What to do after MCSA?

noel123ie

Hi all,

Im just finishing up MCSA in 2003

Ive done

70-620 Configuring Microsoft Windows Vista Client
70-290 Managing and Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Environment
70-291 Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure

I must just finish Sec + as my elective and Ill be done!

I work in level one at the moment and I understand I could be accused by being overqualified but I can always not put too many certs on CV if I think I will look overqualified for any job I may go for.

My questions are as follows

1 Would I be better doing 70-270 "Installing, Configuring, and Administering Windows XP Professional " next as most companies have not switched to Vista or will this help my job chances?

2 What is IT market like Ive been here for 2 years now and pay is very poor?Im Cork based but would moave for better job.

3 Im 34 does this matter from a companies perspective?

4 What to go for next?

Thanks folks
Noel

Daniel333

If you can pass the 70-290 you wont have too much trouble with 70-270, so I am not sure I wouldn't bother unless you really want to.

Sounds like you are stilling rounding your knowledge base out some? Find out if there are promotional opportunities inside your company and what the technical requirements are. you can map you development to that.

Generally the market is going to demand Windows 2008 skills, Cisco and Linux added to your skill set for your fundamentals. From there you would proably need SQL, Voip, Citrix or Virtualization added to your resume.

Just try and get your 1 year, 2, year and 5 year goals for your professional development on paper.

As a generic answer,
MCITP: Server Admin 2008
MCSE
CCENT
CCNA
Linux+

TopTech

I would continue with the MCSE track, as there is mostly W2003 out there right now and MCSE will put you ahead of other interviewees in the job hunt.
After that, do a W2008 upgrade, by which time there will be more W2008 in place. If you do W2008 certs now, it may still be a while before you get to work with it in any job and by the time you do you may have forgotten a lot of it.
The rest of the W2003 MCSE track contains a lot of useful stuff, which will serve you well in your IT career.
Your age of 34 is irrelevent. For as long as you work in IT, you're going to have to keep caught up with the technology, whatever your age.

dynamik

noel123ie wrote: »

What to do after MCSA?

Celebrate!

Go on to 293 and finish your MCSE.