I feel like the job market in the US is very strong at the present time. It upsets me to see people with no experience that have passed the
SCJP test think that they are just somehow going to receive hundreds of job offers from US companies at outrageous salaries. Anyone, and I mean ANYONE, can pass the SCJP test. All you have to do is buy a $45 book, study for 2-3 months, and pay $150. The SCJP tests you on your ability to memorize how many bytes a
String is or how you handle events in AWT. This in no way tests you on your programming ability. I'll bet anyone on this board that I can take 5 strangers off of the street, let them study for 3 months, and then they will take the test and pass. Does this mean that they have the required skills to land a job in
java development shop? NO!! To land a job as a entry level programmer in a development shop, you have to have other skills besides programming. Personally, I would want to hire someone that could speak proper English, have good interpersonal skills, and that had a college degree. This shows me that the person is capable of getting along with his or her peers, starting a task and finishing it, and also can communicate with potential clients and coworkers. The programming skills that the entry level person needs will be acquired over the life of the job.
I don't mean to sound negative, I just hate to see people complaining that "java is dead". Java is not dead, it is very alive. It's just like any other job though, you have to have certain other skills besides Java to land a job.
I'm not saying that the SJCP is not important. It is important because it also shows the person was dedicated and passed the test. But having the SJCP by itself does not guarantee a job.
Ken