New to certifications, quick question

JJH35

I've been in the IT field for around 4 years...I've never really considered certifications, as they have never been a hindrance to me getting a job.

Today I got a call from a large company I'd be trying to get into for a little while, and the only reason I didn't get past the phone call was simply because no certifications. I have a pretty good knowledge and background, but no paperwork to validate that. They mentioned a start specifically for them is a Windows 7 certification...nothing more specific than that...

Would my starting point being with the 70-680 and then up? Or are there different/easier ones that fall in that category? I wasn't sure if taking 681 or 682 are POST passing 680 and things like that?

Any information/guidance would greatly be appreciated...

ptilsen

To be perfectly blunt on some specifics, you simply don't take 681 and 682.

I think 70-680 is a great starting point, especially if you're going for desktop support or helpdesk type roles. If you're ready to break more into servers or are already working with servers, you might consider 70-640 instead. Each of the 70-64x series and 70-68x series will earn you an MCTS in that technology, except for those complete an MCITP track. Generally speaking, if your goal is to continue a Windows-centric career, you probably want to start into the MCITP: Enterprise Administrator or Server Administrator tracks. If you are okay staying in desktop support roles for a while you could consider MCITP: DST or MCITP: Desktop Administration. All of these except Server Administrator include the 70-680 exam, so it is a perfectly fine starting point either way.

All that said, with no certifications, you might consider taking at least one Comptia, just to validate that knowledge and get some experience with taking certifications. Almost none of the MCTS and MCITP exams are easy even with extensive experience, and some of them are very difficult.

If you don't want to stay anchored in the Windows world, don't let my advice or prospective employers pressure you. You can focus on security, Linux/UNIX, virtualization, storage, networking, or any combination or subsets of the above.

JJH35

Ok, thanks for the info...I'll start digging into the resources for training for the 680 and go from there. The only reason I'm looking into the win7 right now is because that's what they recommended, then getting back to them. So I will be on a bit of a time crunch to accomplish a test, from what I read can be somewhat difficult. But I'll go for the 680 for now and see where that takes me.

Thanks

cyberguypr

Great advice from ptilsen. 70-680 is not an easy test. I scored lower on it than any of the server tests for the MCITP:EA. If you decide to prep for it search here through study plans and success stories with tips. Best of luck.