Looking for Microsoft Partners

veritas_libertas

When you are looking for Microsoft Partners for the purpose of finding a job, what kind should be looking for?

https://partner.microsoft.com/global/40032369

Company Directory of Microsoft Partners, IT Support Companies

ipconfig.all

I look for partners who use the technologies that I am certified for or know of.

tdean

what does finding partners do?

mikej412

tdean wrote: »

what does finding partners do?

If you have a certification or qualification (and experience and expertise) that a Partner needs to qualify for a higher level or specialization with the Partner Program (or impress their existing customers and prospective customers) then it increases your chances of being hired.

Working in a Partner Environment also can get you a huge amount of actual experience in a very short time in lots of different customer environments. It can be fast paced and high pressure -- so it's not for everyone.

tdean

mikej412 wrote: »

If you have a certification or qualification (and experience and expertise) that a Partner needs to qualify for a higher level or specialization with the Partner Program (or impress their existing customers and prospective customers) then it increases your chances of being hired.

Working in a Partner Environment also can get you a huge amount of actual experience in a very short time in lots of different customer environments. It can be fast paced and high pressure -- so it's not for everyone.

ok, thanks. not to hijack the thread, but the partner thing would or would not be a good idea for a n00b to Cisco that just got his CCNA?

forkvoid

tdean wrote: »

ok, thanks. not to hijack the thread, but the partner thing would or would not be a good idea for a n00b to Cisco that just got his CCNA?

Depends... how are you with fast-paced, high pressure, "every task is always a week late", "the customer always thinks you're an idiot" environments?

It's a fantastic way to increase your skill VERY quickly... it's basically a real-world boot camp.

As Mike said--it's not for everyone.

mikej412

tdean wrote: »

ok, thanks. not to hijack the thread, but the partner thing would or would not be a good idea for a n00b to Cisco that just got his CCNA?

If the noob has the skills and can handle the pace and wanted to gain more experience in 6 months then some people gain in their entire career working for Little Corp or Midsized Corp their entire career, then yes.

Cisco is good about their Certification requirements for their Partner Program and requirement that different people fill different qualifications -- which increases the need for more certified individuals.

tdean

this noob wouldnt mind if someone was barking at me the whole time. i dont have any idea what would be expected of me though. i've done some work with switches and routers in the environments i was in... then never touched them again. labbed up my basement and passed the 802 test. i've just never had a strictly "cisco" job before though.

Claymoore

@Veritas - If you mean what you should select in the drop-down box, you probably want Systems Integrator as that is the traditional consulting partner. There are other partnerships for training, reseller, large account reseller, software vendors and hardware solution builders.

I work for a Microsoft Partner and I like the opportunities that working for a large consulting firm provides. In my previous internal position I may have had an opportunity to do an Exchange migration once every 5 years, while now I may get to do 5 in a year. Although I work for a large firm, our infrastructure services group is still growing and I am able to influence how solutions are developed and deployed nationally. The pace is faster and the pressure is greater, but the payoff is better in the end. As others have said it's not for everyone, but if you can handle it then it's hard to go back to the pace and politics of internal IT.

Cisco has a good partnership requirement system that helps drive the need (and thus salary) for certified individuals. Microsoft is changing their partner requirements effective in October and that should shake up the market for Microsoft certified people. There will be no more Gold Partners, only silver and gold competencies. The required exams and number of certified individuals, as well as how those individuals are counted towards the competencies are changing as well. This can open up opportunities for people with the right certifications and experience. I had a post about it over in the MCITP forum

http://www.techexams.net/forums/mcts-mcitp-windows-2008-general/56124-microsoft-changes-partner-competency-requirements.html

earweed

@Claymoore - I saw from your other post that the change in the competencies and how that may result in partner companies hiring more people in order to satisfy their company status. Through the trickle down effect that may help some of us lower on the food chain.

For those of you who have responded here (or not) who are involved as systems integrator what path did you take to get there? Would it be possible for a person to start at one of these partner companies and work his/her way up or is it best to get advanced into a higher role elsewhere and then try to get a job at a partner company?

veritas_libertas

Claymoore wrote: »

@Veritas - If you mean what you should select in the drop-down box, you probably want Systems Integrator as that is the traditional consulting partner. There are other partnerships for training, reseller, large account reseller, software vendors and hardware solution builders.l

Thanks! That is exactly what I was looking for

networker050184

Here is the partner locator for Cisco if anyone is interested. When I was looking for a job I searched for all the partners in my area and sent my resume whether they had jobs listed or not.

Partner Locator-Partner Central - Cisco Systems

earweed

I've already done the same for my area for MS partners.. Really easy since there are only 4 in the northern half of the state.

forkvoid

earweed wrote: »

For those of you who have responded here (or not) who are involved as systems integrator what path did you take to get there? Would it be possible for a person to start at one of these partner companies and work his/her way up or is it best to get advanced into a higher role elsewhere and then try to get a job at a partner company?

I didn't do anything special to kind. We're very small(I'm the only in-house IT, with several uber-awesome contractors that we use as-needed). I was hired for my ability to learn and my initiative, not my technical prowess. Being that VARs are fast-paced and everyone has to always be on top of their game, I would say an ability to seriously get things done and always looking for ways to improve are keys to getting the job. Qualifications make you much more attractive, of course, as those get you the interview.

Hyper-Me

I think we are a VAR, although we primarily do system integration/design and only resell the products to get the pricing benefits.