For the cheapest of the cheap...a $25.00 Skills Cert from Rutgers

http://skillcenter.rutgers.edu/

I found this in my quest for a good management cert...

Apparently this measures your CURRENT skills...no studying for this bad boy.

Have fun.

 

That's a pretty good find. Some of the certificates look like they would be useful. I'm not sure about the utility of some of the certs, such as "phone skills", but hey, you get to put the Rutgers name on your resume. Cool!

 

TCord....I knew you'd dig it.

 

Er...does that mean I'm the "cheapest of the cheap"?

 

This isn't necessarily as cheap as it seems. For example I went with the Information Systems/Technology Manager Job Role. Each of the 9 tests is $50 (or so I'm assuming from the first test). Only after passing and paying for all 9 of these tests would I have my "Job Skills Certification". Though I'd technically have a Skills Certification in one of these areas for $50. I'm curious as to what the utility of these would be compared to say brainbench which offers a similar service but doesn't have the name of a university behind it.

-Rob

 

That's just it...this would have the Rutgers name behind it. I believe the name really does count for something with employers. "Oh, I see you have a certficate from Rutgers. Good school." That plays a lot better than "Oh, I see you have a certificate from Brainbench. What is that?"

 

I agree...I had several certs from Brainbench....after about the 3rd time hearing "what's Brainbench" and one time hearing "oh, well we don't count that. I've never heard of them."....I stopped listing them on my resume. Now I've got a pile of worthless certs....notice I don't even list them here.

TCord....you're not the "cheapest" per say, you'll have to combat me for that title. Just ask my wife.

 

So if I'm to understand you correctly. You take 9 tests for the skill set...at $90.00 each...and wind up paying $810.00 for the skill set certificate?

 

We're not cheap, friendorfoe...just frugal!

It appears there are several tests which need to be completed to obtain the certificate in a particular subject area. There is more info about it here:

http://skillcenter.rutgers.edu/assessments/skills/pricing//aip=4d45em4zSK6AjgkcNxk6XvYfxabROz8cb6PX.

 

You say tomato, I say potato...anyhow...

I'm looking at it and it doesn't seem that they have their testing breakdown anywhere it would clearly indicate what skill cert you get for what test. Confusing

 

Looks alot like Brainbench to me. Even the tests required for each "job role" are similar.

I like Brainbench -- it's fun. Was more fun when it was free...

That said -- the 30 day introductory price implies this is cheaper than a little digging reveals -- many tests are $100. Test Prices

Even so, the idea that you test first and only pay after you take the test and decide you want to be certified does intrigue me.

Count me in! Gonna give this thing a trial over the next two weeks...

 

Let us know what you find out and post the results please.

 

I have registered for the Rutgers Skill Certificate program, just to check it out.

This is how I understand it works. You take the tests for free. Once you begin taking a test, you have 30 days to purchase the individual skill certification to get the 50 percent discount. If you wait longer than that, you pay full price. I guess that encourages people who are taking the free tests to pay for the certs in a more timely manner. Once you have all fo the individual skill certifications you can get the Job Skill Certification. For example, the Job Skill Certificate I'm interested in is Marketing Communications Specialists. There are seven individual tests for the job skill certification. Prices for the individual skills certificates range from $25 to $50, if I pay for the certificate within 30 days of starting the test.

Still not a bad deal for a cert with the Rutgers name on it.

 

TCord...let me know how it turns out. I'm kind of interested in the Supervision/Management one.....I'm not sure how many tests that one involves....do you have a link for where the # of tests one takes breaks down into which cert you get?

 

So I assumed the Spelling test couldn't be all that hard.

40 questions - I took 18 minutes - it wasn't all that difficult. Some "trick" questions in there -- in that the corrrectly spelled word for the question is not the expected answer. It looked an awful lot like the Brainbench test of the same material. hmmmmm even the initial survey looks like the Brainbench material.

Anyway -- on completion I come to a screen that says I can buy the skill certification for $25 but no place where I can see how I actually performed. I suppose I passed.

With that, I'll be working through the tests for the Technical Writer job skill certification over the next few days.

 

Very interesting. I took the Interpersonal Communication in the Workplace test and passed.

To get my certificate Iwill have to pay $35.

Since I don't get any CEU's I don't think I will order it.

 

Why not? It's only $35 and it has "Rutgers" on it. Heck if nothing else...hang it next to the "locksmithing" diploma...

Oh no I didn't.........

Just kiddin'.

Besides...it can't HURT your resume...and you can tell us all how good it looks. I bet it looks better than my Ashworth College diploma.

 

You know, I have seen copies of Ashworth's degrees and I don't think they look that bad.

 

Perhaps they don't....but next to an academic certification from Tarrant County College (I hear echos of "who?") it looks fairly shabby. Also for some reason they didn't even sign the blessed thing, just stamped their signatures on it and didn't even wait for the toner to dry before stacking it, thus slightly (ever so slightly) smearing it.....minor....but annoying.

Anyways...I think you should get the cert...then post a pic of it.

 

The Ashworth program, hopefully, represents new knowledge for the student. All the Rutgers certs do is give something that represents learning already amassed.