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So i only need a few easy "certifications" to be a "programmer" ?

DaddyForDollars·8/26/2017, 6:49:36 PM·1 votes·318 views

Before i start and end up sounding completly ignorant please note-

I have no programming experience, certifications, or even highschool classes relating to this sort of thing. My knowledge comes off of what a couple people on these boards have told me, and what my friend has.--

So i can get a few quick certifications like C++ java and uhh can't remember the other one.. Along with profiency in excel and a couple other things and i can get a job as an "entry level programmer" without a degree even at MOST companies?

Also the pay with ONLY these "certifications" would be considered "high" compared to most other entry level jobs? Example would be at least 14-15 an hour, full time. Also, it wouldn't take long at all to get what was necessary. What kinds of places would i be working at as well?

Again, before flaming me please note i barely understand what i'm talking about and what C++ is.

10 Comments

The Soulforged8/26/2017, 6:55:14 PM2 votes

Honestly, unless you want significantly lower wages, you should really get a BS in computer science.

notFREEfood8/26/2017, 7:11:46 PM2 votes

[{quoted}](name=The flex z0ne,realm=NA,application-id=yrc23zHg,discussion-id=8bsybd1o,comment-id=,timestamp=2017-08-26T18:49:36.813+0000)

So i can get a few quick certifications like C++ java and uhh can't remember the other one.. Along with profiency in excel and a couple other things and i can get a job as an "entry level programmer" without a degree even at MOST companies?

No.

Sure there are some companies you could get a job at with some basic programming knowledge, but having the certs may only get you to the interview, where you will then get laughed out due to your lack of knowledge.

Programming tends to be a very performance-oriented career. It's one of the few jobs where you can substitute experience for a degree, because ultimately the degree is just for HR. Those certs you talk about serve the same purpose.

The Sword Saint8/26/2017, 7:05:54 PM1 votes

Eh, not quite. You may be able to find work with just some basic 'how to' knowledge of programming in a specific language gained from a couple of 'certifications' but it sort of misses the point of hiring a developer most of the time.

Generally speaking, employers who say they are hiring 'programmers' are actually looking to hire software developers / engineers. There's an important distinction to note here: programming is the act of actually writing the code that does stuff, but you can't write the code without either being told exactly what to do to solve the problems at hand or being able to come up with a well designed solution yourself. The actual code writing is just one part of what a job as a 'programmer' requires, and honestly it's probably the easiest part.

How do you become able to come up with well designed solutions to problems so that you can actually code them? Well, the most common ways are to get a degree in computer science plus some work experience or to just spend many years researching and developing on your own until you are able to look at an arbitrary problem and have several solutions ready off the top of your head - then it becomes possible for you to consider which of the possible solutions is best for a specific case of a problem.

In short - even if you can pick up the basics of writing code in some specific language in a few 'certification courses', you won't have the knowledge or experience in the field to be able to come up with a good solution to problems on a daily basis by yourself and will need someone telling you what to do all the time - if you even make it through the hiring process. If you don't have a degree, you generally need to be able to demonstrated considerable experience outside of school, such as with side projects you worked on.

It's certainty possible, but its not as simple and easy as you may be thinking based on your OP.