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I know this is pretty specific, but I couldn't think of another place to ask such a work-related question.

I've been working full-time in industry for over 8 years; first half of this was as an applications developer, last 4 years have been in DevOps. I have quite a bit of hands-on experience in *nix systems, but not at a particularly granular level.

I've noticed a trend in companies that contact me, which indicates and expectation of low level understanding of these technologies (linux) for more senior positions in my field (i.e., not just how to manage linux, but how the kernel functions, how memory is managed, how inodes work, etc.).

While I'm somewhat comfortable in these areas, I'm consistently queried on aspects of them that I'm not really familiar with.

Generally, would having a tech-specific certification add confidence (for employers) in my understanding of these skills?

I know certs have recently become basically fluff, but it seems that the demand in my industry for these skills would encourage a candidate to have a verifiable credential indicating proficiency in this area. The idea here being that, while I may be asked specific questions I don't know, I can generally prove I have a good understanding of the technology overall. Am I wrong?

(bonus points: Does the RHSA even cover the kernel, or is that reserved for the RHCE?)

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    This question is a little too broad in it's title now. I would add 'Linux', 'dev-ops' or both before 'professional'. Clearly the answer will be different for programmers, ux-designers, Feng Shui consultants.... Shouldn't have to read the text to figure out which one we're talking about. Good question though.
    – Nathan Cooper
    Sep 12, 2018 at 15:32
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    I sincerely doubt that you will get a solid enough answer for it to be actionable in deciding to spend your time and money on this stuff. Some will see it as a requirement, some as a nice to have, and some as basically irrelevant.
    – Myles
    Sep 12, 2018 at 15:57

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I am sure it depends on the certification and how rigorous and through it is. What you WOULD benefit from is the preparation for those certifications. You will need to dig a little deeper into areas you probably do not work with in your daily work etc.

If recruiters are looking for certification then you really should get those certifications because recruiters are the gatekeepers and they are going to keep you from talking to the real decision makers if you cannot get past their rudimentary methods.

I am not saying it is fair or right, just how I see it being used.

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It depends on the situation, but in my hiring experience, there have been scenarios where I gave more weight to a candidate with a Microsoft Certification only a high-school diploma than no certification with a college degree.

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