Need a new career asap :( Microsoft Certification, A+? Could do with ur help guys :)

[rockhard]

Hi,

Im currently working as a CNC programmer/Setter for a small engineering firm
The pays crap for the skills i have and the working conditions are awful
I need to get out of this asap.
What are my options?
I would like to do the MCSE course but after buying some secondhand course books for the NT4 track reckon that goin to take a while for the Win2k track which now supercedes it

In the meantime is there something a little easier that will allow me to get my foot in the door quickly and get rid of these oily overalls?

I have a few years experience of building and configuring PC's with the help of u guys and was wondering what qualifications i would need to try and get a job as maybe a system builder/tech support?

I work in the UK and earn £14k a year and wouldnt mind taking a couple of grand pay cut if it had some future in it

Ive heard of the A+ but cannot find any reference to it on MS's site and dont know much about it

If u guys can point me in the right direction and help me out i'd be real chuffed,

rockhard =)

 

[Windogg]

A+ and Network+ are exams created by CompTIAA. Do a search for them.

Windogg

 

[rockhard]

thanx, should keep me quiet for a few hours

I notice that Microsoft do some course books for this course
The NT4 track MCSE study books ive got are pretty good so was wondering if theyre A+ course books be worth considering? Are they very up to date OS wise? Some of the other MS publications are a bit behind IMO :/

Now if someone can really stick their neck out for me and recommend some worthwhile study books? Theres so many, where do u start?
Recommendations?

rockhard =)

 

[Base10]

Get your MCSE (Win2K track), and then your Cisco, and an Intel E-Commerce... The A+ is ONLY an entry level certification.

I'm currently running an IT firm out of my home. I have 2 FT and 1 PT (2 MCSEs, 1 MCP).. When hiring, I based my decision on your industry experience and certifications. A bachelor doesn't really tell me what u can do...


...danny

 

[rockhard]

thanx base10

I definately am going to do the MCSE but with me working nights reckon its goin to take me a while
My boss works us like slaves so after doing 10-12 hours at night when ur body wants to sleep leaves me with no energy to study

I just want to get a foot in the door with something like the A+ so that i can work days again. Then i'll have the energy and time to do the MCSE

Do u reckon this be a good way of doing it or should i just go get a job shelf stacking instead till i get the MCSE?

rockhard =)

 

[lowtech1]

You might want to look at Oracle or CISCO Cert with your back ground.

You can find the A+, Network+, I-Net+, and Server+ at CompTIA, or at MCSE Directory.

Good Luck!

 

[certifyexpress]

You can check some information here too.

http://www.certifyexpress.com/cgi-bin/feedback/Ultimate.cgi

 

[hungrypete]

thanks mr certifyexpress! nice site!

 

[rockhard]

thanx guys )

I got my study books this morning and from what i can glean from them so far is going to be a great help in filling in the gaps in my knowledge

When i started reading the NT4 MCSE study books i soon realised that it would be wise to get some background knowledge first as just being a hobbyist doesnt give u the exposure to the likes of networking that the MCSE demands
I think i'll do the Network+ too even tho' people say its a waste of time as reckon be ideal for me to break myself in gently before going through the riguors of the MCSE

It makes me laugh when people say that the MCSE is easy, yadda, yadda
I am beginning to wonder if theyre just taking the mickey or am i just dumb?

Again thanx, appreciated,

rockhard =)

 

[Skippy]

<< It makes me laugh when people say that the MCSE is easy >>



Generally stated by people that dont have one. Right along there with &quot;MCSE is worthless&quot;

 

[rockhard]

skippy

Yeah, ive read the 4 books u get with the MS publication MCSE core exam pack and barring the first theyre all very in depth and way over my head at this present time I hope this will change tho' this next 12 months

 

[RayEarth]

rockhard, i hope you're more successful with the mcse than i was, I went to one of those cheap advertisment schools that says become mcse in 7 months, &amp; i wish i never went, it's was a total waste of money, the teachers were really inexperienced! they gave us alot of those software test programs that had a lot of questions similiar to the actual test &amp; brain dumps which most people use to pass the test, but that's what many people call paper mcse, which are people that know the answers on paper but have no real network experience &amp; or to really network a system, it's just like how alot of videocard sounds good &quot;only&quot; on paper. I have a mcse, A+, a useless really old CNA cert, &amp; no one would hire me for networking because I had no pervious work experience, so even with all these certifications when i got it over a year ago when it was still good, It didn't help one bit because I had never had a job before &amp; so i ended up working at a small computer company getting paid one digit amount a hour &amp; i quit working there a few months later &amp; i didn't even make as much money as i used to go to that cheap school trying to get a job, so the FUNNY thing is, i could have more money right now if i didn't go to that school to start off with..AHAHAHA, but since you have work experience, you'll probably do better.

 

[rockhard]

Im guessing ur in the US yeah?

Here in the UK theres a real shortage of people with IT qualifications.
Its so bad that the government are encouraging foreign workers with the skills to come here to help fill the void.

Makes me think that anyone who has a working background and has the certs will do very well over here

Why is it so hard where u are? Are there too many people at it?

Heh, ur right about the paper certs I know quite a few people who are really bright in the learning from a book department and would probably walk the MCSE, but when it comes to using their hands (tactile application) theyre no brainers :/
Im reckoning that a lot of employers have been burnt by taking these kind of people on. If ur a tactile learner like me dont give up
Sooner or later a employer will take note of ur ability and offer u the chances u crave for

Ur right about the job experience mullarky - employers see people under the age of around 21ish as cheap labour and only take u a little more seriously when ur a little older.

One thing i have noticed tho', and im suffering for it at the moment - with me being single i feel my employer takes me less seriously than the next man who is married with a mortgage. Heh, i chose not to do that early in my life because i want to enjoy some freedom before the ball and chain mullarky. Does this mean that my employer should feel i dont deserve to be paid the same for the same work?

6 months ago i found out that another employee the same age as me got a raise because he could do this and that. Heh, i'd been doin the this and that all along! Did my night shift foreman keep the management informed of my progress? No cos it undermines his own position? or was it because the guy had a wife and family and a kid?. People in charge look great if they can make out that they have to do everything for the donkeys.

I had the flu about a month ago and unlike everyone else i worked through it only for the Director of the company to slag me off to another shop floor employee for not being productive that night even tho' i should have been at home in bed

My employer thinks he'll get a fortnights notice - he'll be lucky

Anyways, dont make the same mistake ive made with my employer. First problem u get, go get another job or they will just take advantage of u

Dont give up on the IT job searchin. U will come good sooner or later


rockhard =)