I have been flipping through the net the last few days, and have found numerous "Boot Camps" and Cram Sessions for MCSE exams. I'm wondering what kind of signifigance training from these places has for the industry. Myself, I'm getting extensive training for CCNA, CCNP, MCSE, A+, Network+, Security+. But I have a feeling I'm going to lose my job to Joe Shmo who walks in from mcsebootcamp.com. I figure 2 years of training should be able to get me a job a little better than this idiot. I also don't really feel that people who buy a book or two and study it should even be allowed to write a test. It's simply a cash cow for Microsoft. The truly skilled and trained folks out there get to deal with people who have drilled 14 days of exam material into their heads, and can simply only write a test. That being said, why is Microsoft still willing to allow people with no hands-on and practical knowledge of the test? How can I show myself better than Joe Shmo on an application? It's true that many employers only look for certification, and if certs can be taken this easily, why should they care about mine? -- Jp Senior Network Technician Student Southern Alberta Institute of Technology These last few weeks I have been experiening nucleomituphobia. I am truly afraid for the future of the world. Greenhouse gas, War, Terrorism, Nuclear Stalemate.. Who will break the nuclear stalemate and end the world? My death warrant has been signed by a politician...
Hey all, just to say in response... I have just achieved MCSE in six weeks from an intensive training course. So - I'm guessing I'm the bad guy, right? However, I also have 20+ years experience in broadcast TV engineering and management and I'm looking for a 100% career change, so my er, 'love' of computer networks (go figure?) gave me enough grounding to do the exams and achieve the pass I was after. However, the point I want to make is this: as and when I get an IT job based on my recent qualifications, the one factor I will be most aware of is that I know *nothing* when it come to the translation of 'exam smarts' into day to day operation of commercial networks and systems. Right now I would trade a lot to be able to prove 'x' years in a commercial networking environment. The bottom line is this: it's a good old fashioned competitive world out there, and we're all competing for the same jobs. However, having looked at more resumes over the years than you can possibly imagine, when I'm looking to employ someone I want to see a balance between qualifications and commercial experience. I honestly belive that there really are no guaranteed shortcuts to career promotion or success, intensive training or otherwise - it's up to the individual to prove that his or her background and attitude is the right one for the job they're applying for. HTH, Jon
Wow... I thought I was the only MCNGP who had this attitude about boot camps. Compadre! I'd add even small organization there. Someone just starting out would need to do volunteer work, and I wouldn't consider most libraries and/or schools to necessarily be medium or large organizations. I agree on the one-year experience, though. I can understand why the medium to large, since that's the kind of business that would need to employ MCSE's in the first place, but I still think it would be more difficult for someone breaking into the field to get experience, even volunteer, in larger companies. Perhaps a school system might meet those needs, however.
Fris, you seem to have missed the point (although in other circumstances your comments would be right on the money...) The OP is spending loads of money to become a paper MCSE (in that he'll have the certs but no experience to back it up), and wants to stop others doing him out of a job by doing the same, but without spending so much money. *If* there are going to be rules about who can and cannot take the exams, MS' guidlines would be as good a place to start as any. As certs are next to worthless without experience, as regards getting a half decent job in IT, your suggestion about volunteer work has potential.
