How can I leverage my expired MCSE/MCSA certifications (2003 XP) into an entry level resume today?

Cyb0rgdilly

So way back in 2008 I passed the exams for 5 of the 6 exams required for MCSE/MCSA. I failed one of the exams and never completed it. I also failed to get an entry level Net Admin job with those certifications and then (discouraged) I abandoned the idea of a pursuing a computer career. I know!

Today I am picking up the pieces and want to try again. However all of my old MS certs have expired! I know it!

On my resume should I still include the list of five MS certs that I got back in 2008? And just leave a note next to them saying they have since expired? I feel like such a has-been talking about certs for an operating system from almost two decades ago!

One valid certification that I did get back in 2008 was CompTIA Security+ and that certification is good-for-life, so that Sec+ cert is all I really have right now. And currently I am working to get certified with CompTIA Network+ which should take me a few weeks to complete. My direction with these is to pursue a Cyber Security job of some kind.

Anyways any suggestions for me in regards to the expired Microsoft certs? Will any hiring people want to know I completed those way way back in 2008 and to also tell them the bummer news that after gaining those certs (which was a lot of hard studying) I failed my first attempt with getting into an IT career!?

Any suggestions how to approach everything?

Another idea is to just go back into a new Microsoft series of certifications and retry the whole route towards Net Admin/Net Engineer. Is that worth it to try again?

Thanks in advance for any helpful comments!

E Double U

In your case I do recommend keeping them on your resume as you do not have many certs to highlight. I guess you could note that they are expired, but I wonder if anyone truly cares. I have had an interviewer ask me the status of my credentials. I personally do not list my expired certs on my resume (Cisco, Check Point) because I have so many others valid certs that are actually better suited for the jobs I currently apply for. But I do list the expired credential on my LinkedIn profile. The certifications section (aka alphabet soup) of my resume is long enough as it is without expired stuff.

Personally, I would not renew expired certs unless they were required for a specific job. As I mentioned on one of your other threads, look at what the vacancies in your area are asking for then base your next steps on that. 

Good luck!

P.S. I am interested to hear the experiences of others that have noted on their resume an expired certification. I think it would be good to highlight that you have accomplished that at some point versus not mentioning it at all.