Microsoft Certifications

[LabR@t]

hi was looking at under taking some self taught study as this will suit my busy work/homelife and I am considering Microsoft Certifications are these a worth while avenue of study?

If not can you recommend something else?

i started a HND in software engineering part time a few years back but had to stop due to Outside commitments. but in my first year i got 2 merits and 2 Distinctions and regretted never returning to finish, the course has now changed. i have thought about the OU but my mate said I would be better of doing an MS thing?

 

[happytechie]

the MS certs are fairly well recognised in industry.

We would definitely give credit (and cash incentives) for any of the bigger MS certs, MCDBA, MCAD etc. for a software engineering role or the appropriate ones for a network admin role. I don't know how much credit we'd give to the odd MCP or two

Of course we wouldn't interview you for an engineering role without a degree (or two) as well but that's just our policy here.

As certifications go they are not bad imho but if you can memorise information you'll pass them, if you can't you'll fail them as simpler as that. The Analysing requirements and defining solutions architecture exam is rock hard btw

I've got the DBA and the solutions developer certifficates amongst others and I am one of the team that accept / reject CVs for interview if you care

HT

 

[Mr^B]

I've been MCSD for a while now (now MCSD.Net) - and although in itself it's nothing amazingly difficult to pass (as mentioned above), it at least shows that you are capable of reading and retaining a reasonably large amount of information.

Whether it actually makes you a good programmer or not - I remain unconvinced.

...and seconded on the Analysing Requirements exam. Which is more of a test to see if you can think like Microsoft, as opposed to the liberal application of common sense.

 

[LabR@t]

not sure i want to be a programmer , but I would maybe like to change my career change (currently a colour technician in a gobal refinish company)
and maybe a admin of some description network/unix etc etc

 

[akakjs]

not sure i want to be a programmer , but I would maybe like to change my career change (currently a colour technician in a gobal refinish company)
and maybe a admin of some description network/unix etc etc

tbh mate if your not sure, don't do it. Programmers work long hours, doing difficult work often without reward (fixing a bug for example almost always gets a "why was it broken in the first place?" response rather than thanks..)

akakjs

 

[LabR@t]

well i just want to develop a career with something i enjoy doing , ie messing about with computers hardware/ software workings

 

[stoofa]

well i just want to develop a career with something i enjoy doing , ie messing about with computers hardware/ software workings

You really need to specialise to move to serious positions in the IT industry.
What you are describing - and no disrespect to anybody who does that kind of job, is building PC's and installing Windows.
Then, if they go wrong the most challenging thing is probably going to be a reinstall of the OS because at the end of the day 2hrs to take a totally empty PC through an OS install is time better spent that actually looking for the problem and attempting to fix it (usually).

Networking is something you must know and learn to move up in an IT career.
My break came when at the company I'd just been taken on at as the "Only IT person" wanted to know in which direction to take their network.
I made an extremely calculated risk, said we were ready for a Windows 2000 Active Directory domain, convinced them of the merits and ordered what I needed.
May not sound radical - however this was some 3-4 weeks after the release of Windows 2000.
Totally ignoring the rules of the industry on early adoption on live networks etc.
The risk paid off and our network is still now running based on that new network I built - it could however have gone very wrong and then I think I'd still be providing first level support now rather than being the IT Manager.

 

[riddlermarc]

tbh mate if your not sure, don't do it. Programmers work long hours, doing difficult work often without reward (fixing a bug for example almost always gets a "why was it broken in the first place?" response rather than thanks..)

akakjs

Seconded. If you are an "average" programmer that is just a code monkey then it's a thankless job. However, if you really know your stuff and/or can back it up with some serious infrastructure/security knowledge then you can start to go places. That way you don't code, code, code all day but actually get your hands dirty in decent projects and have a greater role (which is usually a good thing )..


My place of work requires a degree (although I don't have one :/) and some serious amount of real-world experience - paper certs are a bonus but rarely will you get hired based on them. If you can get some work experience to back up your certs that is a definite bonus.

Don't get disheartened though, it can take time but is worth it if you want it bad enough

 

[n3crius]

tbh mate if your not sure, don't do it. Programmers work long hours, doing difficult work often without reward (fixing a bug for example almost always gets a "why was it broken in the first place?" response rather than thanks..)

akakjs

certainly not the case in my environment.

 

[LabR@t]

Seconded. If you are an "average" programmer that is just a code monkey then it's a thankless job. However, if you really know your stuff and/or can back it up with some serious infrastructure/security knowledge then you can start to go places. That way you don't code, code, code all day but actually get your hands dirty in decent projects and have a greater role (which is usually a good thing )..


My place of work requires a degree (although I don't have one :/) and some serious amount of real-world experience - paper certs are a bonus but rarely will you get hired based on them. If you can get some work experience to back up your certs that is a definite bonus.

Don't get disheartened though, it can take time but is worth it if you want it bad enough

I am in no real hurry my current job is 25K-30k and is a 10 min walk from my house, but I feel like a change.