Thinking of taking an MCSE? Then it’s likely that you’ll fall into one of two camps: You are a knowledgeable person and you should formalise your skills with an MCSE. Alternatively you might be just about to enter commercial IT, and you’ve found there’s lots of demand for those with appropriate certifications.
As you find out about training colleges, steer clear of those who reduce their out-goings by not providing the latest Microsoft version. Overall, this will frustrate and cost the student a great deal more as they will have been studying an outdated MCSE program which will need updating almost immediately.
Steer clear of providers who are only trying to make a sale. You deserve time, expertise and advice to make sure you’re on the best program for your needs. Resist being forced into some generic product by some pushy sales person.
Authorised exam simulation and preparation software is a must – and should definitely be offered by your training company.
Steer clear of depending on unofficial exam papers and questions. Their phraseology can be quite different – and this leads to huge confusion when the proper exam time arrives.
Mock exams will prove enormously valuable in helping you build your confidence – so when it comes to taking your actual exams, you won’t be worried.
Far too many companies only look at the plaque to hang on your wall, and completely miss what it’s all actually about – which is a commercial career or job. Your focus should start with the end goal – don’t make the vehicle more important than the destination.
You may train for one year and then end up doing a job for a lifetime. Avoid the mistake of finding what seems like an ‘interesting’ training program and then put 10-20 years into a job you don’t like!
Make sure you investigate your feelings on career progression and earning potential, plus your level of ambition. You need to know what the role will demand of you, which accreditations are required and where you’ll pick-up experience from.
Take advice from a skilled advisor, irrespective of whether you have to pay – it’s much safer and cheaper to find out at the start if a chosen track will suit, instead of discovering after two full years that you aren’t going to enjoy the job you’ve chosen and have to return to the start of another program.
The perhaps intimidating chore of landing your first role in IT is often made easier because some trainers offer a Job Placement Assistance programme. Often, there is more emphasis than is necessary on this service, for it’s relatively easy for a well trained and motivated person to land work in this industry – because companies everywhere are seeking well trained people.
Nevertheless, avoid waiting until you’ve completed your exams before polishing up your CV. As soon as you start a course, enter details of your study programme and get promoting!
You’ll often find that you’ll secure your initial role whilst still on the course (sometimes when you’ve only just got going). If your CV doesn’t say what you’re learning (and it hasn’t been posted on jobsites) then you’re not even going to be known about!
The most efficient companies to help get you placed are most often specialised and independent recruitment consultants. Because they get paid commission to place you, they have more incentive to get on with it.
A constant aggravation of various course providers is how hard trainees are focused on studying to pass exams, but how little effort that student will then put into getting the role they’ve trained for. Don’t give up when the best is yet to come.
The way in which your courseware is broken down for you is often missed by many students. How is the courseware broken down? And in what order and what control do you have at what pace it arrives?
The majority of training companies will set up a 2 or 3 year study programme, and courier the materials in pieces as you complete each section or exam. This sounds reasonable until you consider the following:
What if you don’t finish every single exam? And what if you find the order of the modules counter-intuitive? Through no fault of your own, you mightn’t complete everything fast enough and not get all the study materials as a result.
To be straight, the best option is to have a copy of their prescribed order of study, but get everything up-front. You’re then in possession of everything in case you don’t finish as fast as they’d like.
(C) Scott Edwards 2009. Go to Click HERE or MCSA MCSE.