Need a pick me up for 70-270

Discussion in 'Windows 7 / 8 /10 Client Exams' started by cjdude, Sep 4, 2006.

  1. cjdude

    cjdude Bit Poster

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    I was at work an saturday reading my 70-270 MS Press book and this guy comes over and asks me what I was working towards, I told him I was Starting my path towards MCSE.

    In this wierd outrage he tells me its a complete waste of time and that the standard wage for MCSE has dropped to about 15k.
    He went off in a strop and told me he had his MCSE and not to bother with it! :ohmy This kicked my motivation between the legs and now I need someone to tell me how it IS worth it. Whats everyones thoughts on this? :blink
     
  2. simongrahamuk
    Honorary Member

    simongrahamuk Hmmmmmmm?

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    Gaining an MCSE is not about what money you can get paid, it is about being able to prove to yourself and others that you know what you are doing.

    If you are not already in an IT role then £15k, MCSE or not would be a good starting salary. If you are already in a role then it will enhance your commitment to IT and should show your employers that, possibly leading to a pay review.

    The person at your work sounds to me like he was one of those people that got into IT hoping for a big pay day, and turned sour when he realised the reality.

    8)
     
  3. cjdude

    cjdude Bit Poster

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    Dont get me wrong, Im not in it for the money. I want to work towards security and cant beleive this idiot at work came out with such rubbish.
     
  4. GW

    GW Byte Poster

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    The certifications are not going to get you the big money, to me it is something you add to your resume to get your foot in the door for the job interview. It is your skills and knowledge that will help you climb the ladder to the big paycheck. The certifications help you gain the basic skills you need that you continue to add to as you advance in your career.

    Don't let one person get you down, if you look around the board there are a lot of people (myself included) that are working hard towards certifications and if it was a waste of time would this board even exist?

    Nothing in life is easy, if it was we would all be filthy rich living on our own private island with a ton of lovely ladies to cater to our every whim. You have to ask yourself about this guy, did he really think that once you get the certifications that some company will instantely give you a $100,000 a year paycheck?

    Also, how did this guy study for his certs? Did he crack down and worked hard at it and really learned it or did he brain dumped? Since he expected the big bucks right away I would lean towards brain dumping. Also, what has he done to improve his skills and himself since then? When he realized that he was only going to get the entry level pay did he just give up and throw in the towel? Sounds like he did.

    Once you got your certifications you have to continue on and learn more skills, like learn Linux and possibly FreeBSD(Unix), learn security, lean more network related stuff like Cisco. Even if you don't go for those certifications the skills will aid you in your work and you add them to your resume (or CVS) so as you gain more experience you can find a better higher paying job later on.

    GW
     
    Certifications: MCP x4, CompTia x3
    WIP: Cisco CCNA
  5. cjdude

    cjdude Bit Poster

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    Thank you both. I just needed to hear it. The guy who I never met was just about shouting at me for reading this book. Just wanted to knoe there light at the end of the tunnel. Cheers.
     
  6. SolidSponge

    SolidSponge Bit Poster

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    Yeh similar thing happened to me last week actually. We have Service Manager who comes and sits on our desk every so often. I was reading the Mike Myers 270 passport whilst on a break and he says, 'What you reading that for?' Told him I'm working towards MCSE certification and then he starts rambling on about how he has a mate who’s MCSE qualified and he wants to get into management because he's been living off 25K a year for too long now and he can't get a higher wage as he's just a tech blah blah blah...
    Really annoyed me because it's not the money I'm doing it for, it's so I can get a job and do what I actually enjoy doing. If I wanted management then I'd have done that instead! It's not like I'm doing it because I have to! Aggrrhhh some people just wind me up, trying to put you down all the time! Probably because they know you're trying to make something of yourself, they must be jealous?!
     
    Certifications: A+, MCP (70-270)
    WIP: 70-290
  7. Sparky
    Highly Decorated Member Award 500 Likes Award

    Sparky Zettabyte Poster Moderator

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    The guy is talking crap, ignore him! :biggrin
     
    Certifications: MSc MCSE MCSA:M MCSA:S MCITP:EA MCTS(x5) MS-900 AZ-900 Security+ Network+ A+
    WIP: Microsoft Certs
  8. G1BB0

    G1BB0 Nibble Poster

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    just thought I would add a bit of advice....

    I currently work in IT with no quals. Its only 1st line and also doing backups and server monitoring (restaring jobs, monitoring progress etc and using basic ping commands and server monitoring programs)

    I am working towards MCSE but I have noticed that a lot of jobs locally (including london as its only 25 miles away) ask for a whole variety of skills and experience, citrix, AD, win 98/me/2k/xp and a whole host of other platforms and applications.

    you couldnt possibly learn all this self study so obviously they can only be learned 'on the job'

    basically I am learning what i can in my current role and trying to learn a bit extra self study. then i will move to 2nd/3rd line and who knows after that.

    theres no fast track but quals can only help backup what you say you know and experience backs up the rest.
     
    WIP: N+ & CCNA
  9. Sparky
    Highly Decorated Member Award 500 Likes Award

    Sparky Zettabyte Poster Moderator

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    The A+ covers all the MS operating systems and there are Citrix certs out there as well.

    I think experience and certs go hand in hand as you try and climb the IT ladder, ....having certs on your C.V can only be a good thing. 8)
     
    Certifications: MSc MCSE MCSA:M MCSA:S MCITP:EA MCTS(x5) MS-900 AZ-900 Security+ Network+ A+
    WIP: Microsoft Certs
  10. Bluerinse
    Honorary Member

    Bluerinse Exabyte Poster

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    The knowledge I gleaned whilst studying for my MCSE is invaluable to me 8)
     
    Certifications: C&G Electronics - MCSA (W2K) MCSE (W2K)
  11. phonics3k

    phonics3k Nibble Poster

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    Well, I think you will get further with it, than you would without it ;)

    So dont worry, do what your heart tells you and you will be just fine :D
     
    Certifications: None As Yet
    WIP: MCTS: 70-536 & 70-526
  12. Baba O'Riley

    Baba O'Riley Gigabyte Poster

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    I second everyone's thoughts here. I started my current job with no certs or experience, but the fact I was working on my A+ at the time went a long way to convince them I was the man for the job. On my first day, one of my colleagues practically laughed in my face when I told him I was going to do an MCSE. He's not laughing now because I'm moving up the ranks much faster than everyone else at my level (I'm the only one in my immediate team with any certs). Plus, I get £250 for every exam I pass, I reckon by the time I've got my MCSE that will just about have payed for my training course :D .
     
    Certifications: A+, Network+
    WIP: 70-270
  13. G1BB0

    G1BB0 Nibble Poster

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    what I meant by learning them all self study is the time scale etc it would take. Real world learning is much better. I plan on getting what i need to open the door and then pick up the real world knowledge on the job so to speak. I am not saying thats the best way but I am not one to take everything in I read and do at home.

    when i qualified as a chef (many years ago) I knew everything required - still didnt stop me looking a complete noob when i went into my 1st job and I learned from every single chef i worked with... its the subtle things and little tips and tricks that make the difference imo 8)
     
    WIP: N+ & CCNA
  14. Sparky
    Highly Decorated Member Award 500 Likes Award

    Sparky Zettabyte Poster Moderator

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    Sometimes real world learning can be limiting. For example I currently install and support SBS servers on a daily basis however I have only done two installs which has involved full Windows 2003, Exchange and SQL. This was more challenging and it would have helped if I had the MCSE completed before doing this.

    I had to Google how to setup the backup domain controller and also phone my MD as their was 5 lease lines going to the main site through a Cisco PIX firewall and I couldn’t get the traffic to route to the proxy server. :biggrin

    Therefore if you don’t have the certs under your belt it can be difficult to complete some installations. Also I’m usually the only tech on-site so I can’t turn to somebody else and say ‘know anything about Cisco firewalls?’
     
    Certifications: MSc MCSE MCSA:M MCSA:S MCITP:EA MCTS(x5) MS-900 AZ-900 Security+ Network+ A+
    WIP: Microsoft Certs
  15. G1BB0

    G1BB0 Nibble Poster

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    hmmm fair point, i guess its a balancing act and different strokes for different folks. I was on my own all last week and it is a lot more hassle not having my colleague to bounce off. I had a lot of issues with software we have only just started covering... good job we have a big fat database to call on (or failing that i just pass to day staff in the morning or wake up my manager lol)
     
    WIP: N+ & CCNA

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