[rnicholson]

A few recruiters and HR departments, that I've seen, do value technical certifications. Depends on the job.

Personally, I'm not a firm believer in valuing technical certifications as worthless. Overly valued by some, sure, but not worthless.

[kapilkaisare]

Recruiters and HR departments value tech certifications because it means they don't have to test the technical knowledge of the candidate themselves. This saves time and acts as a 'useful' filter when they are processing resumes en masse.

To clarify, you wouldn't expect to see this followed at a company where its programmers are first class citizens; these guys tend to be real thorough.