Preparing Microsoft Certification Tests

Preparing Microsoft Certification Tests - Step by Step

Microsoft Certifications are one of the most widely pursued and acclaimed professional certifications in the IT industry. Preparing MS certification tests, however, is a significant undertaking whether you're just out of college or have been in IT field for years. IT professionals are continuously demanded to acquire new knowledge in order to perform well on their jobs as new technology in the IT industry emerged at a pace that has never been seen before. Regardless what certifications (Microsoft Certified Professional or MCP, Microsoft Certified System Administrator or MCSA, Microsoft Certified System Engineer or MCSE ) you are pursuing, a thorough planning will increase the chance of success.

1. Pick the Right Certification

There're two questions to answer while pursuing a MS certification:



a) Whether a particular MS certification helps the long-term and short-term goals of your career path. If your passion is in IT consulting, MCSE certification is likely more valuable than a MCSA certification, which may help you land a system administrator job at companies which are MS shop.



b) Whether you have both sufficient knowledge and hands-on experience to pass a series of tests for the certification. You may want to talk to your friends who have taken the tests before, or examine the questions from previous certification tests to identify the gap between what you've known and what you need to know. Braindumps or actual test questions from past exams will help learn the format and the scope of the tests.

2. Gain Hands-on Experience

Besides the official certification guide and reading materials published by vendors or authorized organizations, there're numerous other helpful learning materials available online or in print. A few years ago, we've heard the stories that employees with MS certifications who couldn't do their job. They passed MS certifications with little hands-on experience but a lot of knowledge on paper gained from purely studying practice test questions and braindumps. As certification vendors improved the test questions and introduced new test formats, it's almost impossible to pass those tests without years of hands-on experience. The real value of hands-on experience is to prepare you for the job, not just to gain a certification.

3. Consolidate Knowledge with Training

The value of hands-on experience can not be replaced with studying sample certification tests, and systematical knowledge of a particular subject can't be replaced by hands-on experience either.



Use of Computer Based Training software is a very effective way to speed up your Microsoft certification preparation. For instance, many companies offer vendor-co developed CBT or Computer Based Training for IT professionals to have a comprehensive understanding of Microsoft products and practice.

4. Take Sample Exams

Once you have both systematical knowledge and hands-on experience of Microsoft software products, you'll still need to know the format and style of certification test questions to perform well in the exams. Use of sample tests and braindumps will often further improve your test score.

5. IT certification exams.

Microsoft certification exams, like other major IT certifications - Cisco, Oracle etc, are administered by independent testing organizations at major cities worldwide. Registration can be done online or via phone. More important than anything else is to relax and have a good night of sleep before the actual test date.







Copyright @2005, Bruce Zhang

Author:

Bruce Zhang has over 10 years of experience in web applications development, web design and database design.

Terms: Articles may be reprinted provided content is not edited and links are kept live

Source: www.articledepot.co.uk

Another Riff Passed

Terribly out of everything last days: this X-mas stole away all my money, I get ill for 3 weeks, I lost my job. So now I have plenty of spare time, but no any possibility to write here. It's so unusual to tell anyone what do you think.
Looking for the theme of "How to become an MCP" I've found a different site but one was very strange:

Going Beyond Standard Windows Auditing and Logging

As auditing and logging regulations become increasingly complex, network activity monitoring -- for both users and administrators -- becomes even more business critical. In this white paper, we take a deeper look at the security concerns, the available solutions, their drawbacks and a new complementary way of addressing today?s security issues. Download today! (PDF, 6 pages)

and no download link at all. Does anyone knows what it can be.

Another question is here: What to choose?
There are plenty of companies which provide to become MCSA, but why one is good and other are bad? How to rate them?
So far looking through the Google Search Results I've found London SAM:

LondonSAM has high-quality computer training tools for students wishing to learn how to Build, Maintain and Repair a computer at their own pace, in the home or office environment. As well as tutor led PC basic hardware training and repair products for schools, companies and correctional and vocational training facilities. In the last year or so, the basic computer hardware training courses have been upgraded to satisfy a growing demand for easy to use, basic hardware courses suitable for training novices from grade 8 and up, in the basics of PC hardware maintenance, repair and software installation.

Just started my tips on becoming MCSA

Hello everyone!

Speaking about slumps in my life, I've never felt so much like a bottom feeder than now. I have little to no money. My job it the biggest pain in the ass for the money that I make. Student loan payments will be coming soon. I actually want to do something to better myself. I decided I want to become a PC technician, complete with as many certifications as I can get. A+, Net+, Cisco, MCSA, MCSE, etc. I want to be able to do what I've always wanted to do. I don't want to tell people that I sling pizzas for a living.

So, I have decided to start my bloggin on the theme of becoming professional from a scratch. All comments will be apreciated.

Why should I recieved an idea to become MCSA Certified?

Hiring managers indicate that certified professionals provide a higher level of service to their organizations, so I must become a Microsoft Certified System Administrator to demonstrate to my colleagues that you have what it takes to plan, implement, and support business solutions with Microsoft Windows Server and Microsoft BackOffice products. Also, according to Microsoft Corporation, as a MCSA, I'll receive some bonus:
* Industry recognition of your knowledge and proficiency with Microsoft products and technologies.
* Access to technical and product information direct from Microsoft through a secured area of the MCP Web site.
* Access to exclusive discounts on products and services from selected companies. Current MCPs can gain access to these benefits by visiting the MCP secured Web site and selecting "Other Benefits."
* MCSA certificate, transcript, wallet card, and lapel pin to identify you as a Microsoft Certified Professional to colleagues or clients. Electronic files of logos and transcript may be downloaded from the MCP secured Web site upon certification.
* Invitations to Microsoft conferences, technical training sessions, and special events.
* Free access to Microsoft Certified Professional Magazine Online, a career and professional development magazine. Secured content on the Microsoft Certified Professional Magazine Online Web site includes the current issue (available only to MCPs), additional online-only content and columns, an MCP-only database, and regular chats with Microsoft and other technical experts.

All this make me think that my decision is correct.