Exam Insurance? 3

[pinkpanther56]

Hi all

Has anyone here bothered with the MS exam insurance?

If so how much does it cost and did you concider it to be worth the cost?

I'm based in the U.K. if you know the price in £ but if not $ will do.

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/offers/insurance/default.mspx

Cheers.

 

[mrdenny]

Look down about 4 threads thread468-1302310.

Denny
MCSA (2003) / MCDBA (SQL 2000) / MCTS (SQL 2005) / MCITP Database Administrator (SQL 2005)

--Anything is possible. All it takes is a little research. (Me)

http://www.mrdenny.com

 

[58sniper]

If you fail the test, you weren't ready. If you weren't ready, you shouldn't have taken the test.

I know this sounds like I'm being a PITA, but the certification is to show familiarity and experience with the product. If you just read a book, go through some CBTs, and take a test, you're not only harming those of us who DO have the experience and familiarity with the product, but you're also going to be hard pressed to show you have it when the time comes. And that will cost you jobs, money, and reputation.

I know a guy who could start reading a cert book on Monday, finish it Thursday, and pass the test on Friday. The following Monday, he was on to the next book/subject. Got his MCSE in under two months. Got a high paying job. Lasted two months and got fired for lack of experience/incompetence. Saw him lose two more jobs. He finally couldn't get hired anywhere, and left the business.

When I worked for a large IT staffing firm, the recruiters would see this dozens of times a week. The client would call, complain that the placed technician couldn't do the job, and request he be removed from the account.

Just my .02 from someone who's taken more than my share of cert tests (about 4 dozen at last count)

Pat Richard, MCSE MCSA:Messaging CNA
Microsoft Exchange MVP
Want to know how email works? Read for yourself -

http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2821.txt

 

[shakatak]

great advice, 58sniper!

 

[pinkpanther56]

Thanks Pat i think i am suitably qualified to take the MSDTC exams but i was just wondering if it was value for money (i.e. not almost the cost of another exam). I'll give VUE a bell and ask.

Cheers.

 

[Skittle]

Exam insurance looks waste of time to me.

Looks like we've seen the last of the second free try option in the first few months of the year we've enjyed for the last two years.


Dazed and confused

 

[paulhthomas]

well I've signed up for it this week, sitting my exchange 2003 exam next wednesday.
The insurance isn't really that great an offer but as they're offering a years subscription to technet plus with it if you sit the exam before the end of Jan I thought why not.
Also after speaking to pearson vue it looks as if you can only get the exam insurance if you're an MS partner.
It worked out better for me, because whereas I normally pay £105 or whatever it is (inc VAT) just for the exam, I paid £102 for the exam, insurance and the technet.
As my employer's a gold partner I didn't pay the VAT on the exam.
it's not a bad deal when you look at it like that!

Paul Thomas
Network+ - Passed
70-210 - Passed
70-290 - Passed
70-291 - Passed
70-293 - Passed
70-294 - Passed
70-284 - Working Towards

 

[onoski]

58sniper

Your post whilst it carry a lot of some worth of truth to a certain degree does come across as someone that is bitter.

In life sometimes some people get to places because they know someone and they learn from there and others are not so fortunate. In essence I think yes anyone can read a book and pass the MS exams and in real life if they got some brain can administer an MS network. Certs or no certs with or without experience is a bit irrelevant it boils down to it being used as a stepping stone.

I don't mean to attack you just trying to get you to understand my point. With reference to this person you knew obviously he does not deserve the job role and he got found out. I am sure there are lots more people out there like this.

My advice to any newbie get vware or virture pc installed on your PC and start hacking away as you would in a production environment.

I don't know it all and I ain't no genius either but am a hussler in I.T and have been with experience for over six yrs now but am still learning. Cheerio and lets all try and be fair when advising others etc.