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Marketing Your MCSE | |
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| Time: 07:20 EST/12:20 GMT | News Source: E-Mail | Posted By: Byron Hinson | ||
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I’ve run a part-time computer business from my home for the last three years. I quit to go back to school because of increasing competition, almost non-existent margins, and poor quality control across the board. I’m beginning to feel that finding a job when I’m done with my MCSE+Internet may be harder then I originally thought. Here in Canada, there’s a new MCSE every 1.5463 seconds, or so it seems. At a recent international job fair, I talked to many employers; most seemed to think “Oh no! Not another MCSE!” As a consultant, I often found myself more knowledgeable than the “expert” I was talking to. How can I convince a potential employer that I’m not just a paper MCSE and that I actually know how to do many things and solve problems? | ||
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| #1 By 12071 (203.173.50.141) at 11/28/2004 7:46:46 AM |
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Why are we covering something from July 2000?
Minesweeper Consultant and Solitare Expert. Just go and work somewhere where Microsoft is loved, you'll be fine. Otherwise go out and get additional accreditations from Cisco, Sun, etc. whichever ones you feel will provide you with most benefits. |
| #2 By 7760 (12.155.143.50) at 11/28/2004 7:58:59 PM |
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I'm a recent MCSE looking for a better job, and I can understand the concerns, but I don't think that they're as great as some suggest. Employers still greatly value the cert. I see it in 3 out of 4 IT job ads as either a requirement or, more often, as one of a few potential requirements (ie. certification OR 2yr work experience). So, it's still valued by employers and very useful for the IT person. Instead of proof of knowledge, I prefer to consider certifications more of a way to distinguish yourself from other candidates for the same job (or, if you're already in a job, distinguish yourself for promotion).
I agree with the author about not drawing attention to the fact that you're certified. No employer is going to like someone who is always talking (beating their chest) about their cert. That would tell me that that's all that they have. Keep it close to your vest, make it seem to them that it's just a nice recognition (and not a status symbol) to you and bring it out only when a question actually warrants it. Finally, get as many certs as would be useful for your line of work. For example, it's hard to find an IT job where routers and firewalls aren't involved, and most of them happen to be Cisco brand. I see many job ads explicitly mentioning Cisco. A Cisco certification (such as the CCNA) would look really good to an employer. Additionally, security is very important nowadays, so getting the "Security Specialist" tag on your MCSE/MCSA or doing the Security+ (as I did, as an MCSE elective) looks really good. Finally, repeatedly make the point when you mention your certification that it was a vehicle for your learning and that you have a commitment to expanding your knowledge. This helps to alleviate the employers' concerns that you've simply got a paper cert and lets him or her know that you're responsible, intelligent and always looking for new knowledge (employers want IT people who are always assessing new technologies and interested in implementing new features). FYI, in my experience, at least 2 out of 3 applicants are in no way a fit (either under or over-qualified) for the job that they're seeking. If you have a major cert and you have a few years of work experience in the field, you're automatically in the final candidate pool (IMO). Don't sweat it too much and focus on demonstrating your unique personal qualities, as well as how responsible and how much of a team player you are. This post was edited by Osprey on Sunday, November 28, 2004 at 20:04. |
| #3 By 9589 (66.26.233.173) at 11/28/2004 8:01:36 PM |
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What's hard to understand about this guy's predicament? He admitted that he had little experience (a part-time home based computer business that he failed at) and he still didn't have an MCSE. If his resume was sent to our company, it wouldn't get a second look.
On the other hand, if he was willing to start at an entry level job he may have more luck. Simply put, knowing the basics, which is what the MCSE says you have, is only the first step. We have dozens of other software products as well as Microsoft's server products that we run on our Intel based servers. Add this to each company's way of doing things - read beaurcracy - and you have quite a learning curve. Everyone seems to get this, but the new MCSE who "bought" the certification line handed to him by certification mills that promise high five figure jobs once the certification is secured. It rarely happens that way. I've taken classes from these mills - at great expense to my employer, taken college classes, and studied on my own. The later worked best for me. The first was too expensive, the second was too slow - an entire semester to study for one certification test. Nevertheless, the later meant spending several thousand dollars on multiple computers, switches, routers, KVMs, etc., a Microsoft MSDN subsciprtion and the appropriate books to have sufficient resources to carry out each lesson step by step. The advantage is that if I don't understand a concept or I am up against a tough problem, I can carry it out on my own, with my own equipment, and prove that it works or doesn't. With the advent of virtualization - Microsoft Virtual PC 2004, Server 2005 or VMWare - this process is very much easier. I can setup a problem on a virtual PC, figure it out and bring the OS or server application back to its original state at the end of the session. By the way, #1 is right. Once in the door, multiple certifications, BS/MS in computer science and/or MBA will help get you up the ladder - that and a lot of hard work! The terrific thing is that most corporations and governmental entities will spend money on you to get you qualified. I have found that this is particularly true with the latter group. |
| #4 By 6859 (206.156.242.39) at 11/29/2004 11:07:20 AM |
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This situation is rampant. A cert, be it MCSA/MCSE or Cisco is only good to prove two things:
(1) you can look up information; and, (2) you can retain that information in your noggin long enough to take and pass an exam. The real key is experience. Time in grade, is what my army friend calls it. I have 10+ yrs experience supporting, upgrading, and maintaining PCs. I have only the following certs: A+, Network+, MCP. I am half way to my MCSA on 2003 (two exams down, two to go.) I have a pretty good job considereing the marketplace is stagnant. In a few years who knows where things will be? My workplace is sending me to a Suse Linux training thingy soon because we're a Netware shop and Suse was bought by Novell... Will we be dumping MS to go the tux route? Probably not, but the bosses want to know if things are greener on the other side of the fence. Stay informed, get more skill, and as another poster mentioned, getting other certs can't hurt. |
| #5 By 23275 (68.17.42.38) at 11/30/2004 1:14:04 AM |
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#5 Very smart methods.
I screen about 50 applicants each month - intern perhaps two and each quarter hire about two. Each enters an intense year of hands-on training...a gut-check...so to speak. The best candidates, the "leet" ones, usually respond with a really long, and detailed explanation when asked about their home rigs and home networks. I know a lot of business people and most don't look at paper at all. Most look for passionate people who want to make a difference. I've hired people right off of the street without a care for what they knew at the time - knowing however, that they would learn and really quickly. The best so far have been the younger ones still in school who shelled out quarters to the UPS guy for their first 2400 baud modems - delivered COD. They know how to embrace challenges and are always trying new things. For them, it isn't work at all. The ones to stay away from are the people who went into IT/MIS for a steady pay-check. They are just awful and simply do not fit into either a production room, or a dev shop. They may be smart - even talented, but that does nothing for anyone when it really matters - 3 AM on day two of a three day deployment with no sleep. Once hired, then certs matter - they prove one can finish things they start and that added effort will be applied. Setting minimum [and funding them] CEU's in companies is a good thing. People welcome that. Some are truly interesting courses - certified forensics, for example - these can be monetized and lead to increases in revenue and individual earnings. |
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