Question regarding MS Certifications?

I belive sooner than later everybody is going to upgrade to Windows 7. Is it worth it to go after Windows XP and Vista certifications? or should I just go straight for Windows 7 certs? What get cert on something that is going to become end of life.

Thanks

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Comments

FishOnAH

Everything will become end of life one day. Most of the business world runs Windows XP and I belive Windows 7 will become the "next XP" if you will. Still, I think a XP certification would serve you well depending on what your overall professional goals are and/or certification goals. What is it you are hoping to get out of a XP or 7 certification?

Pedrogg

The reason I want to the cert is because I want to get job. I have been unemployed for a year. I'm already A+ and Net+ certified but I'm not getting any good job offers. I don't really no much about microsoft certs so I'm not real sure what MS certs I need to have my resume be more attractive for a desktop support possition which is what I want now. I already have 4 years experience supporting XP in an enterprise enviroment so I don't know what the XP certification will do for me. I'm already pretty good at supporting XP. That is why I was thinking of going more with Windows 7 cert so that I can learn more about it. Does that make sence? Do MS Certs expired?

FishOnAH

Yes, I think I have a better understanding of your goals now. I would recomend maybe starting with the goal of getting a MCDST:

Microsoft Learning: Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician (MCDST)

or just going ahead and getting atleast just the XP certification. If you have that much experience with XP it wouldn't be too difficult for you to pass the exam. Just brush up on ways enterprise environment deploy XP, such as WDS. I personally hold experience in a higher regard than certifications when I do hiring. However, I will say that is a candidate has both, and they RARELY do at the desktop support level, having both puts you a step ahead the person who has the same experience as you.

An XP certification will not expire and grants you the MCP status. However, Microsoft re-vamped their certifications and some retire and don't really expire. Basically, when Microsoft end-of-lifes an operating system, the associated certification retire. You still have them but they are retired along with the OS. You won't have to renew a Microsoft certification, so if you certify in Windows 7, you will be certified in Windows 7 as long as Microsoft supports Windows 7. I hope that makes sense.

Good luck to you, this forum is a great little resource for certifications and has provided me with much needed knowledge and just a simple kick in the pants on certifications.

NinjaBoy

Personally, I would recommend doing the A+, Network+ and the MCDST. You can always do the upgrade exam once you have the MCDST to gain the MCTS & the MCITP for Windows 7 at a later time

-Ken

dmarsh

Sounds like you have the experience, really you are probably just suffering from a bad market and need to put yourself about a bit more or broaden your search.

Certifications are not a magic answer to landing a job, there is no silver bullet. The sooner you realise this the better off you will be.

RouteThisWay

dmarsh wrote: »

Certifications are not a magic answer to landing a job, there is no silver bullet. The sooner you realise this the better off you will be.

I wish more people would realize this.

Hyper-Me

I was commended on being certified on all three during the interview for the job i just accepted.

dmarsh/routethisway are right, there is no silver bullet but certifications will certainly help.

RouteThisWay

Hyper-Me wrote: »

I was commended on being certified on all three during the interview for the job i just accepted.

dmarsh/routethisway are right, there is no silver bullet but certifications will certainly help.

I should have been more clear

They do help, alot. But they aren't as you said, the magic answer.

In my experience, certs can help get you an interview. Your ability to translate the knowledge and experience into why you would benefit the company more than any other candidate will win you the job.

When screening for a potential new sys admin, we ended up hiring the guy with the certs. The certs def got him noticed among the people who weren't certified. But he also had verifiable work experience to show he knew the material encompassed in his cert track.

By all means, get certified. It will help get you noticed.

But a lot of people think once they get certified, people will start banging down their doors throwing six figures at them left and right.

Then you wake up

lol.

forsberg

Hello....
Can someone please tell me if the notes for the 70-270 are current for an exam in 2010? other than some home experience on xp for the last 5 years, will these notes be enough of a supplement for a successful exam attempt?

Thanks..

Hyper-Me

Forsberg, the 270 exam is considered very difficult. Home use will barely scratch the surface because the exam is very enterprise oriented.

forsberg

Hyper-Me wrote: »

Forsberg, the 270 exam is considered very difficult. Home use will barely scratch the surface because the exam is very enterprise oriented.

Hyper-Me,

thanks for the response. I went through the I.T. training in College. All the Cisco, Linux and MS. That was 4 years ago and on the 2000 platform. I have a significant background in I.T. with a Diploma, just took a different route after graduation.

I'm looking to get in the game now and certifications seem the way to start moving forward... I just want to make sure that I'm not wasting anytime on the 70-270 notes. The feed back seems great, but is it current for todays exam? Thanks for the feedback.

Please let me know what you think..

Pedrogg

Thanks for your answers everybody. I am alreday A+ and Network + certified. I just wasn't sure if it was worth it getting certified in XP becuase Windows 7 seem to be the way to go. But I see that WinXP it is the only way to become MCDST, and I know that certs are not a magic. I like to get certs because is a way of testing my knowledge and it also forces me to learn more.