Need Advice! Passed 70-680 but unsure!

xemption

Hello I am new to the forums here and I need some advice and was told this is a good place to ask. I consider myself moderately experienced with the Windows operating system (XP and 7) and user based desktop support and decided after college to help me land my first entry-level help desk job (Tier 1 or 2 help desk) that I would make myself more marketable and go for a Microsoft certification. So I did some research and decided that being that I wanted to work as a desktop support technician that I would go for the MCITP: Enterprise Desktop Support Technician 7 Certification instead of MSDST because MSDST is being discontinued and I wanted to be more current with a Windows 7 cert in this area so I decided to go with this one based off recommendations from the internet and information I found. However at the time I signed up for the exams I was not aware of the significance term "Enterprise" and considered this cert a good way to get me my first IT help desk position in a consumer based help desk environment. I know there is a certification for consumer based technician but it was based on Windows Vista so I ignored it at the time thinking this was my better alternative. Unfortunately given my lack of server/on hands Enterprise experience I learned quickly from studying the somewhat flawed Microsoft Self paced training kit that given my entry level state that I may have taken this certification too soon being I know very little of the server structure in this type of environment. Iv heard on these forums that its recommended to take the server exams first but I have already taken the first exam. Regardless, I studied hard for 3 months and did online training exercises and used as many resources I could to help me prepare for the 70-680 exam. It was a tough exam but I did pass! However I feel a bit uneasy as I realized I probably should of taken this test after a few years of hands on experience. but now I am also signed to take the next exam 70-685 next week and I found the material to be a little easier and more on my level, minus a few topics. My question is being in my situation would this certification work well to help me get my foot in the door or is it really an overkill for someone at my skill level? I am already on my way to getting this cert so there really isn't any turning back so I am going all the way! I know I can pass the exam is just... I have my A+ and will have this under my belt soon as well. I consider myself extremely knowledgeable in User-end desktop support and can do just about anything in this area but I just do not want to be placed in a situation in where my future employer thinks I can do everything there is to do in a huge enterprise environment and find myself not being able to perform my job duties. I know most employers look at experience first anyway but still. Can I use this more advanced certification (In my situation anyway) to help me land my first help desk position in a consumer based help desk environment. Because even though this is an enterprise cert starting out I just want to use it for this first job then build around my experience and use what I have learned to give me an edge until I do become an enterprise technician. Any advice or suggestions? Sorry for the long post I'm just pouring out of my head here and a little confused. Thanks

Asif Dasl

xemption wrote: »

Hello I am new to the forums here and I need some advice and was told this is a good place to ask. I consider myself moderately experienced with the Windows operating system (XP and 7) and user based desktop support and decided after college to help me land my first entry-level help desk job (Tier 1 or 2 help desk) that I would make myself more marketable and go for a Microsoft certification.

So I did some research and decided that being that I wanted to work as a desktop support technician that I would go for the MCITP: Enterprise Desktop Support Technician 7 Certification instead of MSDST because MSDST is being discontinued and I wanted to be more current with a Windows 7 cert in this area so I decided to go with this one based off recommendations from the internet and information I found. However at the time I signed up for the exams I was not aware of the significance term "Enterprise" and considered this cert a good way to get me my first IT help desk position in a consumer based help desk environment.

I know there is a certification for consumer based technician but it was based on Windows Vista so I ignored it at the time thinking this was my better alternative. Unfortunately given my lack of server/on hands Enterprise experience I learned quickly from studying the somewhat flawed Microsoft Self paced training kit that given my entry level state that I may have taken this certification too soon being I know very little of the server structure in this type of environment. Iv heard on these forums that its recommended to take the server exams first but I have already taken the first exam. Regardless, I studied hard for 3 months and did online training exercises and used as many resources I could to help me prepare for the 70-680 exam. It was a tough exam but I did pass! However I feel a bit uneasy as I realized I probably should of taken this test after a few years of hands on experience.

but now I am also signed to take the next exam 70-685 next week and I found the material to be a little easier and more on my level, minus a few topics. My question is being in my situation would this certification work well to help me get my foot in the door or is it really an overkill for someone at my skill level? I am already on my way to getting this cert so there really isn't any turning back so I am going all the way! I know I can pass the exam is just... I have my A+ and will have this under my belt soon as well. I consider myself extremely knowledgeable in User-end desktop support and can do just about anything in this area but I just do not want to be placed in a situation in where my future employer thinks I can do everything there is to do in a huge enterprise environment and find myself not being able to perform my job duties.

I know most employers look at experience first anyway but still. Can I use this more advanced certification (In my situation anyway) to help me land my first help desk position in a consumer based help desk environment. Because even though this is an enterprise cert starting out I just want to use it for this first job then build around my experience and use what I have learned to give me an edge until I do become an enterprise technician. Any advice or suggestions? Sorry for the long post I'm just pouring out of my head here and a little confused. Thanks

First off congrats on the pass, 70-680 is not an easy test. Taking 70-685 should give you Enterprise Desktop Support Technician 7 so you should be set to start looking for that first job. I would recommend going for Security+ after that and maybe go over the network+ book. After that you could focus on taking the Server 2008 exams. Good Luck with 70-685 and the job hunt!

xemption

Thanks for the suggestions I really appreciate it. So I guess Im over exaggerating a bit worrying if I took this exam too early in my career being a year out of college. Like I said based off what I read most IT persons who go for this are recommended 3 years experience in the Enterprise environment and I have have virtually zero on the job Enterprise experience. I have many years in user-based technical support though. But I am an extremely quick learner and will study more in those areas you mentioned to make up for any lack of experience on my end in the enterprise world . This exam taught me a lot already though so I can prepare when I do perform this type of work. Thanks!

jyrki.arpiainen

xemption wrote: »

...
My question is being in my situation would this certification work well to help me get my foot in the door or is it really an overkill for someone at my skill level?

I'd say yes, it helps you to get help desk job -and no, it is not overkill.

It's nature of certifications that we have to study things that rarely comes in front of your nose in the real life...
But i bet that process when you study and pass Enterprise desktop support technician certification gives you plenty of stuff that you gonna use in HD job.

Employers does not always know anything about certifications. If it's name has words "...desktop support technician" they would say something like "ah.. nice that you have that kind of thingie".
It looks good on the CV and it might give you advantage over other job seekers.

This is exact cert for HD jobs. Like you said, pretty much same as MCDST but with newer Windows versions.
Do not emphasize that enterprise word too much. Though as you passed the exam already you know that there was lots of deployment stuff.. DSIM, WDS, MDOP etc.

You're on a good track! I also agree what Asif said about future learning suggestions.. plus one thing; besides more Microsoft studies you might also give entry level CISCO certification a shot.
CCNA is pretty hard to take in one exam but it's first half would be realistic starting point: CCENT.

I've not checked Network+ but i guess it would do well too. Point would be to have networking stuff to complete Microsoft studies.