Certification v/s Experience

Most people, especially freshers, think that getting the certification is fun, and can improve their odds to get a job, which is true in this competitive world, at least it can get you an interview.

I have done my first certification in 2013-14, I can't recall the exact date, but it was really fun.
I was in 3rd year of my Engineering, and I was the first person (in my college) to get globally certified in RHCE (for non-technical readers, RHCE is like the god in Linux till date).

It was like adrenaline rush through my body. I never saw back again and cleared around 20+ certification till date. If you ask me how was it, I would say fun. It cost me the fortune but taught me a lot.

Certification, for some people, might be the waste of money, but for me, it is the passion for technology, it keeps me going. It is like the target for me always, that I want to achieve.

I am never satisfied with what I have at least with the knowledge, always want to learn something new.

Now, let's focus on the topic itself, Certification v/s Experience

Getting certified is one side of the coin, most people forget about the other side, experience.
Here I am not talking about job experience, most people even with 15-20yrs of experience cannot make what a fresher from IIT and or MIT or any top university can make. So, finally, everything settles into one thing i.e. passion, you can never be successful/happy without passion.

Passion is something that makes a successful being, neither certification nor experience. If you have the passion for something you can surpass 10-15yr of knowledge in 1-2year.

P.S. Love what you do, Do what you love.