If you're reading this it's possible that either you're considering a career change into IT and the MCSE has reared its head, or you are a knowledgeab...
If you're reading this it's possible that either you're considering a career change into IT and the MCSE has reared its head,
or you are a knowledgeable person and you're aware that you can't get any further without the MCSE accreditation.
When researching training companies, steer clear of those that cut costs by not upgrading their courses to the current Microsoft version. Over time, this will frustrate and cost the student a lot more as they will have been taught from an out-of-date syllabus which inevitably will have to be up-dated almost immediately. Training companies ought to be devoted to offering the correct route for their trainees. Mentoring education is as much concerned with guiding people on establishing where to go, as much as giving them help to get there.
Authorised exam preparation and simulation materials are a must - and must be supplied by your course provider. Avoid relying on unauthorised exam preparation systems. The type of questions asked is sometimes startlingly different - and sometimes this can be a real headache when the proper exam time arrives. Ensure that you have some simulated exam questions so you can test your comprehension at all times. Practice or 'mock' exams prepare you properly - then the actual exam is much easier.
A service provided by many trainers is a programme of Job Placement assistance. The service is put in place to steer you into your first IT role. It can happen though that this feature is bigged up too much, for it's really not that difficult for well qualified and focused men and women to find a job in this industry - as there is such a shortage of skilled employees.
Nevertheless, don't wait till you've completed your exams before polishing up your CV. Right at the beginning of your training, mark down what you're doing and tell people about it! Being considered a 'maybe' is better than being rejected. A surprising amount of junior jobs are offered to students who are still at an early stage in their studies. The most reliable organisations to get you a new position are usually independent and specialised local recruitment services. Because they get paid commission to place you, they'll work that much harder to get a result.
Certainly be sure that you don't conscientiously work through your course materials, only to stop and leave it up to everyone else to land you a job. Stop procrastinating and get out there. Invest the same resource into finding the right position as it took to get qualified.
A typical blunder that potential students often succumb to is to look for the actual course to take, and take their eye off the end result they want to achieve. Universities are brimming over with direction-less students that chose a program because it looked interesting - instead of what would yield the career they desired. Avoid becoming one of those unfortunate people who set off on a track that on the surface appears interesting - and end up with a certification for an unrewarding career path.
Get to grips with how much you want to earn and how ambitious you are. This will influence which exams you will need and what you can expect to give industry in return. Before setting out on a particular training programme, it makes sense to chat over individual job needs with an experienced advisor, to be absolutely sure the retraining programme covers all that is required.
Trainees looking at this market can be very practical by nature, and aren't really suited to the classroom environment, and struggling through thick study-volumes. If this could be you, use multimedia, interactive learning, where everything is presented via full motion video. Long-term memory is enhanced with an involvement of all our senses - learning experts have been saying this for years now.
Locate a program where you'll receive a selection of CD and DVD ROM's - you'll be learning from instructor videos and demo's, followed by the chance to use virtual lab's to practice your new skills. All companies should be able to show you some samples of the type of training materials they provide. You should hope for instructor-led videos and interactive areas to practice in.
It's folly to select online only courseware. Connection quality and reliability varies hugely across all internet service providers, it makes sense to have CD or DVD ROM based materials.
