how to get a Certification

[angelica]

hi guys,


I have been thinking about getting a Microsoft qualification. I have some experience in vb.Net and ADO.Net on Windows Application. Can some one please enlighten me on a first starter certification. And whether it is possible of doing it on your own and any good books needed for the cerification. I have been on Microsoft site it wasnt so clear on which to take as a beginning.

Thanks for your response.

[mendhak]

You could get the Self Paced study kit for the MCSD Certification:

http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/books/6716.asp

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mc...entsdotnet.asp

[FishGuy]

Like mendhack says the best way is to say go for MCAD this is made up of three exams the most common route being the Windows App exam the Web app exam and the Web Service or ADO exams. Once you have passed all these you are MCAD. Passing any one of these exams makes you A certified proffesional in that field. The best way if you cant afford the recommended training courses is buy the training guides. The Que books got good reviews. Go through these and do some practice papers then go back to the MS website and book an exam at your nearest test centre. Thats it.

[angelica]

Hi fishguy,

buy the training guides. The Que books got good reviews

Where do I get these training guides and the Que reviews?? So do you get these for each of the 3 exams? I really cant afford to go to a training school so I have to make the best I can on my own.

hi Mendhak,

You suggested the MCSD, what's best the MCAD or the MCSD for a start. You are qualified in both I guess and maybe you and Fishguy can give my some advice on this.

I intend to buy some good books for learning proper VB.NET for windows and web. Can you suggest a very good one please so that I wont waist any money unnecessarily.

Thanks to you guys.

Thanks for you help

[nothingofvalue]

angelica,

You earn a MCAD before you earn an MCSD. Essentially after earning your MCAD you just have to pass a couple more (two I think) exams to get MCSD.

I think the best way to buy the self-study kit is to buy the complete kit at once rather than individual books. Amazon has the complete set for about $104. You can get it a little cheaper used from ebay or similar, but be careful as you will probably not get the discount test vouchers. If you buy new the you get four 15% test vouchers which save you about $18.00 on each of your first four exams (about $72.00 total savings) which essentially cuts the cost of the books to about $33.00.

Hope that helps

[PlaGuE]

Thanks... ive been looking for a way to get certified...

[angelica]

Hi nothingofvalue ,

Thanks for your info, I also visited your site and will have a look at the video tutorials. cheers

[grilkip]

You could get the Self Paced study kit for the MCSD Certification:

http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/books/6716.asp

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mc...entsdotnet.asp

So what level of knowledge is required to read those books?

[Arto]

How much value these MS certifications have? There's lots of different certifications available so how much employers appraise these things?

[Phill64]

hmm, i have been thinking about doing the same thing.. just another thing to add to that golden document.

as far as i saw they are around $125 US to sit the exams.

but similar to what Arto is saying.. if i were to do it.. and then my certificcate expires.. surely an employer would still accept it? or do they like them being up to date.. i ask since i don't plan to look for work.. but if this helped as a backup plan, it'd be worthwhile.

[RobDog888]

Moved from VB.NET forum.

Having MS Certs is valuable if your wanting to do programming professionally. Allot of employers dont require it but it does tip the scales in your favor over un-cert'd applicants.

Yes, they are still $125 each test and after your cert "expires" an employer would probably stil value it if the position is related to your qualifications.

Certifications only "expire" a year after the test are retired. They are never taken away from you but its just viewed as not up to date and not valid to be applied towards future certifications. If a VB6 MCP expires and he wants to get an MCAD then he has to start over again at MCP by taking a .NET test. Would you hire someone that is certified in VB 1.0 when your shop is using VB.NET 2003?

[mendhak]

So what level of knowledge is required to read those books?

I did it. Does that answer your question?

But seriously, it helps a lot if you've been working with the technologies for quite some time. Instead of having to learn a lot of new things, you end up strengthening your existing knowledge of it.

[angelica]

hi,

I am set to go for it, I would like to get a glimpse of what the exams look like.
Does anyone know of any links for free sample tests for MCAD? Cheers.

[mendhak]

They're called BrainDumps, you're better off searching for them than asking here.

[RobDog888]

checkout Transcender's website for exam preparation material as its a legit way to prepare for the tests.

[StrangerInBeijing]

can just as well scan's someone's certification, and put your name on it.

I'm not kidding. No company so far verified it, not even my current job, and that is being outsourced to....uuuuh....well you know where I am right?
It really p!$$ me off.

[kaihirst]

Hi

i have 4 Ms certs and all have expired their validity, also have an actove MSDN Professional subscription, and run a professiona ldesign comapny.

AND these certificates have officially got me..

NOWHERE AT ALL!!!!

this isbecause as oon as they see the prefix and recognise it, they see that iyoure probably going to know your stuff adn charge the goddamn earth for it.

current price on the UK for each certification is £2485.00 plus VAT, and youre goign to have to take 10 days out of your professional life for these.....

Not worth it at all, i'm afraid.

ta

kai

[StrangerInBeijing]

current price on the UK for each certification is £2485.00 plus VAT, and youre goign to have to take 10 days out of your professional life for these.....

Really? What I did back in SA, is study and practice for the exams myself, then book an exam at a testing centre (prometric?) for about 700 SA Rand (about £60) and go write it. That's it. Still trying to figure out where and how to write exams here in China. Been months since I asked our Training Manager, but seems I got lost in the system. This place sucks (company)

[kaihirst]

Hi,,
****!!! Need to go to SA and study...

They are really expensive in britain, and everybody wants one. same as cisco and A+. I ahve five junior developers and senior consultant./developers who want one, and the logistics is that generally, they wont make me any profit off them at all they are that expensive.

Then they change the exams every raoughly two years ro so, and then youve got to take them again. Sounds like aracket rather than a legitemate certification.

ta

kai

[RobDog888]

Certifications do not really expire, just like a BS degree from an accredited college. They may become outdated or dont count towards a higher certification but they are still valuable. If you had an MCP under Windows NT 4 should they be allowed to carry over that credit towards an MCSD.NET? I dont think so. Now if you want to judge each employee, the ones with any kind of certification would show different values since they did actually prepare, study, take, and pass the exam. That shows the seriousness of the employee for wanting to do self improvement and increase their knowledge, etc.

[StrangerInBeijing]

Hi,,
****!!! Need to go to SA and study...

They are really expensive in britain, and everybody wants one. same as cisco and A+. I ahve five junior developers and senior consultant./developers who want one, and the logistics is that generally, they wont make me any profit off them at all they are that expensive.

Then they change the exams every raoughly two years ro so, and then youve got to take them again. Sounds like aracket rather than a legitemate certification.

Really? Are we talking about the same qualifications?
I did not mean training courses for M$ exams. For that I get a book, and train myself.
Do you pay that much for actually writing the exam? Because somewhere (I forgot where) on the M$ site, you can read how much M$ themselve charge for the exam (like $100), so you can see if the testing centre is a rip off.