[SERIOUS] Microsoft Certification

[gep13]

Hey,

Couple questions regarding Microsoft Certification....

Do you have any? If so what?

Are they worth going through with?

Any tips for the exam?

I am currently studying for a MCPD in ASP.Net using C#. Got my first exam in a couple of weeks so just looking for people thoughts on this.

Thanks

Gary

[mendhak]

I'm moving this to the General Developer forum. It doesn't matter if you have the [serious] tag on, these questions don't belong in Chit Chat.

kthxbai.

[mendhak]

And yes, they're worth it if you're new to the job market or are still relatively inexperienced.

[gep13]

Ok, so I have successfully completed my first Microsoft Certified Exam, 70-536 Application Development Foundation.

Originally I had planned to go on and do the rest in the this series, 70-528 and 70-547, to achieve an MCPD in ASP.Net specifically, .Net Framework 2.0. However, I have since found out that the exam that I just sat, is the same base exam for achieving the Certification in .Net 3.5.

So the question then becomes, do I keep going down the route that I am going, given that this is the technology that my company currently uses, or do I get ahead of the game and get the .Net 3.5 Certification.

I could always upgrade to 3.5 at a later date once I get the 2.0 Certification, but just looking for people's opinions on what route to take.

Thanks

Gary

[mendhak]

Was 70-536 tough?

[techgnome]

I'd go ahead and finsih the 2.0 cert... then usually it's one exam, maybe two at most to upgrade it to 3.5 .... then you would have certification in 2.0 AND 3.5...... instead of jsut 3.5.

That's the route I plan to take for myself.

-tg

[gep13]

Was 70-536 tough?

Hey,

I am certainly not going to say that it was easy!! But if you have done all the studying suggested in the book, you shouldn't have a problem. I used the Microsoft Press book as the main source of my revision, and I have to say that it covered everything that was needed. There were a lot of things in there that i wasn't familiar with, simply because I hadn't come across it in the site that i have created, such as Performance Counters, WMI, using Reflection to create dynamic code etc.

Used the Practice Tests that were included in the book before the exam, and they really helped. I wouldn't think you would have a problem passing the exam.

I'm all signed up with the MCP website now. Still comtemplating what exam to do next though

Gary

[gep13]

I'd go ahead and finsih the 2.0 cert... then usually it's one exam, maybe two at most to upgrade it to 3.5 .... then you would have certification in 2.0 AND 3.5...... instead of jsut 3.5.

That's the route I plan to take for myself.

-tg

Hey,

Thanks for that!! I was actually looking at the very possibility a couple days ago. I noticed that that particular exam isn't available yet, but by the time I come round to it, I think it should be. Thinking I am going to finish the .Net 2.0 route first, especially since that is what my company uses just now.

Thanks

Gary

[RobDog888]

Certs are helpful like mendhak stated, if new to the job market, but also depending upon your employer. Some employers pay for the test and/or will give out a raise for certs you pass that are related to your position. just something else to think about

[techgnome]

that's the case here.... shows professional progression....

-tg

[gep13]

Certs are helpful like mendhak stated, if new to the job market, but also depending upon your employer. Some employers pay for the test and/or will give out a raise for certs you pass that are related to your position. just something else to think about

Hey,

That's the case here. My company pays for the exams and training material, but I have a lot of influence in what exams to take, there are no strict rules about which ones to take. Hence the question about whether to continue 2.0 or 3.5.

I think techgnome has got it right though, think I will continue with 2.0, then upgrade to 3.5 once those exams are available.

Thanks

Gary

[RobDog888]

Also, if you take 2.0 you have at least 5 tests to take and pass which may give you a pay raise. Then if you upgrade to 3.5 you have another round of tests and possibly more raises.

Now if you go straight to 3.5 then you wil lose the potential for pay raises from the 2.0 ones cutting your pay raises 50% or such etc.


More to think about