Microsoft certification

[a-10tankkiller]

I was thinking about changing professions and was looking into computer related fields and saw the Microsoft Certifications. By getting the certifications are you really making yourself employable in the particular field of certification? I noticed they have self study programs for most of their certifications, if you apply yourself are these as good as going to a school that probably uses the same material but charges $3000+ to go through their computer labs? I get that they have instructors, but if it were possible I'd like to do it while working at my current job, and self study would be a great way to do this.
Thanks for any insight

[Jeffbx]

IMHO (as a manager of an IT team), certification won't do you much good to break into IT.

Well first, to answer your question, many people are able to pass the exams with just self study. You don't need to take any classes - all you need are some study guides, some computers to play with, eval versions of whatever you're certifying in, and time to study.

However, to break into the field, experience is worth 1000x more than certification. I'll hire 100 people with relevent experience before I'd hire a single certified person with no experience. So how do you get that experience? It IS kind of a catch-22.

You need to start at the bottom somewhere. Computer lab at school, technical desk at BestBuy, answering help desk calls for some service company. You can also try for an intership/co-op at a large company if you're a student. Once you have some 'entry level' experience under your belt, then it's much easier to get a better (i.e. more enjoyable) job somewhere else.

[thekidrocks]

IMHO (as a manager of an IT team), certification won't do you much good to break into IT.

Well first, to answer your question, many people are able to pass the exams with just self study. You don't need to take any classes - all you need are some study guides, some computers to play with, eval versions of whatever you're certifying in, and time to study.

However, to break into the field, experience is worth 1000x more than certification. I'll hire 100 people with relevent experience before I'd hire a single certified person with no experience. So how do you get that experience? It IS kind of a catch-22.

You need to start at the bottom somewhere. Computer lab at school, technical desk at BestBuy, answering help desk calls for some service company. You can also try for an intership/co-op at a large company if you're a student. Once you have some 'entry level' experience under your belt, then it's much easier to get a better (i.e. more enjoyable) job somewhere else.
That's what I have run into. I have enough Microsoft certifications to wallpaper a room... doesn't do me any good at all. I am officially overqualified and underexperienced. Talk about unwanted!

[TruckStuff]

MCSE == "I can remember something for more than 30 minutes" :D

[a-10tankkiller]

Thank you very much for the responses! I had a feeling that was the case, but was hoping that the field was expanding again and somewhat desperation to get people would help land someone a job, even lower level to start on the experience trail.
I will probably still go ahead and pick up the self study materials, as they seem relatively inexpensive. Jeffbx, kidrocks, or Truckstuff, do you have any input on the Microsofts self study material? Is it pretty good? Also for me I'm mostly starting from scratch, I get the impression from the local schools that sell the training it can be done with no starting knowledge, but is that true? Is there a particular path to start with you would recommend?
Thank you again, and appreciate any additional input as you have time.

[Kevster]

All Microsoft certifications do is get you through the HR screen. Once you hit the actual technical interview the amount of experience you have will become abundantly clear.

[kgsilvas]

I agree with Jeffbx, experience is very important. I got burned hiring a "paper" MCSE a few years back so now I insist on experience in addition to the certifications for anything but entry level positions. Many community colleges offer classes in either MS certification areas or Cisco certification, so you might check that out. Schools are a good place to get lab experience and if it is a decent one, they'll have career events that assist their students in getting internships or PT/FT work in the IT field.

[blueindian]

Thank you very much for the responses! I had a feeling that was the case, but was hoping that the field was expanding again and somewhat desperation to get people would help land someone a job, even lower level to start on the experience trail.
I will probably still go ahead and pick up the self study materials, as they seem relatively inexpensive. Jeffbx, kidrocks, or Truckstuff, do you have any input on the Microsofts self study material? Is it pretty good? Also for me I'm mostly starting from scratch, I get the impression from the local schools that sell the training it can be done with no starting knowledge, but is that true? Is there a particular path to start with you would recommend?
Thank you again, and appreciate any additional input as you have time.

there are some companies now where you can get a job, in fact I work for one. I don't want to publically announce where I work but, if you live in a city where we have an office, I'll PM you the details.

my company hires folks with an interest and aptitude for programming and we put them through a 20 week training class. If you pass, we'll hire you for a year. Granted, we don't pay much, but you get free training and a job that will help break the catch-22.

one of our competitors is setfocus, you can check them out at www.setfocus.com

[kgsilvas]

Here's a free CramMaster link:
http://www.examforce.com/customer/special4.php?sid=488

Study guides: http://www.examforce.com/customer/special14.php?sid=893

[Jeffbx]

do you have any input on the Microsofts self study material? Is it pretty good?

It's been a loooong time since I've taken a certification exam, but back then the MS guides were pretty good. It's important to have the hardware & software in front of you while you're studying, but let's be honest - if you're good at memorizing, you can pass the exams without ever using the products. There are a bajillion study guides out there, and they all contain the same basic stuff. Sample exams are a big help.

You might even consider putting off your certification until you have a job... at a minimum, you'll have better exposure to the technology you're using. Best case, you'll work at a company that values certification & will pay for your training classes & exams.

[a-10tankkiller]

Thanks again for more information. Blue Indian I sent you a pm, thank you.

[Hiro]

In my experience, it is better to start at the bottom. In your case, possibly get a weekend job doing simple tech support / pc repair at a computer store or similar place.

A little run down of my past is, I started working for Best Buy in the computer sales area at the ripe old age of 17. From there, I moved on to PC Club as sales and in a few months moved into PC Repair. After that I got a job doing repair for a Laboratory Information Systems company. Lots of travel and lots of work, definitely kept busy.

Numerous jobs that involved more and more work got me to where I am today. I'm 23 and I work for a Fortune 500 company as a Network Systems Engineer...and I only have my A+ Certification.

I had other certs that have expired, but they were not relevant to getting the job I have. Now that I am somewhere I plan to be for a while, I am going to go back and get the certifications just to make my wall look pretty. They aren't really good for anything else. :D