[300bps]

Instead as a personal target for learning things that you don't necessarily have to learn otherwise

Exactly how I look at it. My MCSD in VB6 from 12 years ago exposed me to parts of the language I would never known existed if I didn't pursue certification. My MCSD.NET in C# did the same thing.

My MCDBA made sure I knew about SQL Server administration, query optimization, client access and every other relevant skillset with SQL Server.

If someone has a lot of experience but no certification in a particular topic it's common to bring up something they've never heard of in regard to that topic. That rarely happens with someone who is certified. They might not be an expert on it but they've at least heard of it, studied it and evaluated whether it was an appropriate tool to use for them.