Recently, I've been reflecting on an interesting paradox in our professional development community. After three years of working with Drupal, I find myself spending time completing courses on topics I already know well in practice, simply to obtain a certificate. 🤔

💼 The Reality of Our Industry

Why do we, as experienced developers, spend time formally validating skills we already possess? This phenomenon is especially noticeable in web development, where many of us have taught ourselves technologies and frameworks.

Recently, I completed courses on Git and front-end development — technologies I've been using daily for several years. It was strange to realize I was spending time learning what I already knew and regularly applied in my work. But the certificate became a valuable addition to my resume, confirming skills I already had. ✅

🎭 The Certification Paradox

Honestly, we live in a world where we need to "prove" our knowledge even when it's evident from our work:

  • Clients often trust developers with certificates more 👔
  • HR specialists look for formal validation when filtering candidates 📋
  • Even we sometimes doubt our own knowledge without an "official stamp" 📜

🌟 My Dream of Acquia Certification

My next goal is Acquia Drupal certification. Although I work with Drupal daily and know it inside out, official certification from Acquia seems like a necessary step in my professional development. Not so much for gaining new knowledge, but for formal recognition of my experience and increasing client trust. 💪

The cost and preparation time are significant, but I consider this investment justified for long-term career development and attracting better projects. 💰

🤷‍♀️ What Does This Say About Our Industry?

Perhaps this is a symptom of a larger problem: we value formal validation more than actual experience. Or is it simply a pragmatic approach to a market where competition is high and you need to quickly prove your value? 🏃‍♀️

💭 Your Thoughts?

Have you taken courses just to get a certificate, even though you already had the knowledge? How do you prove your expertise to potential clients or employers?

Share your experience in the comments! Perhaps together we can find a better balance between formal validation and actual skills. 🔄

P.S. The irony is that while writing this post, I see a message from a recruiter looking for a "certified Drupal developer" — confirming my observation in real-time! 😂