Microsoft server certs with no experience?

kbowen0188

I am a Help Desk Support Specialist/Field Technician, and I am looking to make the next step and start moving up to a Junior Sys Admin position or Sys Admin position. I am not really allowed to work with any of the server-side of things at my current job, so I have been looking into self-studying for some of the Microsoft certifications. Right now, I was thinking about starting with 70-410. I have almost no experience with using Server 2012, though I have covered the concepts of all of the related technologies (Active Directory, Hyper-V, etc) in college classes.

However, professional experience... zilch. I am a student and have access to Dreamspark though, so I can set up a server for myself and start working with it pretty quickly. I have access to the Nuggets and I have my eyes on two books...

But at the same time, I always hear certifications are for people with experience. But on the other hand, I always see them being used to get into a position where someone can get that real-time experience.

Thoughts? Suggestions? I don't want to dive headfirst into this only for someone to raise an eyebrow at my Server 2012 certification and Desktop Support experience.

Surge

You definitely can do this without having prior experience. I believe you can learn anything if you put your mind to it and have the desire. It could take you some time compared to someone that does it daily but thats fine.

A lot of people will get certifications on higher technology to try and help promote themselves to a job that uses that technology daily. If your ever asked in an interview about it just tell them your situation and that you have a passion for learning more about your field. Some people will always have something negative to say and you cant let that stop what you want and where you want to go.

My advise would be to take your time and really understand the material your studying and it may surprise you how it actually helps improve your current work flow in ways you didn't realize. With all that being said experience is definetily one of the most desired things you can have but it is not always easily obtainable. If your in a company that this makes sense for volunteer or talk to your manager and let them know you want to grow and develop see if they have anything you can get involved with. It might be small stuff but use it and absorb all that it is.

I rambled a bit but I hope you find something here that helps you. I am in a similar situation and I have been gaining certifications about technologies im passionate about and working my way up through project work and keeping involved, just takes time.

iBrokeIT

Sounds like you are more than ready to take the next step and have a lot of great resources. The only thing I saw lacking from your entire situation is a home lab (every serious IT professional should have one). Pick up a HP G6 or equivalent server and an older computer for cheap on ebay to practice on.

cyberguypr

Go for it! Most of my career I've done certs for whatever area I want to move towards, even if my experience is limited. I usually end up grabbing experience on the way there and by the time I have the cert all is good and I have covered all bases.