195). We will also offer a CLD prep course, so you can prepare for the second level.

Then, in May (May 6 in Portland, May 14 in Seattle) we will proctor the CLD and CLA exams. At the Developer Education Days event you will receive a voucher for $200 off of a class or exam, so you can take this exam for only $95. Whether you are looking for a job, or looking to increase your skills at your existing job, this is a great opportunity and I invite you to take advantage of it.

If you need to take a class first, there are classes coming up in Seattle, Portland, and online. If the cost of these courses is prohibitive because you aren't working or your company won't pay for it right now, contact me. I might be able to help you get the training you need. See my previous post for other training options as well.

I hope to see you at the exams in May. Let's get some CLA developers that we can recommend to local companies!