Getting Your Career On Target With The New Generation Of Microsoft Certifications

By Author: yvonne
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No one likes change, especially if it means that you have more expensive certification exams to pass and more hours of Microsoft MCITP certification training in your future. While some are grumbling about the new generation of certifications from Microsoft, others see a terrific opportunity to really nail down their career path.
The new certifications from the entry-level MCTS to the professional MCITP certification target specific job roles rather than try to provide more general coverage. This allows candidates to focus on the skills and technologies as well as the particular job role that they want to work in. They get more in-depth knowledge and experience in less time allowing them to get started in their career faster.
This not only helps the job seeker, it also helps those looking to fill particular jobs. Hiring managers needing to hire a project manager skilled in Project Server will know that an MCITP holding the IT Professional: Enterprise Project Management with Microsoft Office Project Server 2007 MCITP certification will have the expertise required. In addition, ...
... they will know that this professional has current skills (because these new certifications require refresher Microsoft MCITP training courses and passing a refresher exam).
The downside of these more targeted certifications is that you may need to carry several different credentials as you build your career. In fact, many IT professionals already carry several broad credentials, the new generation will lend itself to even more which can make your resume or business card look a little like an alphabet soup. In addition, each Microsoft exam MCITP certification requires passing two or more exams which adds up over time. To top it off, every three years, you will need to re-certify which requires more training and more expense.
Since each certification must be re-certified every three years, managing your certifications may pose a challenge, especially if you hold several different credentials that were earned at different times of your career.
At this point, there's no arguing with the new program. You will either go along with it and build your IT career or you can look to other technologies. Change is never comfortable but if you give it half a chance, it just might work for the better.
With each refreshment comes the need for additional Microsoft MCITP training before you take the refresh exam. This is because you will need to update your skills to the new technology. If you wait until the last minute, you won't have the chance to fully absorb the new changes and you can risk not passing the exam on the first try.
One way to ensure that you won't forget is to use the technology you have to take charge of it on your own. This could be as simple as creating a spreadsheet detailing each certification that you hold and when it expires and then check it every first day of every month. Another idea is to create a schedule in your contact management software program complete with reminders that will pop-up telling you to take action. You can even go ultra low tech and put up a white board in your office with all of the important dates and action points. The main thing is to be aware of the refresh security+ certification requirements and give yourself plenty of time to prepare so that you are not caught off guard when the time comes.