Microsoft Certification

[RSi Dave]

Anyone have any?

Would like to expand my CV a little but looking at the site im getting confused with things.

I would ideally like to go into some sort of Network Support job so what qualifications would be needed for this role?

Are they any other training places which do a similar thing?

Thanks

 

[biojo]

look into em theres some online places where u can do some of the previouse papers for practise tests . there all multiple choice or used to be.

if u get 3/5 of em , then u get a thing to say yer a microsoft somet .

end of day experience counts for more, or it has done in my past

 

[RSi Dave]

true about the experiance, however cant get experience without being slightly appealing to employers.

I have a software engineering degree but want a bit more aswell

 

[biojo]

best thing u can try n do is goto all the local schools , providing u aint got n e criminal convictions.

and apply to be a trainee IT support, basically work alon side the proper technician , money aint too great looking at 12k-16k but with quite alot of holidays

you can try it with other companies that might require a little more then 1 person on site , but hours usually arnt as good and money can be less , i was once offered 8k which i thought was a piss take so walked out of interview. the same company offered me 13-14k if i had 3 ms certs , which is why i never did em.

 

[Pete]

lol talk about the blind leading the blind.

What exactly do you want to do? MS certs aren't the key to a job, if you can't do the job in the real world with real world experience they won't give you a second look, you've got to start at the bottom and work your way up.

 

[biojo]

yep its just how low at the bottom u need to get on , for me i could live off 12k or less , so was a no go area , instead i changed my career path n left IT , but i still get to fiddle with em at my current job when needs be , and i also work on the comp for the majority of the day.

i think if i`d have left school and gone straight into it rarther then spend 2 years at college , i`d have still been doing computer stuff now . but i have no regrets about it. and ive prolly got a better job now which i enjoy more . and theres better prospects in the future for when i finally have to move on from this one

 

[RSi Dave]

I was going to apply at a school but didnt get around to it.

Currently im working at Makro Cash n Carry as a Order Clerk.

Main tasks include ordering non food items using a unix based system, also using a web based system for MS word, excel, powerpoint and outlook. Other tasks are contacting buyers from Head Office via phone or email.

So this job is getting me some experience in the office world, just need to get a break in IT and networking ideally. I dont want to go into full blown software engineering however dont mind doing some when need be.

 

[dk]

i got my MCP (Micosoft Certified Professional) just last week, took and passed the Managing and Maintaining a Microsoft WIndows Server 2003 Environment.

Was a hard course, 8 days squeezed into 5 which I did a year ago and have been putting off the exam as i was scared of it.

FInally I needed it for one of my HP accreditations and for our company to stay accredited I needed to pass it by last friday so the pressure was on, I did about 2 full weeks of revision and thought I was going to fail but I passed with 85% so was well chuffed.

I found the practice exams invaluable though as they were so close to the real exam questions it was uncanny!

Might do a few more and make my way towards an MCSE, luckily my company allow me to do any training i want so i will just sign myself up and see how far i get.

I used Interquad for my course which are pretty good and have training centres all over the place.

 

[Andy A]

I have just finished my course at college, its great IMO, BTEC National Diploma for IT Practitioners

All the necessary skills for networking, and you can choose your pathway in the second year, either hardware (networking & PC maintenance) or software (programming and web design)

 

[fulhamfcboy1]

Not that I like blowing my own trumpet but I passed my SCSA at the weekend (Sun Certified Solaris Administrator) I was well chuffed....Ive worked in Linux/Unix for years, but Im lazy and never bothered getting accredited....then did a week at the training camp (who I cant recommend enough), and voila, certified )

 

[Pete]

I'm heading off to the training camp in a couple of weeks time, if you know your stuff it's the easiest way to get your certs.

 

[Munday]

I used Interquad for my course which are pretty good and have training centres all over the place.

I have used them too Dave, they are really good. Did you use the one in Reading?

 

[FlamingMonkey]

I did a training camp to to get my MCSE, top banana

 

[marty_87]

Currently I am completing my MOS courses at my local Collage there nothing too difficult about the courses if you use Microsoft office application on a daily basic you won't have any problems

Good Luck

 

[miketheman2k]

I did an MCSA this year purely because it looks good on the CV - ignore those who say its worthless; if you're short-listed against another chap without the qualifications, it might be the MCSE/A that bags you the job.

 

[sh33n]

As Mike said I also did an MCSA for this reason.

I however think I did benefit from it, simply because I am the highest role in IT at my place there is no one to clarify ideas with or learn from, therefore it was great to get everything reassured and clarifyed by the experts on the course.

 

[Pete]

I did an MCSA this year purely because it looks good on the CV - ignore those who say its worthless; if you're short-listed against another chap without the qualifications, it might be the MCSE/A that bags you the job.

I didn't mean it was worthless in general, just without experience it's worthless.

 

[biojo]

ye me n me mate went for same job at some company but a year apart , and i was nocked back even though on there test i scored higher then the person that got the job. cos they had more job experience .

 

[dk]

I have used them too Dave, they are really good. Did you use the one in Reading?

no, for the training i went to london, for the exam though, yes i used the reading one.

 

[TwoSugars]

Try getting MCSA and CCNA (the foundation Cisco cert).
I've got CCNA and let me tell you, I didn't realise there was so much to networking! I've still got a year to go at Uni before I get my Network Computing degree but in hindsight, I wish i'd steered clear of IT and done finance or business!