route after MCDST

Discussion in 'MCDST' started by alien8predator, Jul 3, 2008.

  1. Theprof

    Theprof Petabyte Poster

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    I think it depends on the employer to be honest. In my current job, certifications mean nothing unless you have experience. We had plenty of candidates claiming to have MCSE and non of them got the job. You know who got the job? the ones who are actually knowledgeable in the field and who didn't have a single certification. Now I don't know how it works in the UK, but the general idea in IT is experience is much more important then certifications.

    I see a lot of ads about "we're looking for an MCSA, MCSE, CCNA, etc" for desktop support job or help desk, this criteria is absurd, some employers don't understand the value of these certifications hence the reason why they label them as a requirement thinking "oh it's Microsoft must mean something great" when in reality these certifications are for only those who have experience. The new IT professionals who enter the field don't know much either so they think it's automatically great "so if I get one then I'll get the job" and like Ken stated above it devalues the certification so that next time someone who actually has the experience and the certification has a harder time getting hired.

    There are so many stories about paper MCSE who didn't last a week that employers now are skeptical about the certifications in general.

    Now on the other hand if you start lets say with 70-270(MCP) and continue progressing with your job towards an assistant network admin or network admin and along the way you progress with your certifications towards MCSA, MCSE then that's a different story because now you have the experience.
     
    Certifications: A+ | CCA | CCAA | Network+ | MCDST | MCSA | MCP (270, 271, 272, 290, 291) | MCTS (70-662, 70-663) | MCITP:EMA | VCA-DCV/Cloud/WM | VTSP | VCP5-DT | VCP5-DCV
    WIP: VCAP5-DCA/DCD | EMCCA
  2. russ-t-2000

    russ-t-2000 Bit Poster

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    Just to add a brief note to this,i`ve also heard that whether companies need to boost up their Microsoft partner points can also make a difference as to if you might get a job,as opposed to just going by cv/certs!
     
    Certifications: MCP MCDST
    WIP: 70-261 MCITP or could be 70-620 !!!
  3. derkit

    derkit Gigabyte Poster

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    On a slightly different angle and not specifically aimed at GBL (even though I'm quoting him!), I had a thought whilst in the shower the other morning (yes, odd place to have such thoughts!!) - Vista/Server 2008 exams were available not long after their products were actually released to be used on a live environment (ie, non-beta) but MS still advises 6-12 months experience in using them before gaining their equivalent certs.

    Are MS just cashing in on the certs, or do they care about the calibre of the engineers that hold them?
     
    Certifications: MBCS, BSc(Hons), Cert(Maths), A+, Net+, MCDST, ITIL-F v3, MCSA
    WIP: 70-293
  4. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    Partners only get a whopping 3 points for having an MCSE... and, if I'm not mistaken, you can only use two of those for points, companywide... so 6 points isn't going to make or break a company's partner status...
     
    Certifications: CISSP, MCSE+I, MCSE: Security, MCSE: Messaging, MCDST, MCDBA, MCTS, OCP, CCNP, CCDP, CCNA Security, CCNA Voice, CNE, SCSA, Security+, Linux+, Server+, Network+, A+
    WIP: Just about everything!
  5. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    Negative... Microsoft advises 6-12 months experience in a job role... not necessarily with a specific technology. For example:

    That said, you can usually get that experience ahead of time by using beta software and applications that Microsoft provides.
     
    Certifications: CISSP, MCSE+I, MCSE: Security, MCSE: Messaging, MCDST, MCDBA, MCTS, OCP, CCNP, CCDP, CCNA Security, CCNA Voice, CNE, SCSA, Security+, Linux+, Server+, Network+, A+
    WIP: Just about everything!
  6. panosd

    panosd Bit Poster

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    seconded!! im in that lucky position now. dont overdo the reading between calls though, still give yourself that 1-2 hours limit. otherwise you leave work with a blinding headache and lingering nausea :P at least...i did. heh
     
  7. Sparky
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    Sparky Zettabyte Poster Moderator

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    True, you get more points for taking a crappy online test! :dry
     
    Certifications: MSc MCSE MCSA:M MCSA:S MCITP:EA MCTS(x5) MS-900 AZ-900 Security+ Network+ A+
    WIP: Microsoft Certs
  8. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    Yep. And you get 25 points for an online assessment plus taking the 70-282 SBS exam! Easy peasy. Comparatively speaking, I don't think companies really care a great deal about the 6 points, do you? :D
     
    Certifications: CISSP, MCSE+I, MCSE: Security, MCSE: Messaging, MCDST, MCDBA, MCTS, OCP, CCNP, CCDP, CCNA Security, CCNA Voice, CNE, SCSA, Security+, Linux+, Server+, Network+, A+
    WIP: Just about everything!
  9. trybar

    trybar Nibble Poster

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    Yep - me..

    I've done over 500 in 6 months with no cert, A+ only and finally with MOS - only 2 months and 3 weeks of temp position received, maybe 20 phones from recruiters...
    Today 70-271, tomorrow 70-272 - we'll see how it'l be with MCDST...
     
    Certifications: A+ MOS MCP MCDST MCTS MCITP:EST MCSA MCS
    WIP: MCITP Server 2008
  10. greenbrucelee
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    greenbrucelee Zettabyte Poster

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    Good luck but it could take many more applications. IT is one of the hardest careers to get into regardless of qualifications.

    I know someone who applied for a few hundred jobs and still isn't there, I have also applied for maybe about 75 since I left uni but I was making a big mistake. I was applying for jobs that were too high a skill level for me.
     
    Certifications: A+, N+, MCDST, Security+, 70-270
    WIP: 70-620 or 70-680?
  11. trybar

    trybar Nibble Poster

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    No, problem with me was, that I had on my CV absolutely true statement about my experience and I was still applying for 1st Line - probably recruiters thinked "with that experience he should be on 3rd Line not on 1..", problem was I never worked in core IT job previously..
    Now I'm starting to get certs to back up my claims about exp in desktop support..
    Little question - my first PC i placed my hands on was even without SX or DX suffix - what was that..?
     
    Certifications: A+ MOS MCP MCDST MCTS MCITP:EST MCSA MCS
    WIP: MCITP Server 2008
  12. twizzle

    twizzle Gigabyte Poster

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    Your first pc could be anything without a S or DX suffix. Things liek teh C64 and ZX Speccy are pcs, as is teh VIC 20. But i suspect you mean something like a 286 or 8086. It might not even have been an intel or AMD chip as at that time there was at least 1 other company producing chips, for the life of me i cant remebr thier name though.
     
    Certifications: Comptia A+, N+, MS 70-271, 70-272
    WIP: Being a BILB,
  13. trybar

    trybar Nibble Poster

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    Exactly, 286 with only one 5,25 inch fdd, and since then was working with computers as operator... As I said - never in IT dept, but when you work at least 8h daily for that time you just must learn something.. ;) I've put that onto CV, even placed there my polish education as computer technician, which I really have :) Still didn't believed me.. So certs are way for me to proof my knowledge, and to get back to topic.. I will get my MCDST soon, and then go for 270, then MCSA :) I hope in next year..?
    ;)

    EDIT:
    Starting count as MCDST.. ;P
     
    Certifications: A+ MOS MCP MCDST MCTS MCITP:EST MCSA MCS
    WIP: MCITP Server 2008
  14. dales

    dales Terabyte Poster

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    yes couldnt agree more, now im getting near an mcsa i've started looking at the job market again and any ad that states something as ridcusouly wide as mcp/mcdst/mcsa/mcse required I bin straight away, as if they cant be bothered to actually research what they want it doesnt bode well for the rest of the company practices either! Plus a low salary for the experience also gets binned!
     
    Certifications: vExpert 2014+2015+2016,VCP-DT,CCE-V, CCE-AD, CCP-AD, CCEE, CCAA XenApp, CCA Netscaler, XenApp 6.5, XenDesktop 5 & Xenserver 6,VCP3+5,VTSP,MCSA MCDST MCP A+ ITIL F
    WIP: Nothing
  15. mickaveli2001

    mickaveli2001 Byte Poster

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    Peronsally I'd take that qualification, and cross over to the software side of things. Everything is software driven these days, and majority of jobs in IT would be software. At least then you'd have best of both worlds
     
    Certifications: NC Communication/Computing
    WIP: A+
  16. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    Huh? Sorry, I don't follow you. IT jobs aren't usually split by "software tech" and "hardware tech". Desktop support techs deal with desktop software AND hardware. Server admins deal with server software AND hardware.
     
    Certifications: CISSP, MCSE+I, MCSE: Security, MCSE: Messaging, MCDST, MCDBA, MCTS, OCP, CCNP, CCDP, CCNA Security, CCNA Voice, CNE, SCSA, Security+, Linux+, Server+, Network+, A+
    WIP: Just about everything!
  17. greenbrucelee
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    greenbrucelee Zettabyte Poster

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    not everything is software driven and there are jobs that people do where it's mainly hardware like the guy who services a HP proofer or the guy that installs hard drives.

    He will use the OS to confirm that everything is okay but apart from that it's just hardware related for him.
     
    Certifications: A+, N+, MCDST, Security+, 70-270
    WIP: 70-620 or 70-680?
  18. Johnd76

    Johnd76 Megabyte Poster

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    I am thinking of going down the upgrade route to vista, I am thinking what MS book or books i will have to buy?
     
    Certifications: MCP, MCDST
    WIP: Not a thing
  19. ben_westbrom

    ben_westbrom Bit Poster

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    I think you need learn the 260 and the 262 courses to pass the 261. But i maybe wrong.
     
    Certifications: A+, MCDST, 70 - 290
    WIP: 70-291

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