A question for those with MCITP:EA?

smg1138

For those of you who have earned the MCITP:EA certification, how are you listing it on your resume? I mean, are you putting something like "Equivalent to MCSE 2008" next to it in parenthesis so the HR goons will actually understand what it is? I'm just wondering because it seems like a lot of people still don't understand the new MS certs yet.

earweed

I read in another thread where someone had listed his MCITP:EA like that. I don't have mine yet but since I have yet to see any posted jobs that list MCSE also list MCITP:EA I may list mine as you describe.

Devilsbane

I don't think it really matters. If the people who are hiring aren't smart enough to realize what a MCITP is, then it probably isn't the best place to work. Sure, these people are typically HR folk, and don't know Microsoft certifications, but if there is a position open then I am sure some IT manager said hey, this is what we are looking for. I don't know that listing it like that is going to get you the job. If the manager wants someone with MCSE, then your MCITP might not cut it.

EDIT: I could also see this upsetting people. Someone with an MCSE could take offense that you are trying to list an MCSE on your resume without doing the work. You would have to speak to someone that has one, as I don't have mine (yet).

dynamik

I wouldn't be offended if someone put (Successor to MCSE 2003) behind their EA. I've met a lot of IT people who don't know what the MCITP is, so it's a little unfair to hold HR to a higher standard.

smg1138

Well, I would hope that wouldn't offend anyone. There's a difference between saying something is equivalent and flat out saying you have something. I really feel torn right now. After I get my elective finished and earn my MCSA, I really don't know what to do next. With mainstream support of Server 2003 ending next month and more places switching to 2008, I'm not sure it makes sense to finish the MCSE anymore. Sure, I know many here will say to do both MCSE and MCITP:EA, but that would mean at least 7 more exams. No thanks, I'd still like to have some semblance of a life. The only thing keeping me from going directly to MCITP:EA next is the general lack of awareness compared to the MCSE. Oh, what to do?

Devilsbane

smg1138 wrote: »

Well, I would hope that wouldn't offend anyone. There's a difference between saying something is equivalent and flat out saying you have something. I really feel torn right now. After I get my elective finished and earn my MCSA, I really don't know what to do next. With mainstream support of Server 2003 ending next month and more places switching to 2008, I'm not sure it makes sense to finish the MCSE anymore. Sure, I know many here will say to do both MCSE and MCITP:EA, but that would mean at least 7 more exams. No thanks, I'd still like to have some semblance of a life. The only thing keeping me from going directly to MCITP:EA next is the general lack of awareness compared to the MCSE. Oh, what to do?

If you finish the MCSE, the upgrade should be easy. You will just be tested only on the new stuff. So you would need 3 more tests for MCSE, and then it is 3 for the upgrade. 4 for the upgrade if you want MCITP Enterprise administrator and server administrator. So that is 6-7 more test.

Microsoft Learning: Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE)

kiki1579

The IT industry is all about staying up to date, so if a prospective employer doesn't know what that means, chances are they are running behind. If you have your MCSE 2003 and are working towards the EA cert, first you can MCTS in whatever upgrade tests that you do, and then put the MCITP:EA on the resume once you get it.

Mojo_666

I list it as MCITP:EA, but I put it below my MCSE because the only people who really know about it are the people who do certs, Agencies, HR and too many IT Managers have no idea what it is and will always ask me do I know anything about server 2008.

So until the people who do the recruiting catch up it probably does not matter, what really bother me about this is that on their word searches they will favour an MCSE on NT4 over an MCITP:SA or AE for server 2008 work because they just do not search for MCITP

Devilsbane

Mojo_666 wrote: »

I list it as MCITP:EA, but I put it below my MCSE

This works for you, and is possibly the best solution. But it only works because you have earned both certifications. SMG is trying to decide if he should finish the MCSE or just go from MCSA to MCITP. If he skips the MCSE and goes straight to MCITP, will he miss out on opportunities where the company is looking for someone with an MCSE?

earweed

He'll (me too) probably miss out on some companies who run ONLY Server 2k8 which is a real shame. IT people having to go through HR (who may or may not be clueless) is the main problem there. The MCSA may be enough for the scanners to at least pick him up.
A lot of jobs I've seen which require MCSE also list MCSA as may be acceptable.

texasit

Devilsbane wrote: »

I don't think it really matters. If the people who are hiring aren't smart enough to realize what a MCITP is, then it probably isn't the best place to work. Sure, these people are typically HR folk, and don't know Microsoft certifications, but if there is a position open then I am sure some IT manager said hey, this is what we are looking for. I don't know that listing it like that is going to get you the job. If the manager wants someone with MCSE, then your MCITP might not cut it.

EDIT: I could also see this upsetting people. Someone with an MCSE could take offense that you are trying to list an MCSE on your resume without doing the work. You would have to speak to someone that has one, as I don't have mine (yet).

Microsoft did away with the MCSE and replaced it with the MCITP.The MCITP is just as good as a MCSE.The MCITP on Windows Server 2008 certification requires a new skill set—in some cases, a more robust one—that differs from the skill set needed for MCSA and MCSE certifications.I think it would be safe to put MCSE 2008 or MCITP:EA equivalent to MCSE. Microsoft should have never did away with the MCSE in my opinion.

Devilsbane

texasit wrote: »

Microsoft did away with the MCSE and replaced it with the MCITP.The MCITP is just as good as a MCSE.The MCITP on Windows Server 2008 certification requires a new skill set—in some cases, a more robust one—that differs from the skill set needed for MCSA and MCSE certifications.I think it would be safe to put MCSE 2008 or MCITP:EA equivalent to MCSE. Microsoft should have never did away with the MCSE in my opinion.

They did not do away with the MCSE, you can still get one for 2003. They have chosen to rename it, in order to distinguish one version from another. Someone may have a MCSE on 2000, and if they choose to declare that simply as an MCSE, an employer might assume that it is on 2003.

I do agree with you though, I think they should have stuck with the naming convention. There are just to many names with windows7/2008.

texasit

yeah I meant the MCSE cert stopped on anything after the 2003 server product.Sorry I should have metioned that.

Ashenwelt

smg1138 wrote: »

For those of you who have earned the MCITP:EA certification, how are you listing it on your resume? I mean, are you putting something like "Equivalent to MCSE 2008" next to it in parenthesis so the HR goons will actually understand what it is? I'm just wondering because it seems like a lot of people still don't understand the new MS certs yet.

Check my linked in, its linked on my blog. I use a simple way of listing it.

Devilsbane

I also don't consider them to be completely equal. MCSE requires 7 tests, while an MCITP:EA only requires 5. Now it still might cover all of the same stuff, but shaving off 2 tests is quite a bargain.

earweed

Devilsbane wrote: »

I also don't consider them to be completely equal. MCSE requires 7 tests, while an MCITP:EA only requires 5. Now it still might cover all of the same stuff, but shaving off 2 tests is quite a bargain.

The thing is that those 5 tests incorporate about as much material into them as the 7 for MCSE.
People studying for the MCITP:EA are basically studying everything which you study for Server 2003 plus all the new features Server 2008 has. One of the primary differences a lot of people have noted is that the addition of Server Manager to Server 2008 has made a lot of the tasks which were difficult to perform with Server 2003 much easier.

texasit

earweed wrote: »

The thing is that those 5 tests incorporate about as much material into them as the 7 for MCSE.
People studying for the MCITP:EA are basically studying everything which you study for Server 2003 plus all the new features Server 2008 has. One of the primary differences a lot of people have noted is that the addition of Server Manager to Server 2008 has made a lot of the tasks which were difficult to perform with Server 2003 much easier.

I agree completely microsoft I believe compressed all the material into 5 tests instead of spreading it out over 7 tests.

Devilsbane

texasit wrote: »

I agree completely microsoft I believe compressed all the material into 5 tests instead of spreading it out over 7 tests.

Was that really smart on there part though? First they change the name, and second they make it appear easier. Also, less tests means less test money going to Prometric and Microsoft. Sure there is a lot of overlap between 270, 290, and even some into 291. But having the extra 2 tests ensures that someone with an MCSE has been rigorously tested on all areas. Unless they increased the number of questions, it could be possible for someone with an MCITP:EA to have never been tested on say wsus, or at least had less questions on it.

I bring this up, because MCSE has been a renowned certification. It is respected by nearly every field because it of its difficultness. There are so many MCITP varriations, that nobody is going to possibly know all of them. I count 15 MCITP variations. I think that takes away some of the "fame" of the certification. So even years into the future, MCSE will still carry a lot of weight from the name recognition.

Mojo_666

Devilsbane wrote: »

This works for you, and is possibly the best solution. But it only works because you have earned both certifications. SMG is trying to decide if he should finish the MCSE or just go from MCSA to MCITP. If he skips the MCSE and goes straight to MCITP, will he miss out on opportunities where the company is looking for someone with an MCSE?

Well then just to Clarify,

@OP I would finish your MCSE, simply because that's what most people involved in the employment chain are looking for, they do not yet appear to have caught on to the MCITP track.

Hyper-Me

its just listed as

Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP): Enterprise Administrator, Enterprise Desktop Administrator 7, Enterprise Support

I think spelling it out will clue them in a bit more than just putting the acronym.

Devilsbane

Hyper-Me wrote: »

its just listed as

Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP): Enterprise Administrator, Enterprise Desktop Administrator 7, Enterprise Support

I think spelling it out will clue them in a bit more than just putting the acronym.

I did that with my Microsoft Certified Application Specialist. Because A, it sounds like I'm awesome. And B, writing MCAS would cause people to read it as MCSA or to think I meant to write MCAS and made a typo.

Don't have to worry about that anymore, its now called MOS 2007.

apr911

Id personally probably list it as

MCITP: Enterprise Admin (Win200

I listed my MCSA/MCSE Credentials as
MCSA:Security and MCSE:Security (Win2003)

I didnt want to remove the SA as they are separate roles even though they directly build on each other.

I think this method answers the question of just what it is while taking up the least amount of space.

-APR911

Mojo_666

Hyper-Me wrote: »

its just listed as

Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP): Enterprise Administrator, Enterprise Desktop Administrator 7, Enterprise Support

I think spelling it out will clue them in a bit more than just putting the acronym.

Having read this I have actually updated my CV as I liked your style. I cleared out all the things that I figured agencies would not care about too like the MCTSx5 etc and the exam numbers, my CV now just contains the following but I have put the cert names in Bold as below.


Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) Messaging
Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) Security
Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) Server Administrator
Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) Enterprise Administrator

it_consultant

I wrestled with this question for a while as well, I am about to complete my EA cert and recently did the exchange 2007 (getting ready for 2010) track. I would address it in your cover letter. If you (like I did) opted to go with the 2008 track you should be prepared to defend the product. For example; terminal services and IIS are far and away better in 2008 than they were in 2003. Security using things like health Network Policy Services is not even present in Server 2003. Indicating that you are on the cutting edge and are able to see how those technologies will help your potential company will wash out any possible name recognition problems.

Just make sure that if your interviewer has a MCSE 2003 you toss him / her a bone and let them know that even though Server 2003 was an outstanding product, 2008 is better.