Should you be wanting to study to get an MCSE, it's likely you'll come into one of two categories. You could be about to enter the computer sector, as it's apparent this commercial sector has lots of demand for people with the right qualifications. Or you could be a knowledgeable person wanting to polish up your CV with the Microsoft qualification.
When researching MCSE's, you'll hit upon training companies that lower their out-goings by failing to provide the latest version from Microsoft. Avoid such training providers as you will face problems at exam time. If you are studying the wrong version, it will make it very difficult to pass.
A company's mission statement must be based upon doing the most for their students, and they should be passionate about their results. Working towards an MCSE isn't just about passing exams - the procedure must also be geared towards assisting you in working on the best action plan for your future.
Be watchful that any certifications you're studying for are recognised by industry and are current. 'In-house' exams and the certificates they come with are generally useless.
All the major IT organisations such as Microsoft, Adobe, CompTIA or Cisco each have globally renowned proficiency courses. These big-hitters will make your CV stand-out.
Searching for your first position in IT can feel more straightforward with a Job Placement Assistance facility. The fact of the matter is it's not as hard as some people make out to land a job - assuming you're well trained and qualified; because there's still a great need for IT skills in the UK today.
Help with your CV and interview techniques may be available (if not, see one of our sites for help). Make sure you work on your old CV today - don't wait until you've finished your exams!
Various junior support jobs have been offered to trainees who are still learning and haven't even passed a single exam yet. At the very least this will get your CV into the 'possible' pile and not the 'no' pile.
Normally you'll get better performance from a specialist independent regional employment service than you'll get from a training company's centralised service, because they'll know local industry and the area better.
To bottom line it, if you put the same amount of effort into securing your first job as into training, you won't find it too challenging. Some people bizarrely spend hundreds of hours on their training and studies and do nothing more once they've passed their exams and seem to expect employers to find them.
Commercial certification is now, without a doubt, taking over from the traditional academic paths into the IT sector - but why should this be?
Accreditation-based training (to use industry-speak) is most often much more specialised. The IT sector is aware that specialisation is essential to meet the requirements of a technologically complex workplace. CISCO, Adobe, Microsoft and CompTIA dominate in this arena.
University courses, for instance, can often get caught up in a lot of loosely associated study - and much too wide a syllabus. Students are then prevented from learning the core essentials in sufficient depth.
Assuming a company is aware what they're looking for, then all it takes is an advert for the particular skill-set required. The syllabuses are set to exacting standards and can't change from one establishment to the next (as academic syllabuses often do).
One thing you must always insist on is 24x7 round-the-clock support via professional mentors and instructors. So many companies we come across will only offer a basic 9am till 6pm support period (maybe later on certain days) with very little availability over the weekend.
Be wary of any training providers which use 'out-of-hours' call-centres - with the call-back coming in during standard office hours. It's not a lot of help when you've got study issues and could do with an answer during your scheduled study period.
As long as you look hard, you will find professional training packages that provide their students online support around the clock - no matter what time of day it is.
If you accept anything less than direct-access 24x7 support, you'll regret it. It may be that you don't use it in the middle of the night, but consider weekends, late evenings or early mornings.
When researching MCSE's, you'll hit upon training companies that lower their out-goings by failing to provide the latest version from Microsoft. Avoid such training providers as you will face problems at exam time. If you are studying the wrong version, it will make it very difficult to pass.
A company's mission statement must be based upon doing the most for their students, and they should be passionate about their results. Working towards an MCSE isn't just about passing exams - the procedure must also be geared towards assisting you in working on the best action plan for your future.
Be watchful that any certifications you're studying for are recognised by industry and are current. 'In-house' exams and the certificates they come with are generally useless.
All the major IT organisations such as Microsoft, Adobe, CompTIA or Cisco each have globally renowned proficiency courses. These big-hitters will make your CV stand-out.
Searching for your first position in IT can feel more straightforward with a Job Placement Assistance facility. The fact of the matter is it's not as hard as some people make out to land a job - assuming you're well trained and qualified; because there's still a great need for IT skills in the UK today.
Help with your CV and interview techniques may be available (if not, see one of our sites for help). Make sure you work on your old CV today - don't wait until you've finished your exams!
Various junior support jobs have been offered to trainees who are still learning and haven't even passed a single exam yet. At the very least this will get your CV into the 'possible' pile and not the 'no' pile.
Normally you'll get better performance from a specialist independent regional employment service than you'll get from a training company's centralised service, because they'll know local industry and the area better.
To bottom line it, if you put the same amount of effort into securing your first job as into training, you won't find it too challenging. Some people bizarrely spend hundreds of hours on their training and studies and do nothing more once they've passed their exams and seem to expect employers to find them.
Commercial certification is now, without a doubt, taking over from the traditional academic paths into the IT sector - but why should this be?
Accreditation-based training (to use industry-speak) is most often much more specialised. The IT sector is aware that specialisation is essential to meet the requirements of a technologically complex workplace. CISCO, Adobe, Microsoft and CompTIA dominate in this arena.
University courses, for instance, can often get caught up in a lot of loosely associated study - and much too wide a syllabus. Students are then prevented from learning the core essentials in sufficient depth.
Assuming a company is aware what they're looking for, then all it takes is an advert for the particular skill-set required. The syllabuses are set to exacting standards and can't change from one establishment to the next (as academic syllabuses often do).
One thing you must always insist on is 24x7 round-the-clock support via professional mentors and instructors. So many companies we come across will only offer a basic 9am till 6pm support period (maybe later on certain days) with very little availability over the weekend.
Be wary of any training providers which use 'out-of-hours' call-centres - with the call-back coming in during standard office hours. It's not a lot of help when you've got study issues and could do with an answer during your scheduled study period.
As long as you look hard, you will find professional training packages that provide their students online support around the clock - no matter what time of day it is.
If you accept anything less than direct-access 24x7 support, you'll regret it. It may be that you don't use it in the middle of the night, but consider weekends, late evenings or early mornings.
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