Magento Certified individuals are not really pebbles on the beach. They are as rare as they come, and that’s solely because of the competitiveness of the certifications and the benefits associated with them. The exams are designed to single out the very best Magento experts through rigorous testing of the skills.
Magento certifications come in four distinct flavors: Magento Certified Solution Specialist, Front End Developer Certification, Certified Developer, and Developer Plus. The emphasis of the tests is on maintaining the quality of the Magento developers as the core Magento team adds new features and options.
When it comes to hiring decisions, Magento certifications provide a distinct edge. Since the certifications signify competence in magento development, the employers can make quick decisions.
I decided to ask the industry experts about the value of these certifications. Here’s what the experts have to say.
Lewis Sellers
Certifications: Solution Specialist
Bio: Lewis Sellers is a Managing Director at Pinpoint Designs Limited, an ecommerce agency, where Mr. Sellers architects large Magento projects.
Lewis Sellers said in an interview:
The Solutions Specialist exam is a great exam for understanding the Magento platform, the features contained and what you can and can’t do within the platform. The main reason I decided to take the exam was that I felt it would provide validation for merchants we’re speaking to.
I don’t think the exam has hugely helped my career as such, but I would recommend it to anyone who wants to gain a better understanding of how Magento works and to learn about the features available and where they’re located.
Andrew Pemberton
Certifications: Developer.
Bio: Andrew Pemberton is a Magento Developer at Interactive Web Solutions Ltd and has years of experience in bespoke web development, focussed on Magento.
Talking about Magento, here’s what Andrew Pemberton had to say:
I would say simply get stuck in and start building something using the resources out there; Stackoverflow, Magento Community Forums, and the thousands of blog posts are always there if you’re stuck; the chances are someone has already been through the same problem before.
In regards to certification, I think it gives agencies bragging rights to clients and certainly sets them aside from non-certified agencies. As a customer, it must be comforting to know that an agency has x number of certified developers on their team. I don’t think that being certified makes you a better developer though. There are many amazing Magento developers out there who are not certified at all.
Carmen Bremen
Certifications: Developer, Solution Specialist, Front End Developer.
Bio: Carmen Bremen is a certified Magento expert with noteworthy experience as Magento freelancer.
Talking to us in an interview, Carmen Bremen said:
I really don’t know if someone works with me because I’m certified. It’s been kind of a self-test to graduate the exams and they were more difficult than I expected. I guess it’s a kind of passion to collect things and pass them all. And furthermore they prove that I know what I’m doing without studying computer science.
Alessandro Ronchi
Certifications: Developer.
Bio: Alessandro Ronchi is an active contributor to multiple open source projects with publications pertaining to Magento. He is the COO at Bitbull srl.
Alessandro Ronchi talked to us about Magento and the certifications:
I got certified in 2012, and at that time there were only a dozen certified developers in Italy. It made a big difference because together with the fact that my company was one of the few Italian Magento Solution Partners, it brought us a lot of work and experience. The importance of certification, for me, was that it forced me to delve deep in the core of Magento. At that time there weren’t many official resources, and the only way to have definitive answers was that of looking at the Magento code. Studying to get the certification provided me the basis for some of the topics that I covered in my book some years later.
Rebecca Brocton
Certifications: Solution Specialist.
Bio: Rebecca Brocton is a Channel Manager at Ingenico ePayments, where she has also worked as a Project Manager.
Rebecca Brocton said in an interview:
I guess having moved away from development, I wanted to prove to myself that I was still relevant to the Magento world. So, I set myself the task of becoming certified. My advice would be to study, practice and play with Magento but don’t forget to rely on your instincts as well. Being a Solution Specialist is about having the knowledge, but it’s also about being able to react and apply that knowledge in the best way for the merchant.
Miguel Ignacio
Certifications: Solution Specialist.
Bio: Miguel Ignacio Balparda has over 6 years of experience in eCommerce and is a Senior Magento Developer at Nexcess. He is also a certified Magento Solution Specialist.
Here’s what Miguel Ignacio had to say about certifications:
Yes, and no. Certifications are just a piece of paper saying you have met the minimum standard of knowledge on a subject. It doesn’t matter who gives you this certification. On the other hand, the amount of time and effort you put into the work is critical. Even more important than the exam itself. When you take out the time to study, stay curious, and challenge yourself, you arm yourself with the tools necessary for success.
Allan MacGregor
Certifications: Developer and Developer Plus.
Bio: Allan MacGregor is the Director of Engineering at Demac Media where he has also worked as a Senior Magento Developer.
Allan MacGregor in an interview on Magento:
Jeez, this is kind of a difficult question. There are so many resources available nowadays but I would highly recommend starting with the official Magento documentation. MagentoU also has some great courses on Magento2 that I would recommend checking out. And, of course, there is also MageTraining.
I would advise people to learn from trusted sources like one of the Magento Masters because there is still way too much disinformation or incorrect answers floating around forum sites like Stackoverflow.
Sonja Riesterer
Certifications: Solution Specialist
Bio: Sonja Riesterer works as a Marketing Manager at integer_net GmbH and has vast knowledge of Magento.
Sonja Riesterer in an interview said:
At least for Magento 1 certifications you can find a ton of information out there. Start with official information from Magento and move to community resources afterward. If you have worked with Magento’s admin panel for some time and brushed up your knowledge to match the official exam guide, you should be fine. The Magento 2 Solution Specialist certification will probably be available this summer. They will be a different story: less experience with Magento 2 and fewer resources available online. I’m looking forward to that challenge.
Brent W Peterson
Certifications: Solutions Specialist.
Bio: Brent W Peterson is a Magento Evangelist at Wagento and Mage Training. Brent is renown in the Magento Community.
In an interview about Magento and its certifications, Brent W Peterson said:
I think the certification is important in the sense that it gives everyone a baseline of knowledge that can be interpreted in the same manner. You can easily say “I know all this about Magento,” but if everyone takes the same test, then you have to know more than enough to pass the test. Any of the Magento certifications tell you something that is objective in regards to the person who took the certification.
Shoaib Rehman
Certifications: Solution Specialist.
Bio: Shoaib Rehman is a Lead Web Developer at Receptional, where he has also worked as a Web Application Developer.
Here’s what Shoaib Rehman has to say about Magento certification:
Magento certification is always helpful and it is a proof of one’s dedication towards the platform. Having Certified Specialists in a company can give clients an extra peace of mind, and in my opinion, it does help to strengthen the relationship with the clients.
Now that Magento 2 is out in the market, I’m very keen to acquire my Magento 2 Certifications. I’ve also completed MagentoU courses on Core Principles for Theming in Magento 2(v2.1), Managing Your Magento 2 store(v2.1) and ‘Fundamentals of Magento 2(v2.1) Development’.
All of these certifications have helped us win more work because it proves our authenticity and knowledge of Magento 2.
Marcel Hauri
Certifications: Developer.
Bio: Marcel Hauri works a Magento Developer at Stämpfli AG.
Marcel Hauri shares his thoughts about Magento certifications:
For me, the certifications are rather a confirmation of the experience and knowledge of your development principles of Magento. They also help to see if there are areas where you have to improve and work on.
The main advantage of being a Magento Certified Developer is of course that you’re recognized as a professional. It also helps to build trust and to assure clients that their work is in capable hands.
Viktor Khliupko
Certifications: Developer.
Bio: Viktor Khliupko is a consultant and the founder of Fire Bear Studio. He has notable experience in the field of Magento.
In an interview about Magento, Viktor Khliupko said:
It is extremely important to not only understand, but to prove your knowledge, and certification offers a great opportunity to do that. Thus, everyone is waiting excitedly for the Magento 2 Certification program to be introduced!
At the same time, some highly skilled Magento community stars stay oblivious to certifications. They believe that a true professional doesn’t need additional pages or pieces of paper to prove their knowledge. Instead, client feedbacks, product reviews, and open source projects should speak for their professionalism. This is also an interesting approach which I can’t deny.
Joshua Hughes
Certifications: Front End Developer
Bio: Joshua Hughes is currently working as the eCommerce marketing manager at joshua34.com.
Here’s what Joshua Hughes said about certifications in an interview:
I believe that the Front End Developer certificate has definitely been valuable in the sense that it validates my experience and skills with the Magento platform. I believe it has been instrumental in placement on higher profile projects.
The Solution Specialist certificate, I think, is less obvious as to what it signifies and so it carries less value to those outside the community. I think I have only seen one or two job postings in the US over the past 5 years which preferred a candidate with a Solution Specialist certification.
Ben Crook
Certifications: Front End Developer
Bio: Ben Crook is currently working at as a Front End Developer/Quality Analyst at Space 48.
Ben Crook’s take on Magento certifications:
From a personal point of view, I don’t rate certifications too highly. It’s just a piece of paper that says you passed a multiple choice exam and it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re better than a non-certified developer. It isn’t a bad thing, though, and it certainly helps you when you are looking for a job, so if you do get the chance I would recommend taking the exam.
From a commercial point of view, it’s a different story. There is a minimum number of certified devs required before you can become a professional or enterprise Magento partner, and it will have significant importance when trying to gain new clients.
Stephen Goudie
Certifications: Developer.
Bio: Stephen Goudie works as an eCommerce Development/Enterprise Systems Design at Magescale. He has extensive experience in the field of Magento.
Stephen Goudie said in an interview about Magento:
Certification does not always mean a great understating of the platform. More often than not, coupled with experience, it can serve as a good way to traverse the extensive Magento core.
As the platform has so much scope, being certified certainly assists in taming the steep learning curve making it an enjoyable experience for the developer and a timely execution for the client.
I think starting with skinning the frontend with best practices is a great way to get the feet wet. From there, building extensions, adding new features, backend development, integration & optimisation of the code and caching layer to complete the loop and mastering Magento becomes much easier.
Richard Baik
Certifications: Solution Specialist.
Bio: Richard Baik has long been associated with Magento and works as a Support Manager for Magento.
Richard Baik’s thoughts on Magento certification:
The certification validates my experience and knowledge working with Magento. In general, having Magento certification shows that you have put the time and effort to master Magento. As a developer or agency, having certification can give you an advantage in winning clients.
Daniel Sousa
Certifications: Developer.
Bio: Daniel Sousa is a Magento Developer with wide knowledge and experience in the field of Magento.
Daniel Sousa’s take on Magento certification:
There are a lot of good knowledge bases but I used these ones to consolidate my knowledge:
The main advantage of being a Magento Certified Developer is that you’re a recognized professional. That enforces confidence from your clients, managers, and team mates.
Tom Robertshaw
Certifications: Developer, Front End Developer, Solution Specialist.
Bio: Tom Robertshaw works as a Managing Director at Meanbee Limited. He is known for his contribution to the Magento Community.
Here’s what Tom Robertshaw said in an interview:
I believe that they’re a rite of passage for people involved with the platform. We include them as part of developers personal development plan at Meanbee, and it’s a good way to allow new developers of the platform to benchmark themselves and their progress.
That being said, there’s an awful lot more to being a good (Magento) Developer than taking an exam. Not just because the test isn’t foolproof, but because many other qualities make a good developer. Being part of a team that is a safe place to receive constructive feedback from developers and other team roles provides further opportunity for self-improvement.
Thomas Burman
Certifications: Developer, Solution Specialist
Bio: Thoman Burman has several Magento Certifications and extensive development experience. He currently works as a Senior PHP Developer at Lewis Creative Digital Commerce.
Thomas Burman’s take on the idea of a certification:
Any certifications on your CV will help you in your career. I’m lucky that I have certifications for Magento with it being such a specific product. Having both certifications have helped considerably in my career. I urge any developer that wants to follow the Magento way to take any certification they can because it shows the ability to learn quickly and your dedication to such a complex system.
Gabriel Guarino
Certifications: Developer.
Bio: Gabriel Guarino is a Magento Developer and has several years of experience on the platform.
Gabriel Guarino said in an interview:
By taking the exams, you can see if there are concepts that you need to learn or areas that you have to improve on.
The preparation for the exams take you on a different level, and passing the exam is a good indication that you are on the right track as a developer and specialist.
I am looking forward to the Magento 2 certifications, and I will be glad to take the exam to see if all the experience I had with Magento 2 up to this moment covers most areas that need to be in my knowledge or if I should continue studying and prepare myself even further.
Dave Macaulay
Certifications: Developer, Developer Plus, Front End Develper, Solution Specialist.
Bio: Dave Macaulay works as a Full Stack Engineer at Magento Commerce.
Here’s what Dave Macaulay had to say about Magento certification:
The certification program Magento offers is amazing. It allowed me to prove to myself and my team at Gene that I knew Magento and confirmed that my implementation was in line with Magento’s core development principles. I must also mention how Gene enabled me to take all these exams and provided time for revision alongside the financials needed to take these exams.
It also proves to our merchants and extension users that they are in very capable hands and that we knew what we were doing. Gene strived to get all their developers Magento certified as it is recognized industry wide.
Conclusion
It seems that almost all Magento experts validate the importance of Magento certifications. This goes well with the popular belief that Magento certified individuals have all the necessary skills required for creating and maintaining effective and efficient ecommerce sites.
