Computer Certification
Start Listen There are many different types of computer
certificates. Having a computer certificate demonstrates intimate knowledge of
that particular area. With a certificate, you become a specialist, thus making
yourself marketable for employment.
Start Listen For example, I went to the University of
Washington, and received a BA in English literature. I then went to graduate
school and got a MA in international studies. So how did I get a job at
Microsoft? Although they like degrees, they wouldn't hire someone without any
computer knowledge.
Start Listen While studying for my MA, I started studying
for Microsoft's popular computer certificate called the MCSE (Microsoft
Certified Systems Engineer). To become certified, I had to pass six different
exams ranging from networking, operating systems, and Internet protocols. When
I took the exams, they charged $100 per exam. The material cost was roughly $45
for each 600 page book. After six books and six exams, I became certified. To
be honest though, I had to retake two exams, so I really took 8 exams.
Start Listen After I graduated from graduate school and
obtained a computer certificate, Microsoft invited me for an interview and the
rest is history. Don't be mistaken though. I feel really lucky to have
interviewed with Microsoft at all. I feel it was due to good timing. Microsoft
was in a time period when they were hiring many people. However, if I didn't
have the computer certificate, I wouldn't have even qualified to interview at
all.
Start Listen Besides the MCSE, Microsoft has many different
exams. For example, if you are a developer or programmer, then the MCSD would
be the certificate for you. Microsoft has a certificate for many different
computer fields like database and other computer areas.
Start Listen Besides Microsoft, there are many other types
of certification. Here is a list of popular certificates by company:
Cisco
CompTIA
Novell
Sun Microsystem
Oracle
Start Listen I don't want to go into too much detail about
each certificate because there are many web sites that teach you about each
one. But usually each certification will consist of multiple exams. The cost
can vary depending on if you use training and computer institutes or not.
Studying by yourself can be hard without an instructor, but it is very
inexpensive. Having an instructor can help tremendously, but they cost a little
bit of money. You can think of it as an investment if you decide to study in a
class environment. But just to give you an idea, someone with a MCSD who is a
great programmer, or a person with a Cisco CCNA certificate will easily make
$90,000 a year.
Start Listen If you have any questions, remember that the
message boards are a place you can freely ask any questions you want. If you
want to learn more about certification, visit the many websites that explain
each certification.
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