Member Avatar for Virii

So I'm looking for any and all respectable certificates for web design and development... ones that include:

XHTML
CSS
Flash
Photoshop
Any other web development area

Here is what I have planned so far:
Computer Networking (Cisco Certifcation)
PHP (Zend Certification)
Computer Repair (A+ Certification)

So do certificates for the others exist or is it just a "show us what you can do" kind of thing?

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by BillBrown

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Good question from and good points from and — certificates can show structured learning but they rarely replace demonstrable work. Below is a concise, modern take that updates the 2006 context and gives a practical path forward.

Today, focus first on current front‑end fundamentals (modern HTML/CSS and JavaScript), responsive design, accessibility, performance, version control, and a design-to-code workflow. Flash is no longer a viable skill — browsers and vendors ended support — so invest in HTML5/CSS/JS and progressive enhancement instead. For credentials, prefer programs that require real projects (micro‑credentials, bootcamp nanodegrees, or course certificates) rather than purely multiple‑choice exams.

Concrete, actionable path

  1. Build 3–5 small but polished projects: a responsive marketing page, a JS-driven interactive widget or SPA, and a PSD/design→HTML conversion that shows asset export and optimization.
  2. Host source and live demos (GitHub + static hosting) and include clear READMEs that explain the problem, approach, and results.
  3. Run simple quality checks (browser devtools, Lighthouse audits for performance/accessibility) and include those scores in project notes.
  4. Pair one short, reputable certificate that expects projects with the portfolio so recruiters see both training and proof of work (examples of reputable learning resources include freeCodeCamp and documentation centers like MDN Web Docs).
  5. Learn Git and deployment basics — they matter more in interviews than many paper certs.

Hiring managers look for problem solving, clean code, communication, and shipped work. Use a small number of well‑chosen credentials to signal discipline, but treat your portfolio as the main document of value. This balances ’s realism about certificates and ’s push to show real work.

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Member Avatar for BillBrown

Certificates aren't always all that they're cracked up to be anymore. Certifications such as the A+ certainly serve to show others that you have the capacity to learn entry level technical things but it won't get you very far.

LPI (Linux Professional Institute) produces a a couple levels of certification. Someone who's been using Linux for a few years in a truly administrator capacity could probably do well with the first certification (two exams). Other Linux administrators would probably look upon that certification as something to be respected but an employer might not, even if they are hiring for a Linux related position.

Red Hat also provides a respected Linux certification, the RHCE (Red Hat Certified Engineer). It'll be obviously a little less generalized in its presentation of exam questions. For example, it's not likely to ask a lot of dpkg questions.

For somerthing like HTML, you might want to look at w3schools.com.
http://www.w3schools.com/cert/cert_html.asp

For the other applications, you'll want to check out the developers' sites for any certifications that they offer or support, such as this for Flash.
http://www.adobe.com/support/training/certified_professional_program/

.Bill

Member Avatar for roryt

In my opinion certificates don't really matter, I think people are more likely to base their decision of whether to use your service on what they see you have done before. Couldn't you spend more time making websites and selling your service instead of getting a scrap of paper with your name on it?

Member Avatar for BillBrown

roryt makes a really good point. A Linux admin would probably understand what an LPI is and would likely feel comfortable discussing technical issues with someone who has one. That doesn't mean that the admin would want to hire someone based on just having that paper. It only shows that they, at one time, had the capacity to learn everything required to pass the exams for that certificate. It doesn't mean that they will continue to have the capacity to learn and solve problems. Anyone can read a man page and memorize switches.

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