Have a bit of an issue...please advise.

Hello all,
I have this coworker who has been passing Microsoft Certs left and right but has been using braindumps (cheating) as a so called method of study. He has now acqured his MCSA that way. Our job reimbursed us for all exams we pass. So, I say anything to him or anyone else or should I just let it go???

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dynamik

Is he intentionally cheating or did he just stumble upon those resources and stuck with them because they "worked?"

Some of the **** websites I've seen actually look legitimate, so it's usually best to give someone the benefit of the doubt initially.

Victorious

That is true. Don't know if it's intentional but I tell you one thing........If a person is memorizing questions and answers in their mind they can't possibly think that's its legitimate, right?

rbutturini

Allegedly VUE has forensics that can detect using **** now. They will not detail how the forensics work or which exams they are used on, although Cisco freely admits to using them...I know of another cert vendor who claims to use the forensics which I am having an issues with now, but that story is for another time and place.

I think the **** have value if you are trying to learn why things are right and wrong, but if you are strictly memorizing questions and answers then that is DEFINITELY cheating.

dynamik

I've never seen one, so I really can't comment on how obvious it would be.

However, Transcender, MS Press (second half of most cert books), etc. all have realistic looking questions and answers. I only know those are legitimate because they're approved by Microsoft (or other vendor). If you showed me a Transcender question and an actual exam questions, I probably couldn't tell the difference.

I think knowing whether he's intentionally cheating or not will significantly change the way you handle this. If it's accidental, you may wish to simply "enlighten" him. If it's not, you may want to talk to management, etc.

Victorious

Thanks guys

cnfuzzd

In meetings, start suggesting that he take on various tasks that *should* be within his grasp. Ask him technical questions in front of the boss.

Regardless of any ill-intent, if he isn't competent, he isn't competent.

Peace

John Nickle

darkerosxx

There actually is a difference between trying to get someone fired and letting someone know what they're doing is wrong.

Victorious

There actually is a difference between trying to get someone fired and letting someone know what they're doing is wrong

LMAO!! Indeed so!!

Slowhand

I would say your best bet might be to introduce him to TechExams.net, and see if he gets the hint. Attempting to educate someone one why **** are what they are, worthless cheating devices, is the best approach. If he doesn't know, he might change his mind about them. If he does know and still uses them, then feel free to put as much Ex-Lax in his coffee each morning as you see fit.

BeaverC32

Slowhand wrote:

If he does know and still uses them, then feel free to put as much Ex-Lax in his coffee each morning as you see fit.

And then remove all toilet paper from the bathroom stalls...

jamesp1983

cnfuzzd wrote:

In meetings, start suggesting that he take on various tasks that *should* be within his grasp. Ask him technical questions in front of the boss.

Regardless of any ill-intent, if he isn't competent, he isn't competent.

Peace

John Nickle

Practical application will always weed these guys out. Braindumpers also can easily be weeded out in the interview process. I interviewed a guy who had his MCSA and had brought his score sheets with him. He scored a perfect 1000/1000 on each test. he went to a boot camp. I asked him some questions about group policy and he froze up completely. He was a manager at Pizza Hut then decided he wanted to be a sys admin.

jamesp1983

BeaverC32 wrote:

Slowhand wrote:

If he does know and still uses them, then feel free to put as much Ex-Lax in his coffee each morning as you see fit.

And then remove all toilet paper from the bathroom stalls...

Wow that is harsh haha.

UnixGuy

I think you should just let it go.

as long as you study and pass your exams, you're good. Sooner or later he will be embarrassed when he doesn't know how to do things, then he will learn from his mistake. I don't think he's unaware of what he's doing, but who knows.

cnfuzzd

darkerosxx wrote:

There actually is a difference between trying to get someone fired and letting someone know what they're doing is wrong.

Maybe. Personally, I view the work environment as a competition, a game, and the prize is usually divided up by someone, or several someone's, who have little to no clue about what actually happens in the day-to-day operation of the business. The OP has the certs that the person in question is going for, and probably worked darn hard to get them. For someone to **** their way through the same cert and receive equal compensation is offensive. In addition, when tasks eventually find their way to this person, and he or she fails to accomplish them, guess who will end up pulling the double workload.

Remember the thread about the guy who had his transcript posted on his website? Everyone wanted to report him, everyone wanted to tell his employer. This is no different.

Peace

John Nickle

Diminutive

rbutturini wrote:

Allegedly VUE has forensics that can detect using **** now.

I hope Prometric doesn't go that route, I haven't had a test yet with them that hasn't crashed once or twice (or 5 times!) unless I go all the way back to 2000.

UnixGuy

cnfuzzd wrote:

darkerosxx wrote:

There actually is a difference between trying to get someone fired and letting someone know what they're doing is wrong.

Maybe. Personally, I view the work environment as a competition, a game, and the prize is usually divided up by someone, or several someone's, who have little to no clue about what actually happens in the day-to-day operation of the business. The OP has the certs that the person in question is going for, and probably worked darn hard to get them. For someone to **** their way through the same cert and receive equal compensation is offensive. In addition, when tasks eventually find their way to this person, and he or she fails to accomplish them, guess who will end up pulling the double workload.

Remember the thread about the guy who had his transcript posted on his website? Everyone wanted to report him, everyone wanted to tell his employer. This is no different.

Peace

John Nickle

you have a point here.

If his boss gave him less credit because he's still didn't finish his cert yet, then I think he can explain to his boss that some people **** the exams and he needs more time to be confident and pass the exam.

I believe that sabotaging a co-worker, any co-worker is a very bad idea. Even if he ****, it's not our business. If he affected us, as I said he can explain to his boss that not everybody study equally, and I believe most employers now are aware of brain **** and would know that earning MCSA in one week is pure cheating.

Sabotaging a co-worker is the worst idea ever, don't do it. He might be your boss five years from now, you never know. And you might need his help. You don't need enemies, specially at work.

bjaxx

Victorious wrote:

Hello all,
I have this coworker who has been passing Microsoft Certs left and right but has been using braindumps (cheating) as a so called method of study. He has now acqured his MCSA that way. Our job reimbursed us for all exams we pass. So, I say anything to him or anyone else or should I just let it go???

I would probably let him know, like dynamik said - he could be using them and not even know.

Change his homepage to:

www.certguard.com

Inform him about TE - besides you should of done this already.

NetAdmin2436

Yeah, I would try and figure out if he knows he's cheating. If he doesn't know, I would tell him it's not a good idea because blah, blah, blah. If he knows he's cheating and doesn't care, I would have no problem calling him out on it.

I ran across this article the other day, it's pretty interesting. It talks about the growing problem with cheating on IT certifications. I laughed my arse off when the article mentioned a very high number of cheaters are from India. You know, the place when you need to call up tech support for most large companies.....and not to mention that clown from India who posted his transcript online AND his **** he used.
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/090108-cheaters-certification.html

mamono

some people mistake legit practice exams with brain ****. its seems like a fine line, but let me tell you that those practice exams are awesome. the questions are often times way harder than the actual exam and they make you remember the technical details better. You learn to read the questions more carefully.

when I studied for MCDST, I used practice exams. they kicked my butt for weeks. I knew the material already through experience, but couldn't answer the questions well because of their wording. When I took the actual exam, it was much easier than the practice exams. The questions weren't even the same, but I was comfortable with the exam format.

I would give him the benefit of the doubt first. If he admits to it, then that's different. I can't wait to concur CCNA, nearly 6 months now and still studying for it...

Victorious

Sabotaging a co-worker is the worst idea ever, don't do it. He might be your boss five years from now, you never know. And you might need his help. You don't need enemies, specially at work.

Wow, that's about the most profound statement I've heard in a while. You are right. I will let it go regardless of how much its bothering me.

thanks brothers!!

Slowhand

UnixGuy wrote:

cnfuzzd wrote:

darkerosxx wrote:

There actually is a difference between trying to get someone fired and letting someone know what they're doing is wrong.

Maybe. Personally, I view the work environment as a competition, a game, and the prize is usually divided up by someone, or several someone's, who have little to no clue about what actually happens in the day-to-day operation of the business. The OP has the certs that the person in question is going for, and probably worked darn hard to get them. For someone to **** their way through the same cert and receive equal compensation is offensive. In addition, when tasks eventually find their way to this person, and he or she fails to accomplish them, guess who will end up pulling the double workload.

Remember the thread about the guy who had his transcript posted on his website? Everyone wanted to report him, everyone wanted to tell his employer. This is no different.

Peace

John Nickle

you have a point here.

If his boss gave him less credit because he's still didn't finish his cert yet, then I think he can explain to his boss that some people **** the exams and he needs more time to be confident and pass the exam.

I believe that sabotaging a co-worker, any co-worker is a very bad idea. Even if he ****, it's not our business. If he affected us, as I said he can explain to his boss that not everybody study equally, and I believe most employers now are aware of brain **** and would know that earning MCSA in one week is pure cheating.

Sabotaging a co-worker is the worst idea ever, don't do it. He might be your boss five years from now, you never know. And you might need his help. You don't need enemies, specially at work.

Fact is, it does affect the rest of us. Every cheater devalues my certs, yours, and those of every other hard-working IT professional. Saying that trying to talk to this person wrong, and if he won't try to understand why it's wrong that it's sabotage, that's a little like saying "don't ruin someone's life by sending them to jail, all they did was rob a bank. It doesn't affect us." As suggested, the proper course of action is to talk to this coworker, see if he even understands why it's not a good idea to **** on exams. If he chooses not to listen, or if he thinks he can get away with stealing work from people who deserve it, then he most certainly deserves to be reported to Microsoft, (and to whatever other vendor whose NDA he's violated).

As for "trying to get him fired", that's a matter of perspective. Letting an employer know that the world's largest corporation will crash the most vicious flesh-eating lawyers around top of their heads if it's found out that employees are actively cheating and, for all intents and purposes, stealing, is usually a pretty good incentive for HR to look into doing the right thing. This employee shouldn't be fired for what he's done up until now, but he should be informed that from here on out, it's time to hit the books or time to hit the road.

As for the jackass that posted his transcript, his ****, and his personal information on this site for all to see, he was reported. Why? Because for every dumper that gets taken out, for every person that cheats and is stripped of their certs, an honest MCSE or CCNA gets a job they can actually do. I, for one, am not going to sit back and hope that someone, somewhere, figures out that this guy isn't what he says he is and maybe, possibly doesn't give him a job/raise.