New to Microsoft Certification

[gocoa]

Greetings,
I am a general computer user who is interested in becoming Microsoft Certified. My experience is limited to 10 years of computer use mainly in basic desktop operation and limited website development. My main interest is entering into computer software development. I notice under Microsoft certification programs that experience is required. Are there exceptions to this? Does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations? Thanks.

Mike McCormick

 

[IsThisOneTaken2]

gocoa,
Experience is not really required in order to sit for exams, but the exams will be nearly impossible to pass without experience.

I would start by taking a single programming class to see if you are a programmer at heart. You need to know right up front that being a good programmer is a very hard thing. Breaking into IT is difficult, and you want to become what I think is the very hardest discipline in IT - software development.

I'd learn VBA to start if I were you.

I think that if I were you I would look into instructor-led training. While an expensive option, you will have access to a computer lab and the very best books (find a center that uses Microsoft Official Curriculum, not the much cheaper MS Press books), and a (we hope) experienced instructor, not just a mentor who might not even have done anything but sat through the class the week before you.

Be careful, though, some of them have sharks for a sales force.

 

[jtb]

It may also be worth noting that programmers work in a wide variety of environments... Big corporations often have hundreds of programmers working together in a "sweatshop" type of environment... not your basic 8-5 job... and these days, "off shore" resources are often willing to work for less than you could make flipping burgers at your local fast food establishment... Very cheap... Very, very cheap...

And then there are those PhD rocket/nuclear scientists in Russia working for Aelita... Very smart. Very, very smart...

But if you're good, you can still make a lot of money as a programmer... I have a friend who makes more than $100K... but he has a reputation for taking on impossible tasks and getting them done quickly...

Don't give up; but make sure to take off the rose colored glasses before you start committing yourself...


JTB
Senior Infrastructure Specialist
MCSE-NT4, MCP+I, MCP-W2K, CCNA, CCDA,
CTE, MCIWD, i-Net+, Network+
(MCSE-W2K in progress)