Need to pass 70-410 and 70-411 by june 1 or else!!! =/

HALP! I need to pass 70-410 and 70-411 by June 1st in order to not be laid off. This is horrible because I'm about to have a baby also so it's THE WORST TIMING EVER but I'm not going to give up before I actually try. I'm taking the Windows 7 exam Monday for the second time, actually didn't really try very hard the first time so this time around should be able to clear it so I can move on to cramming for the 2012 tests.

I work with 2012 daily installing hyper-v and deploying VMs etc so it's not a foreign language to me at all. I'm definitely terrified though at the time I have and the things I read online about people's experiences with these tests. MONTHS of study? I'm looking at a week and half per test here. And I hear that the 70-411 is harder than the 410 so I just don't know what to do. I plan on taking some days off work so I can study from the weekend to the middle of the week here and there until this done. NEED TO SAVE MY JOB!!!

I basically have to pull off the near impossible. I find that because of my serious ADD issues using the Transcender tests and then looking up the things I don't understand or miss is my best way to start studying for things. Also Professor Messer vidoes are great for me also. I feel like I have a general knowledge of the things covered but just not to a test taking capacity which is obviously what is needed here. Sorry my post is all over the place I'm kind of freaking out.

I would have started studying sooner but I misunderstood the requirement and now here I am in this predicament. Also, when I went to take my 70-680 exam last Friday the computers weren't working so I had the awesome fun time of dealing with Pearson-Vue to reschedule which was absolute hell. I could do a whole post on that experience alone in case anyone hasn't had that happen to them. So there was a bit of delay for me to start studying for 70-410 because of that. I just want to get done with 680 before I move on so hopefully Monday will be a great day for me.

Anyway, I think what I'm mostly asking is to hear from people who have passed 410 and 411 in a short amount of time with extreme cramming and what they did to do this. Also any advice in general would be great.

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twodogs62

How long have you known?
Are you only one in group not certified?
any other coworkers having to do same?

what position do you have? How long?
anytime to study at work?
can you look for new job?

what if you pass a test or two to show progress?
what other credentials and education do you have?

good luck and best thoughts on your studying.

JoJoCal19

I'd start looking for a new job ASAP. Keep studying for the exams as well. Unless you're able to put in ungodly hours studying and labbing (6+ per weekday, 12+ per weekend day), I'd say you have a better shot at landing a new position in the next 3 weeks.

Nisseki

I think the task your employer has given you to do is impossible and unfair.

urstuffplz1

I wouldn't want to work for a company like that! If I was you, get looking for another job and focus your effort on that. Realistically, 70-410 AND 70-411 in 3 or so weeks is extremely difficult and unfair!

wishmeluck82

Yeah so the thing is no one is gonna be quick to hire someone who is 7 months pregnant so the position they have put me in is insane to say the least. I will have to do my best and see what happens.

I've known since February but I misunderstood the requirement and thought I had to only pass ONE exam by this time and instead it's 3. Focusing my effort on finding a new job is gonna be kinda difficult considering my situation. We'll see I guess!

wishmeluck82

Lol and I'm supposed to be training my replacement for while I'm on maternity leave but I bet they're thinking he will be my permanent replacement if I don't make the cut. I will do my best though. We'll see what happens. Just so stupid, I'm due July 31 and this deadline is June 1. So basically they could be nice and let me just get it done after maternity. But no. They have served me official lay off papers for after June 1 if I don't meet this requirement. IT doesn't have to just be Windows certs, I could go for LInux or RedHat or Solaris but it's too late to start studying for other things.

doubleo

Does it have to be exactly 70-410 and 70-411?
Could you perhaps substitute 70-411 with 70-698: Installing and Configuring Windows 10? It's much easier than any Server exam and with transcenders and measureups you could cram it up together with 70-410. Also 74-409: Virtualization could be an option...

70-411 is a beast and I don't think it's possible in such short time...

poolmanjim

This is going to be a tall order.

A lot of people either find the 70-410 or the 70-411 exceptionally difficult. Both throw a lot of content at you that is simply difficult to memorize and prepare for in 3 weeks. If you haven't started studying at all for them, this is going to be exceptionally difficult to pass.

First things first: start labbing. Find the exam objectives and start labbing everything mentioned in the exam objectives. The only chance you stand of passing is to live, eat, and breathe Microsoft for these 3 weeks.

I want to be encouraging and tell you "You can do this" but the honest truth is that this is on the edge of what is possible and it very well may be just on the other side of impossible. If you had been studying hard for a year and wanted help shoring up your skills to be ready in 3 weeks, that would be a different issue.

The question that I'm asking myself more than anything else is "Why is this a requirement?" Even a February to June timeframe is short for getting an MCSA. It takes some of us well over a year to get these done just because there is a lot of material if it is your first time doing it. Do any of your coworkers and colleagues have certifications? If not, why are you the one who is required to get them?

I can't help but thinking that this may have to do with your maternity. February sounds about the time you would know enough for a fact that you could tell your employer and start planning for the leave. If there is ANY suspicion that this is targeting you for your situation and your need to take a maternity, you would be advised to lawyer up fast. At least in the US, and I suspect many other countries, it is illegal to descriminate against a woman because she is going to have a baby.

AndersonSmith

Unfortunately, that's going to be a very difficult task to pass both of those exams in under a month. I too work with Server 2012 on a daily basis and it took me about 6 months to get through both of those exams. I studied for almost 3 months for each one of those tests before actually sitting for the exams.

With that being said, at least you have been working with the technology for a while so at least you shouldn't have to start out with too many foreign concepts but the thing about the MCSA exams is that they cover SO MANY objectives and most people don't work with every one of those objectives every day if ever at all.

The thing about the 410 and the 411 at least is that there is some overlap of the objectives so maybe it would be beneficial for you to study for them both together and then take them a few days apart. That may be one way to tackle it at least.

I agree with poolmanjim - start labbing and make sure you lab everything. You've got a LOT to get through in a very short amount of time and I wouldn't say that anything is impossible, but you've certainly got the odds stacked against you right now and the one thing you really need that you don't have is time.

And yeah, definitely if you think you're being discriminated against because of your pregnancy, get some legal advice. Even if you did find out about this in February, 4 months to get an MCSA is a very short amount of time for even those of us with several years of experience. Do you know if other people at your company were given the same requirements? Does everyone there need to have their MCSAs in June or was it only you that was given that requirement?

Anyway, good luck with everything, I really hope it works out for you!

NetworkingStudent

wishmeluck82 wrote: »

Lol and I'm supposed to be training my replacement for while I'm on maternity leave but I bet they're thinking he will be my permanent replacement if I don't make the cut. I will do my best though. We'll see what happens. Just so stupid, I'm due July 31 and this deadline is June 1. So basically they could be nice and let me just get it done after maternity. But no. They have served me official lay off papers for after June 1 if I don't meet this requirement. IT doesn't have to just be Windows certs, I could go for LInux or RedHat or Solaris but it's too late to start studying for other things.

This is tough requirement. I think being pregnant makes it even tougher.

The 70-410 and 70-411 will not grant you a certification. You need 3 exams to earn the MCSA Windows Sever 2012 R2 cert. 70-410,70-411, and 70-412. I think you can take 70-409 in place of the 70-412. However, as I said these exams will only equal to one cert.

The whole thing sounds fishy to me. Your due date is July 31, but you could be laid off on June 1st if you don't complete these exams?

Here's my idea:

Take MTA exams!!!

Yes, they're easy

Yes, you get a certification

No, they're not that valued by employers.

I would ask your employer if the MTA exams count towards this requirement..?

I posted a link below

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/learning/mta-certification.aspx

Go to this website:

Certification Exams and prep resources
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/learning/mta-it-infrastructure-certification.aspx#cp-section3-head

Expand the Exams section in the middle of the page:

Exam 98-367/Course 40367A

Security Fundamentals

Exam 98-365/Course 40365A

Windows Server Administration Fundamentals

Exam 98-366/Course 40366A

Networking Fundamentals

Microsoft Virtual Academy offers training on these exams. Also, IT pro TV has some free courses related to these exams.

I think these exams can be knocked out in a month or less.

I hope you and your baby are doing ok.

Nisseki

I agree with poolmanjim and I was going to say the exact same thing and also who's paying for your exam fees and study resources?

Your employer or you?

Something doesn't sound right.

shochan

I would send an email to your superiors with this in it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDWgs2cnga0

ThePawofRizzo

Some here seem to think perhaps your pregnancy is a factor in the layoff, BUT you mention the certifications are a requirement for your job that you've known about since February - albeit you misunderstood the requirement. So, are these certifications stipulations for anyone and everyone in your same job function? So, everyone on your team has been required to achieve these certifications? Or perhaps was this some pre-requisite when you got hired that there is something in writing that you needed to achieve these certifications by that date? I'm curious as I don't get a clear picture of this certification requirement.

Now, I think it's completely fair that an employer require these types of goals be met as part of employment. However if you have been singled out for these certs, but have others on your team in the same job role not required to do the same...well, then, could be a different story. In my first IT job I was required to get A+ certified within 90 days, which I did. It was required for all employees...although I later found that some employees had never acquired the cert, so had someone made a big deal if I had not earned my A+ there would have been a case there if I'd been fired.

kriscamaro68

Look at getting an itpro.tv subscription for a month and get watchin the videos.

Louie1277

I would suggest you go on maternity leave. They can't fire you while you are on leave plus when you come back they can't fire you either. That would be your best bet I believe. but if your job is putting pressure on you to pass these 2 exams that is bad for the baby. Stress can mess up your baby in the long run. Like I said talk to you doctor before it's to late the stress you are getting from your job. If you do go on leave then you will have a better chance to get cert for both exams and in case they fire you , you will have the cert to move into other job.

Good Luck!

wishmeluck82

This is a requirement for everyone on the contract... we're government contractors. The gov't doesn't require commercial certs, they let us slide by with Skillsoft certificates and classroom experience. My company just came up with this requirement and forced us all to comply. So there are options besides just getting the Windows certs done... like perhaps JUST doing the CCNA... another tall order but I think after not getting through this test today that I might be better off to just focus on that with a fresh mind and work towards that by the end of the month.

I need to talk to HR to see if I still will be able to keep my benefits if this layoff thing does happen because I've already started the ball rolling with that. Also they basically are putting people on Leave Without Pay if they don't meet the certification requirement by JUne 1 for the month and then the layoff is official July 1st. Which is 30 days before I'm due. This madness. I cant stomach the thought of studying for 2 tests that are difficult back to back so I might as well just focus on the one that is difficult and take my chances with that.

Thanks so much for your replies. I definitely don't think this is targetted at me only, it's other people too. But I don't know what tests they chose to take and what certifications they might have already had prior to this becoming a serious requirement. I do know that one guy I work with just did his CCNA and nothing more and that one exam covers the whole thing.

ThePawofRizzo

Thanks for the clarification. And I know two others who were recently on a government contract who had to have CISSP by a designated time to continue working there. So, apparently that is not unusual. As you say, I don't see that you would specifically be being targeted due to pregnancy.

While getting the certs will certainly be very challenging, if you can put in the time studying, and have some experience, then you may be able to pull them off. Ultimately, in studying for one, you are - in part - studying for some parts of the other as there is some knowledge overlap. While the shortest study time I've had for a cert has been about 3 weeks on two different occasions I passed the certs. Sure a week and a half is a lot shorter, but there is some possibility you could pass. At this point, there is a lot at stake, so I say get focused, and try. You may surprise yourself.

wishmeluck82

Yeah, I will have to do whatever I can to make this work out. My coworker just told me to try doing the Linux exams. They are two exams... NOT CCNA. So LINUX it is. I will circle back to these Windows exams at some point but for now just need to meet this requirement and keep my job and then in June I can relax before having to go through something that is way more difficult than all of these exams (child birth lol).

greg9891

shochan wrote: »

I would send an email to your superiors with this in it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDWgs2cnga0

lol sounds about right!

AndersonSmith

Just a thought here, but would it be possible to do the CompTIA A+ and/or Network+ certs instead? You could do probably be able to do both of those in a month considering you have IT experience already.

wishmeluck82

LOL I didn't get to watch the youtube video yesterday but YES I wish I could send that!

The A+ or Network certs would only get me to level one I think, which I'm already at with my Sec + . I've decided to switch to getting the Linux+ certs since they are two tests and I have the material for those plus I worked Unix/Linux for a longer amount of time than I've been with this Windows stuff so I think I may have a better chance with those. Just sucks that the company is like - hey go pay your own money to take these tests, pass them and we'll reimburse you, fail them or you're fired. One guy jumped ship and got a job with Booze. But like I said I can't really do that in my condition it's much better for me to stay where I'm at. The Linux practice exams on Skillsoft seem to be pretty good plus all the material is there. I can cram the hell out of that stuff soooo we'll see! Worst case is this doesn't work out and I end up on unemployment until I have my baby and then get back to job hunting after that.

ra13

Louie1277 wrote: »

I would suggest you go on maternity leave. They can't fire you while you are on leave plus when you come back they can't fire you either. That would be your best bet I believe. but if your job is putting pressure on you to pass these 2 exams that is bad for the baby. Stress can mess up your baby in the long run. Like I said talk to you doctor before it's to late the stress you are getting from your job. If you do go on leave then you will have a better chance to get cert for both exams and in case they fire you , you will have the cert to move into other job.

Good Luck!

Agreed! They can't fire you while on Maternity, and it doesn't seem like this place is the best place to work at anyways!

PCTechLinc

DISCLAIMER: I'm not a lawyer, but I've watched one on TV.

Keep in mind that although there are a ton of provisions that prevent companies from doing certain things, like firing you / laying you off during or after maternity leave... some still get away with doing a TON of blatantly illegal practices. I would definitely talk to a lawyer about your situation, or even your local labor board at least. I see the advice that you are getting, and it's definitely good advice to follow, but just keep in mind that just because a company SHOULDN'T do something doesn't mean they WON'T if they think they'll get away with it... or have in the past.

cisco4life

Wow, that's terrible your company won't allow you to complete it after maternity leave. Good luck! Just make sure you schedule the test with enough time for a retake if you don't pass the first time. Some certs require you wait 5 days before you can try the test again.

wishmeluck82

Thanks so much for your advice you guys! I'll let you know how it all ends up working out

kaiju

Will they allow you to do Server 2016 (70-740, 70-741, 70-742)? 70-741 is the most difficult of the three certs but with the right study material you shouldn't have any issues. After completing training material, most techs at my job do one test a week to get their MCSA.

Yes we actually study for the test and have a local study group to help other techs with their weak points. Fortunately our company provides us with free training material so we have somewhat of an upperhand on other techs in the region.