So I'm in the job market right now and one tip I've gotten is to look into CISSP certification.

It's a "Certified Information Systems Security Professional" certificate.

Quoth ISC2.org:

These are not unfamiliar topics to me for the most part, though I have to say I haven't done much on the legal and regulatory fronts, or some of these issues with respect to larger enterprises. So I would have some studying to do, but it's not an alien thing I have no experience with.

I'm wondering though, do people have experience with people's reactions to this certificate? I imagine it's pretty market-specific, though. I'm looking in the NoVA-DC market, which is going to be different from Austin or SF-San Jose or Raleigh-Durham.

What kind of job(s) are you looking to get with this?

One that pays

Seriously, though, I've done enough of different kinds of development over the years that I'd take a wide variety of positions.

Don't you need proof of experience and an endorsement from a certified member? Did this suggestion come from such a person who is willing to ink your paper work? If so, that would be a ringing endorsement, IMO, but if not, you're probably fighting an uphill battle.

https://www.isc2.org/cissp-how-to-certify.aspx

I had come across this in IT contracting. There were basically 2 methods of thought:

1) The hiring manager had enough organizational clout and technical expertise to distinguish a candidate's skills with or without CISSP or other industry certifications. However, there was usually an understood increase in pay requirements when candidates were certified.

2) The hiring manager for whatever reason (usually his or his superior's lack of expertise in this exact discipline) thought it was a much safer move to hire someone with the certification as almost an insurance policy.

I know someone that is working on this certification right now, and the biggest reason is his work experience up to this point is underwhelming so this will make his resume look substantially more legit. At least that is how he sees it.

Usually they like certificates because it gives a kind of guarantee that you spent time on this and good with this subject..... but if you may run into someone who can start asking you questions once he sees your certificate, so be ready to prove your knowledge.

I actually got the suggestion to look at this from someone in the field.

Thanks for the comments all. I have more reading to do, clearly.