Disappointing new certification kits from M$

Well I took that MCDST conversion exam (70-621), and passed. So today I get my new certification kits from M$. Man..talk about a disappointment

1. There were three flats
A: The welcome to the new generation of M$ certifications kit
B: The MCTS kit
C: The MCITP kit

Each flat had a certificate in it. However, only 1 of the three was frame size (8X10). The other two are just slightly smaller and on junkier paper stock on top of that. Two kits had pocket cards. One listing both the MCITP and MCTS, and the other just listing the MCTS.

You should all remember that M$ announced recently that they were going to do away with the lapel pins for each cert because a so-called survey of MCP's said they did not like/want the pins. M$ says have no fear though...we are going to include something even cooler!

Cooler? Two of the three kits had a coupon for 20% off select merchandise at the MCP store. Both coupons had the same promo code, so I could obviously only use one..if I even wanted to do that. Where is the cool replacement for the lapel pins? I'm definitely going to ask M$ about this. What's cool about me getting to save 20% while providing free advertising to MS? I don't need to pay for IT swag...I get it for free.

I'm wondering if their 'super cool' replacement for taking the lapel pins out of the kits is the MCP's ability to download a PDF file of their certificate as soon as the score posts? I noticed this when I was checking for the posting of the exam to my transcript. Nice feature sure, but come on..this should simply be considered a website enhancement.

meh... M$ is all about one disappointment after another for their valued 'IT Professionals'

First they make suck-ass Prometric the exclusive exam delivery partner for their exams, and now this.

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Comments

lucjac11

I haven't got mine yet but I heard they had changed them. You know what they should do, send a box of lapel pins to the testing centers and when you go take the test and pass, the testing center should give you a lapel pin right then and there. And for people that don't want the pin, they don't have to except it.

I'm a recently new MCP (passed 70-271 on Nov 29) and I was (kinda) excited about getting the welcome kit and everything. But it looks like they are taking a long time to email me my MCP ID and access code so I can sign in to order my kit. With everything being done electronically these days, I should have got the email by the time I got home from the test .. lol

Anyway, I hope they can change some things up in the kits because it's exciting when you are first starting off taking the exams and it would be nice to be recognized a bit better.

GT-Rob

Its been months and I have yet to receive mine.

It may sound stuck up, but I really don't care for them. All my certs are in a drawer or thrown out. I hold on the the print offs of my passes for record, but thats it. If an employer ever needed to see proof, I would dig something up or order a new one.

There only one thing I would hang up and it comes on wood.

r0bski

GT-Rob wrote:

If an employer ever needed to see proof, I would dig something up or order a new one.

I use my transcript from MCP site if anyone requests.

As for the kit, both a friend and i applied at the same time. His came within 2 weeks, i waited 2 months then contacted Microsoft. They sent me out another and BOTH arrived within 3 days.

Would have liked 'something' for getting MCSA tho

SWM

I agree with RKHOLMES.
Just received my MCTS welcome kit, it had a dodgy certificate (the pdf I downloaded at least had a watermark logo and seal) 20% off at MCPeStore and a new plastic card.

The MCSE is definetly on the outer as it in not printed on my new card, my previous card mentioned MCP + MCSA + MCSE etc
My letter states

You now have access to a wealth of members-only resources

I just need to find them

From memory Novell used to give away 2 user licenses of their server product which was great for learning/labs etc