4/7/2003 -- Last month, fellow CertCities.com columnist Kevin Kohut covered the issue of braindumps, Robert Keppel and restoring the value of certifications such as the MCSE. I agreed with some of the things he said, but what really struck me was the negative and aggressive tone of many of the comments posted by many of you at the end of that article.

Don't get me wrong: After many years of hearing how a career in IT was a great future, the tables have really turned on us. And it's really starting to hurt. We used to get the big bucks to play with cool technology. It's not much fun now: Many have been thrown out of work, and those left behind are keeping a watchful eye over their shoulder. With little investment in new projects, we're mostly left working on the same old stuff. With employment demand dramatically decreasing along with salaries, things now are not as rosy as we had all been led to expect. At the same time, work is increasingly anticipated to go offshore to low-cost countries, which even further reduces the size of the local job market. There is certainly a shakeout going on right now, and many that had been in the industry before will now likely need to find other career options.

I'm not sure that Kevin was totally serious when he suggested some people hand back their MCSEs, but judging by the feedback he received, that statement sure hit a nerve. My personal view of the worth of MCSE is that it is steadily increasing after being so debased by having so many NT 4.0 MCSEs with little experience with the product. But I don't think it will ever reach the same heights it had in the mid-90s, and the same is certainly true for the CNE as well (although I continue to value holding both for myself). But as I've said before, the value of any certification isn't just about the certificate on the wall, it's all the good stuff we've had to put in our heads to get it in the first place.

I don't think that any of the contributors on this site are reveling in the current situation. It sure doesn't bring me any joy. I'm just as confounded as anyone else and am trying very hard to stay both employed and employable. However, I can understand why some feel infuriated now at how bad things has become in a relatively short space of time. So by all means, call people names and lament how our future is nowhere as bright as we originally hoped it would be. But don't let that anger consume you since it won't actually solve much.

Much of the marketing about certification products (courses, books, etc.) in the past has been to people intending to use it as a shortcut to enter an IT career from other fields. "Use [insert name here] for an exciting $70,000 job in IT," we were told. Today, as even new college graduates are finding it hard to get hired, those with only a certification and no experience are finding it extremely difficult. So no wonder these folks feel cheated and want to scream out loud. Has it really been a couple of years since industry groups were lamenting the skills shortage in IT and the negative effect that this would have on economic growth?

Over time, I do expect things to improve, but until then we've got to do our best to perform each and every day, delivering real business value. Keep our increasing our skill levels and keep up to date. The IT bus is moving on to new destinations. It's our choice: We can either get on it or watch it run us over.

How are you dealing with the stress of today's IT job market? Post your thoughts below!