I understand and agree with much of your point of view. But the fact is that recruiters often first check if you have a certification and only then invite you for a job interview—or even list it as a job requirement. So, if you don't have the certification, you end up missing the opportunity—even to a much less experienced professional. And in a way, it's possible to understand why this happens. For example: We have two candidates; on one side, we have a person who claims to know something, and on the other side, we have a person who claims to know the same thing but also holds a certification. Only a more experienced recruiter can accurately assess who is truly more qualified for the job, regardless of certifications.