Another MCSE?

Discussion in 'The Lounge - Off Topic' started by philbenson, Jan 20, 2009.

  1. philbenson

    philbenson Byte Poster

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    Back in 2000 I achieved an NT4 MCSE. Then in 2005 I similarly completed MCSE in Server 2003. I can't believe its nearly three years since I did that!

    Since then I've been settled and content working as an IT technician in a large secondary school. I work with Server 2003 every day as part of that job, but this is largely limited to mundane simple tasks such as creating new user accounts, resetting passwords, joining clients to the network or modifying permissions on different network folders. Not exactly stuff you need an MCSE to do!

    So with Windows Server 2008 now established, the time has come to ask myself whether it is worth me taking the extra exams I need to gain MCITP in Server 2008. I can certainly continue doing my job perfectly well without it so based upon previous experiences my mind is telling me no. I would probably be better off going for something like the CCNA since the School also has Cisco routers and switches.

    I am certainly not moaning but I find myself becoming a little disillusioned by how really useful these MCSE courses are. We had a third party company who were contracted to install our 2003 servers so I didn't even get involved in that for fear of implications in case anything went wrong.
     
    Certifications: MCP, MCP+I, MCSE, MCSA, MCTS
    WIP: CCNA(?)
  2. tripwire45
    Honorary Member

    tripwire45 Zettabyte Poster

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    I know back in the dotcom days, the "MCSE" certification was the one to have. In fact, most certification newbies didn't realize that there was (and are) a plethora of certifications available. Certifications, at least in the ideal, are supposed to verify what the cert holder *already knows*, rather than be a learning path. That is, they're supposed to be a piece of documentation that verifies the cert holder's real world experience.

    With all that said, take a look at your current job and take a look at your future career path (you might not be in your current job forever). Compare all that with the certifications available on the market and see if you can create a learning path for yourself.

    I read a couple of blogs recently about how to use online resources to create your own learning path and wrote a small essay on the topic. What you might consider here is not just what certifications you want to earn but how you want to guide your technical learning. Even if it doesn't all lead to earning a cert, as I'm sure you welll know, keeping up with the technologies you work with and learning the technologies you want to work with is the key to being successful in IT (and probably a good many other fields).
     
    Certifications: A+ and Network+
  3. Kitkatninja
    Highly Decorated Member Award 500 Likes Award

    Kitkatninja aka me, myself & I Moderator

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    If you're working with Cisco kit anyway, you might as well go for the certification for it. Only you can decide if you want to upgrade to the MCITP in Server 2008, however judging by what you're saying, I would recommend (if you did want to upgrade) to do the MCITP: SA (which is more server administration) than the MCITP: EA (which is more design based). The differences between the two are reflected in the exams.

    One other thing I would say to take a look into would be the new up and coming ICTTech mark/status/cert from the ECUK :)

    -Ken
     
    Certifications: MSc, PGDip, PGCert, BSc, HNC, LCGI, MBCS CITP, MCP, MCSA, MCSE, MCE, A+, N+, S+, Server+
    WIP: MSc Cyber Security
  4. UKDarkstar
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    UKDarkstar Terabyte Poster

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    Where are you based phil ?

    Our BCS Job Night in March in Bournemouth will be looking at IT career paths for people already "in the know" :biggrin
     
    Certifications: BA (Hons), MBCS, CITP, MInstLM, ITIL v3 Fdn, PTLLS, CELTA
    WIP: CMALT (about to submit), DTLLS (on hold until 2012)
  5. zebulebu

    zebulebu Terabyte Poster

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    I, personally, can't be arsed with MS certs any more. I still put my MCSE down on my CV of course, and if a technology comes along that work want me to get accredited on then I'll do it, but there's no way I'm ever going through the graft I used to for MS certs. I haven't even bothered looking at the 2K8 track.
     
    Certifications: A few
    WIP: None - f*** 'em
  6. onoski

    onoski Terabyte Poster

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    Well for me personally I'd finish my MCSE 2003 as this would further help to enhance my future job prospects. Each and everyone to their own:), as to be honest you would not get lots of interviews without an MCSE unfortunately.
     
    Certifications: MCSE: 2003, MCSA: 2003 Messaging, MCP, HNC BIT, ITIL Fdn V3, SDI Fdn, VCP 4 & VCP 5
    WIP: MCTS:70-236, PowerShell
  7. philbenson

    philbenson Byte Poster

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    I'm based in SE Essex but might fancy a trip to the south coast. Will bare it in mind.

    I agree that you can never be sure of what the future holds career wise but at the moment my current job is one that is safe and secure, and I enjoy it - and that is a lot more than many people can say in the current climate.

    My own feeling is that in the work place, all employers care about is whether their staff have what it takes to do the day to day jobs that they are paid to do. By the time you get to (nearly) 40, experience and references tend to carry a lot more weight in your future than your qualifications. Perhaps for younger people with less experience behind them, employers do have to look in more detail at academic achievements.

    Team work and bouncing ideas and knowledge of each other has been a huge help in my current position.
     
    Certifications: MCP, MCP+I, MCSE, MCSA, MCTS
    WIP: CCNA(?)
  8. UKDarkstar
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    UKDarkstar Terabyte Poster

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    If you check this thread on my last post (no.5) I attached a pdf with the details :thumbleft
     
    Certifications: BA (Hons), MBCS, CITP, MInstLM, ITIL v3 Fdn, PTLLS, CELTA
    WIP: CMALT (about to submit), DTLLS (on hold until 2012)
  9. Sparky
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    Sparky Zettabyte Poster Moderator

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    Not very useful if you subcontract all the difficult stuff to people like me! :biggrin j/k

    Seriously though if you are looking after the administration of the network then perhaps another 'MCSE' upgrade isnt needed.

    Also do you need the CCNA if the routers and switches are in place and working correctly? Depending on how many infrastructure changes you do they could tick over for weeks with little input from you.

    Go for what interests you the most. :thumbleft
     
    Certifications: MSc MCSE MCSA:M MCSA:S MCITP:EA MCTS(x5) MS-900 AZ-900 Security+ Network+ A+
    WIP: Microsoft Certs
  10. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    You certainly don't HAVE to get certified. But some employers like to see certifications on a CV, and certifications can sometimes make the difference whether you get an interview or not. Ultimately, the decision is yours.

    Personally, I feel that it's worth the effort - then again, I don't really have to put much effort into studying for certification exams. Without having ever studied for or worked with Server 2008, I passed two of the Server 2008 beta exams, and barely missed passing the third.
     
    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!
  11. simongrahamuk
    Honorary Member

    simongrahamuk Hmmmmmmm?

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    After passing my MCSA in 2000 I haven't actively persued any MS certs higher than the desktop ones. That is not to say that I havent been on courses, studied the material and played with the technologies. I simply haven't taken my learning to the 'next level' needed for certifications.

    So long as I keep my hand in with the cert's at the desktop level (XP, Vista, and next Windows 7) I'm showing employers that I know enough at that level whilst also being able to show experience at the 'next' level.

    8)
     

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