Microsoft MCSE Study Courses - Options

As you've arrived here there's a good chance that you're about to make a move into the great world of IT and you've heard good things about MCSE's, or you could already be in IT and you're aware that the next stage is the MCSE accreditation.

We'd recommend you see evidence that the training company you use is educating you on the latest version from Microsoft. A lot of students are left in a mess when they realise they've been learning from an outdated MCSE program which now needs updating.

Avoid making a hasty decision when buying a course before having all your questions answered. Find a training provider that will make sure that you're on the most suitable training path for your requirements.

Several companies have a handy Job Placement Assistance service, to assist your search for your first position. But don't place too much emphasis on it - it isn't unusual for their marketing department to make it sound harder than it is. In reality, the massive skills shortage in the UK is why employers will be interested in you.

CV and Interview advice and support should be offered (if it isn't, consult one of our sites). Ensure you bring your CV right up to date immediately - don't leave it till you pass the exams!

It's possible that you won't have even taken your exams when you will get your initial junior support role; yet this won't be the case unless you've posted your CV on job sites.

If you'd like to keep travelling time and costs to a minimum, then it's quite likely that a specialist locally based employment agency might work much better for you than some national concern, due to the fact that they are much more inclined to have insider knowledge of local employment needs.

Fundamentally, if you put as much hard work into finding your first job as into studying, you won't have any problems. Some trainees bizarrely put hundreds of hours into their learning program and then call a halt once they've passed their exams and appear to be under the impression that jobs will come to them.

A competent and practiced advisor (in direct contrast to a salesman) will want to thoroughly discuss your current situation. There is no other way of understanding the point at which you need to start your studies.

With a bit of live experience or some accreditation, it may be that your starting point of study is very different to someone completely new.

If this is going to be your opening crack at IT study then you may want to practice with user-skills and software training first.

Exam 'guarantees' are sometimes offered as part of a training package - inevitably that means paying for the exams before you've even made a start on the course. However, prior to embracing the chance of a guarantee, look at the following:

These days, we are a bit more aware of hype - and generally we know that for sure it is actually an additional cost to us (it isn't free or out of the goodness of their hearts!)

It's everybody's ambition to qualify on the first attempt. Taking your exams progressively in order and funding them one at a time makes it far more likely you'll pass first time - you take it seriously and are conscious of what you've spent.

Don't you think it's more sensible to hold on to your money and pay for the exam at the appropriate time, instead of paying a premium to the training company, and to do it in a local testing office - instead of the remote centre that's convenient only to the trainer?

Paying upfront for exam fees (and if you're financing your study there'll be interest on that) is a false economy. Why fill a company's coffers with your money just to give them more interest! Some will be pinning their hopes on the fact that you won't get to do them all - but they won't refund the cash.

Don't forget, with most 'Exam Guarantees' - the company decides when you can re-take the exam. You will have to demonstrate an excellent pass-rate before they'll approve a re-take.

VUE and Prometric examinations are in the region of 112 pounds in the UK. What's the point of paying huge fees for 'exam guarantees' (often covertly rolled into the cost of the course) - when good quality study materials, the proper support and exam preparation systems and a dose of commitment and effort are what's required.

It's essential to have authorised exam simulation and preparation programs included in your course.

Ensure that the simulated exams haven't just got questions on the correct subjects, but also asking them in the way that the actual final exam will ask them. This completely unsettles trainees if the questions are phrased in unfamiliar formats.

For many reasons, it's very crucial to ensure that you are completely prepared for your actual certification exam prior to doing it. Rehearsing simulated exams logs the information in your brain and helps to avoid wasted exam attempts.

(C) Jason Kendall. Go to LearningLolly.com for superb career tips. MCSE Certification Course or www.mcse-2003.co.uk.