Certification in the UK

[bryanbayfield]

Hello:

Has anyone taken an MCSD (I think I've got the acronym right) pertaining to Excel? If so, how do you go about taking it (without taking any of the courses that colleges try to foist on you).

I know my VBA well enough but I'm a tad rusty on Excel (esp. regarding Pivot Tables) is there a website to help me - I'm don't want to keep on buying books as it gets expensive!

Thanks.

Bryan.

 

[SkipVought]

Bryan,

Check out

http://www.microsoft.com/traincert/mcp/mcsd/requirements.asp

As far as Pivot Table "training" don't have an answer.

GOOD LUCK! Let me know what you find.

Skip,
Skip@TheOfficeExperts.com

http://www.TheOfficeExperts.com

 

[bryanbayfield]

Ah, this is the one I was thinking of:

http://www.microsoft.com/traincert/mcp/officespecialist/objectives/excel2000expert.asp

 

[bryanbayfield]

I got it wrong by the way - it's MOUS, not MCSD.

 

[xlbo]

Dunno what peeps here think but there's been a discussion in the past on a coupla excel discussion groups I've been in about MOUS and I have to say, the general consensus was "not worth the paper they're written on"

Rgds
Geoff
Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes
Get the best answers to your questions - faq222-2244

 

[bryanbayfield]

Looking at the syllabus, it certainly doesn't look that tough. I doubt I'd need a book for it, the help files should suffice. And that's the "Expert" exam!

I'd only do it to enhance my employability so I guess it depends what prospective employers thought of it all. They tend to be impressed by certificates.

 

[xlbo]

I think that the main gripe against it is exactly that - because excel has so many areas to work in....formulae / code / charts / pivot tables / external data / formatting / filtering etc etc, it is very hard to test all areas at an adequate level - especially as not many people work in all areas of excel. Therefore, to test everything, the standard of knowledge required has been reduced which then impacts on the credibility of the certification. Having said that, if you have had experience of employees that want the certification, then go for it - I have to say tho, I've been to a few interviews and it has never come up - I generally use a "skills matrix" with applications down the left and Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced / Expert across the top - generally seems to give a good picture and no-one has ever asked for any "certifiable proof" of my skills in any of them

Rgds
Geoff
Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes
Get the best answers to your questions - faq222-2244

 

[bryanbayfield]

Hmmm ... some employers have specified it in their adverts in the past, but they've been very much in the minority. Perhaps it's a bad reflection upon them in that they're blithely demanding qualifications that don't mean much.

And of course, it could work against you if you put it on the CV. "Hey, this bloke is making a big thing of being certified, he can't know that there's a lot more to Excel than the certification stuff, let's burn his CV and go down the pub."

I think I'm better off forgetting certification and learning Word and Access VBA. Know any decent books? I used to be a fan of O'Reilly books, but I've had a couple of right mingers from them recently.

All this OLAP, DAO and ADO stuff leaves me cold.

 

[xlbo]

Presonally, I like to put some brief points down about past jobs and include some major projects in there - including the major application(s) used. I also put a list of applications worked with on each job - including VBA where appropriate eg

Excel + VBA, Word, Access + VBA
etc etc

Then, if the employer is fussed about it, they can ask in the interview what level the VBA etc was used at

Rgds
Geoff
Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes
Get the best answers to your questions - faq222-2244