I saw this on Train Signal and I keep thinking that the Microsoft exams are hard enough. I’m studying for the Windows 70-680 exam and it’s no walk in the park. I haven’t taken the exam yet, but I have seen lots of posts were people have failed the exam, so I can’t image why Microsoft exams
need to be harder.
I was wondering what’s everyone else’s view on Microsoft making exams harder? I applaud them for going after brain dumpers.
Microsoft Certification Exams Are Getting Harder
The IT field is constantly changing, so it only makes sense that IT certifications and exams need to change as well. Microsoft certifications in particular have been constantly evolving in accordance to new technology developments, hiring needs and customer feedback.
In recent years many IT professionals have complained that Microsoft exams are not challenging enough, that the certifications don’t prove expertise because anyone is able to obtain them and that Microsoft has simply made their certification process too easy. In response to this, Microsoft Learning has made some significant changes to exams that are coming out in 2012.
In our recent webinar on Getting Started with a Microsoft Certified Career, Erika Cravens and Krista Wall from Microsoft Learning shed some light on how new Microsoft exams are changing. Below is a quick summary, but if you’re interested in learning more take a look at Erika’s presentation and Krista’s involvement in the Q & A that followed or visit Born To Learn.
How Are Microsoft Exams Changing?
Microsoft exams are changing in a number of ways; they are becoming harder, more relevant and more difficult to **** on.
The Microsoft Learning team has redefined the experience level for their certifications, so instead of 6 months of experience for TS level exams, IT professionals are encouraged to have at least 2 years of experience with the product before attempting their exams. The increase is also true for Pro level exams, which now will require 4 years of experience. Experience with the product doesn’t necessarily mean work experience, and it can be obtained in a number of ways. People who don’t work in the IT field can read a book, attend a class or get Microsoft training to help them obtain the experience they need to prepare for an exam.
New Microsoft exams will require a deeper technology knowledge, more familiarity with business context and understanding of more complex environments. The distinction between TS (technology specialist) and Pro (professional level) certification is also growing, with the Pro level certifications requiring 3-4 exams, depending on the technology. Similarly, MCTS certifications may require 2 exams to earn the credential. This will make TS and Pro certifications more difficult to complete and will help close the gap between the Pro and Masters level certifications.
The difficulty of Microsoft exams is increasing across the board. Not only will you need more experience, the exams will be more difficult to complete. Microsoft is introducing new question types to make the exams more challenging. The relevance of the skills being tested is also increasing to ensure that what you’re being tested on are the actual skills you need on the job. In addition to changes to how the exams are being designed and developed, Microsoft is improving the user interface and accessibility of their exams as well as test center standards, monitoring and security of exams and test centers. Which means no more brain **** for Microsoft exams!
In short, Microsoft exams are getting harder, which in turn will make Microsoft certifications more valuable. It’s a win-win for certification holders as well as the integrity of Microsoft certifications.
What Do You Think?
Is Microsoft doing the right thing by making their certifications more difficult to obtain?
