MCSE Certification?

[Galaril]

I am getting ready to start to prepare to take the MCSE exams for Windows 2003 Server administration.Anyone recommend any good books or multinmedia type "Kits" to help prepare for them seven tests that are required? Any other advice from people who already have there MCSE. Also, How long befor eit needs to be recertified 2 years?

[meursault]

My advice is don't do it.

Experience counts 10x vs. certification, but knock yourself out. I'm MCSE certified and working in the produce department at a grocery store making $6.65/hr. Mostly my own fault, due to complete lack of social skills, et al. But still, it can happen, cause it happened to me. Good luck in any case.

- Vince

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by meursault

My advice is don't do it.

Experience counts 10x vs. certification, but knock yourself out. I'm MCSE certified and working in the produce department at a grocery store making $6.65/hr. Mostly my own fault, due to complete lack of social skills, et al. But still, it can happen, cause it happened to me. Good luck in any case.

- Vince

My views.

Getting in the door for an CS/IT job.

1. Job Experience
2. Certifications
3. College Degree

Getting paid as a an CS/IT proffessional

1. College Degree
2. Certifications
3. Job Experience

(unless the Job Experience is hard to find or unique, then it's a different story all together). Of course, I'm in the military so my views may be off course.

[Galaril]

Also, I am looking at the Checkpoint certifications especially CCSA/CCSE. Anyone got any of these? IS checkpoint VP-1 and Firewall-1 pervasive in the corporate sector? I don't have aton of experince a coupe of years in MIS/Infosec but got a master's degree in the infosec field and would agree with Dutch. My degree isn't helping much to get in the door but to open it wider it will definitely help down the road.

[johnnyshaka]

Originally Posted by Dutch

My views.

Getting in the door for an CS/IT job.

1. Job Experience
2. Certifications
3. College Degree

Getting paid as a an CS/IT proffessional

1. College Degree
2. Certifications
3. Job Experience

(unless the Job Experience is hard to find or unique, then it's a different story all together). Of course, I'm in the military so my views may be off course.

I'm an NT 4.0 MCSE and I haven't bothered to keep it up simply because I don't think it's all that important nor is it even relevant to my job. I'm also a CNE (Certified Netware Engineer) 5.0 and haven't kept that up, but may try down the road...not likely though. Where I work, and have worked for the past 4 years, we are primarily a Netware shop with a couple of W2K servers...so, my Netware background is far more important, besides, another guy in the shop takes care of the Windows crap anyway.

When I got the job, I know for a fact it was because of my certification because I didn't have much experience at all. But, I did start at the bottom of the pay scale as well. So, with no job experience and no certification, no in hell I would've got this job.

My boss, on the otherhand, was hired with no certification, degree from the military, and loads of experience.

In my books...job experience is number one...the rest is fluff as far as I'm concerned. At the same time, I don't regret the money and time I spent on getting my certifications because I definitely learned a lot of useful stuff that really helped me pick things up really quick when I did get the job.

[BrianD]

Having certifications is never a bad thing. They may not do everything you want them to do, but it isn't a bad idea.

[Franklinnoble]

Certifications without experience are damned near worthless. I know lots of paper MCSE's. I have ten years experience, and no MCSE - I'll run circles around the most certified fucker on the planet.

Hell, half the guys on my company's help desk are MCSE's...

You wanna be a bad-ass server admin? Kick the doors open, and get on the team. Somehow. Find some way to put server experience on your resume, and get into a job as a server guy. That's your best bet.

[Daimyo]

I think MCP/MSCE isn't very valuable on its own because its super easy and requires almost no practical knowledge. On the other hand, just doing it at least shows some willingness to put in an effort to know your stuff so it won't hurt an might help in getting an entry level position. Start at the bottom in server administration, demonstrate your worth by gtting involved in key projects and you'll be fine... there are no shortcuts.

[jeff061]

Yes Certs mean jackshit. And any idiot can get one (doesn't mean everyone's an idiot).

However there are a lot of idiot hiring managers out there that disagree, so having one will help. In my last job I was good at what I did, I didn't need more MS training, but my boss wouldn't promote me without an MCSE cert. It's the way some places work.

[tategter]

When I got my MCSE2k I read two different books for each test. After my first exam I found that one book doesn't cover enough to pass any given test, you have to hit it from at least two sources. Also I am looking into upgrading my cert to 2k3 and saw that Microsoft up moving to interactive exams that require you to actually perform the task in a simulated Server environment (imagine that!). Either setting-up a test network or getting some good Win2k3 Server sim software would be your best bet. Good luck.

Oh, and just for the record, I picked-up my MCSE and CCNA certs after 10 years of experience because I thought I could learn something. After the certs a lot of doors opened-up for me. Making a lot more money than if I didn't get certified.

[jeff061]

Did you learn anything?

[tategter]

Originally Posted by jeff061

Did you learn anything?

Actually quite a bit. Learning the way things are supposed to work, as opposed to the way they actually work, was very interesting.