"No one every got fired for buying IBM" was a saying that some of us older folks remember. Once IBM was both ubiquitous and synonymous with serious, reliable computing. The point of the saying was that managers and persons in decision-making positions didn't know jack about things down at the hands-on level and went with what they thought others would perceive as wisdom. All of this has happened before. So say we all. Technology moves fast. Managers and persons in positions of authority don't know jack about what happens at the hands-on level. "Certifications" are ubiquitous and synonymous with competence and knowledge (ignore the boot camps and pass-the test books). "Don't blame me for hiring the guy. He was Certified." Certs are a scam. A cash cow business model. I have a "lifetime" Security+ cert but it's no longer honored by DoD. I suppose they didn't expect me to live this long. Certs are a scam. But unfortunately that's the first step to get in the HR door. Easier for manager to say I require a Server+ candidate than enumerate the actual skills required. That would potentially reveal they they themselves didn't know.