A general sanity check

A little background before my question.
About 4 years ago I toyed around with getting MCSE Cert but did not. I have not worked in an IT function directly in the past however my responsibilities did cross over and it seemed like something helpful for the future. I have since left a job of 15 years and relocated to an area that does not really support the career I had. So I am looking to rekindle the Microsoft Certification.

My question is this.
What is the best path to take for a certification. It seems I can not get a clear answer if MCSE is or in the forever changing world that there is a better route to take.

And is a Microsoft Certification enough to stand on it's own to land a job in an IT environment?

I know the questions are general (at least in my eyes) but just looking for some sanity.

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Comments

Plantwiz

Depends what do YOU work the most with?

If you are working with 2003 NOS, then finish your MSCE stuff. If you have more clients converting into 2008...then pursue the newer track. Neither is a bad choice and the certification stays with you for life (unless you violate one of MS 'rules'), but both certification tracks have merit, just depends what YOU use.

RobertKaucher

SirEddy wrote: »

A little background before my question.
About 4 years ago I toyed around with getting MCSE Cert but did not. I have not worked in an IT function directly in the past however my responsibilities did cross over and it seemed like something helpful for the future. I have since left a job of 15 years and relocated to an area that does not really support the career I had. So I am looking to rekindle the Microsoft Certification.

So have you actually got any certifications at the moment?

SirEddy wrote: »

My question is this.
What is the best path to take for a certification. It seems I can not get a clear answer if MCSE is or in the forever changing world that there is a better route to take.

If you do not have any Microsoft certifications at the moment I would suggest that you start at the beginning. Which I will get to at the end of the message.

SirEddy wrote: »

And is a Microsoft Certification enough to stand on it's own to land a job in an IT environment?

I know the questions are general (at least in my eyes) but just looking for some sanity.

Yes, and no. This depends on what you mean. An MCSE or MCITP is not going to land you a $60K a year job right off the bat. You need to consider that you are a career changer, as was I, and this is going to take some time.

Here is what I suggest. If you have no IT certifications at the moment start here:

Study for the A+ (I leave this to you to decide if you want to actually take the certification.)
Study for and attain the Network+
Study for and attain the Server+
Start the MCITP Server Admin
Take an enterprise level application exam such as SharePoint or SQL Server to round out your certifications.

At this point I find it hard to suggest that people begin the MCSA/MCSE track. If you already had taken the XP and/or Server 2003 exams I might say go for it.

During your certification studies (after Net+ and Server+) I would begin to tackle the experience issue. You basically have none and you need to get some.

You might have had some experience in the past but consider that void. When I started in the IT field I considered myself very good with computers. I had built my own and I knew how to write HTML as well as some Perl, PHP, JavaScript and Java. I had no idea how much I did not know. Being able to change your oil and do maintenance on your own car does not make you a mechanic.

Get some work with some local small businesses or non-profits to help you. Basically give your services for free (with limits) to help you get some hands on.

I would suggest that you should take no more than 8 months to complete this process. Once you have some hands on and your certifications start looking for some entry level positons.

Daniel333

I don't really know your technical background so it's really hard to say. The vast majority of the time I tell people shoot for MCSE and CCNP while building experience. That is a solid starting point in networking and server admin.

Paul Boz

get certified in whatever you enjoy. So long as the skill is in demand you'll be fine. If you got serious work done towards the MCSE you may want to go with that because you complete it quickly. I would do the MCITP though, because that's what's "next."