Quitting my job to study for MCSA and MCSE (MS "BI-Stack")

I am planning to quit my job to get certified within the MS BI-stack. I have 10 years' experience from Business Controlling where I have, joyfully, had to learn T-SQL and some programming in VBA for Excel. Now it is time to learn the full reporting process, from data input to database management and analyzed reports.

I am planning to do the following exams:

70-761 and 70-762, earning an MCSA in SQL 2016 Database development
70-767 and 70-768, earning an MCSA in SQL 2016 BI development
I am also planning for an MCSE but i have not decided which one to pick yet.

I have set aside 3-4 months of full time studying (40-50 hours/week) and I am very motivated.

Questions:

1. How much time would you I need to study for the four exams mentioned above?

2. This is of course subjective, but how difficult would you say the exams are to pass for someone with basic knowledge in SQL server and basic programming?

3. If get the MCSAs as well as a the MCSE. Does anyone know how sought after the Business (accounting, reporting, budgeting) experience combined with the Database/BI skills are on the job market? I will not be an expert in anything, but i would have one foot in each field.

Help on this would be much appreciated!

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Comments

DatabaseHead

That doesn't sound very smart.

Most of our best developers, full stack don't have any of those certifications. Have you thought about applying to a more technical position?

JoJoCal19

I HIGHLY recommend against quitting your job to pursue certs. For one thing, it's far easier to land a job when you're currently employed. For another, a prospective employer will ask why you left that job and when you tell them why, it will probably sink your chance at getting that job. For one it's a bad idea so they'll think you have poor judgement. For another, it shows that you can't multitask and are bad at time management.

scaredoftests

I agree, do not quit your job. Trust me, employers will not look kindly to a stretch of time not 'accounted' for.

mattmrob99

I would not quit your job. You can work 40 hours a week, study 3 hours M-F, 8 hours Sat-Sun. That's 31 hours a week of study right there. Bring your lunch to work and a book to study, that's an extra 30 minutes at least, now you are at 33.5 study hours a week. You can achieve your goal without quitting your job.

malachi1612

Stay in work and study in your spare time.

That's what all of us do here unless young enough to be in full time education.

Clm

I dont want to tell a adult how to run there lives but have you atleast considered part time before jumping straight to quitting?

nisti2

Wow! Dont quit the job!! study in your free time!!

Quavo

Why would you need to quit.. I dont think these certs are life changing enough for that.

N7Valiant

Don't see why you need to quit unless your job demands more than 40 hours a week in commitment.

arvidstone

Thanks for your comments. Much appreciated.

I would love to be able to do this without quitting my job, but my current position demands 50hours/week. In addition, I am not ready to spend weekends studying instead of spending time with my family. Three certifications would probably require about 600hours of study time. I am not in a vulnerable position finacially, so I can do this without risking house and car.

I am a little surprised no one recognized that these certifications has much value. I understand that long experience is better, of course. But with less experience, wouldn't certifications at least prove that you would be able to perform certain tasks? My aim is to have skills both in finance as well as IT. Not to be an IT expert. If the finance guy can administer the database or the cube he is using for running reports, it would make things easier.

If I rephrase the question: Is the skills you learn on the certifications mentioned above of any value in the job market?

Again, thanks for your comments.

arvidstone

Thanks all for your replies! After giving this some further thought i do not agree with many of the comments, but you have been kind to give me your opinions, so thank you for that.

I will most likely quit my job and start my studies this summer. My next position will be as Business Intelligence Analyst, probably some time this fall.

aaronchristenson

I am certified in these MCSAs that you are going for. These certifications are very valuable to those that know what they are doing. An employer looking to hire a Business Intelligence Analyst will want someone with years of experience creating reports and managing cubes, fact tables, and such. A "paper certified" individual will devalue everyone else, not saying that what you will have is a "paper certificate", but having a 3 to 6 month gap in work history will not look good. I helped write these exams and I can tell you they are harder than you think they will be, even if you take the MOC classes at New Horizons. I do not know what region of the country you live in but in the mid west you will be looking for your next job for a long time, then starting at the bottom.

cyberguypr

Funny, today we were talking on another thread about people asking for help, getting the same recommendation 10 times over, and not taking the advice. OP delivers FTW!

I also want to go on record saying that quitting to cert is an awful idea.

SteveLavoie

Certs are only a complement to experience. At the begining of your career, it serve to give future employer some trust in your resume and it let them know that you can learn something. Later in your career, it mostly confirm what you know, what you need to know for your next step and that after x years in the domain you can still be relevant.

I do work 50+ hour/week, I am on call 24x7 about 50 weeks a year. And I can still manage to get 10 hours to read and learn without impacting my family. Last year I did 4 certs (SSCP, CISSP, VCP, VMCE), so it can be done

TechGuru80

arvidstone wrote: »

If the finance guy can administer the database or the cube he is using for running reports, it would make things easier.

There is a security term called separation of duties that you should know. Unless you are talking about a smallish company, there is no way that a finance person is going to be managing a database...not only are there disaster recovery / business continuity issues, but also that person doesn’t need admin level privileges to do their job. Never let the guy cutting the checks do the accounting...common principle.

Basic85

You don't have to necessarily quit your job unless you absolutely have to or because you hate it.