The big question rises how to become the Microsoft certified , All Microsoft
certifications are acquired by simply taking a series of exams. If you can
self-study for said exams, and then pass them, then you can acquire the
certification for the mere cost of the exam (and maybe whatever self-study
materials you purchase).
You'll also need, at minimum (in addition to the MCTS), the CompTIA A+, Network+
and Security+ certs; as well as the Cisco CCNA cert.
Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) - This is the basic entry point
of Microsoft Certifications. You only need to pass a single certification test
to be considered an MCTS and there are numerous different courses and
certifications that would grant you this after passing one. If you are shooting
for some of the higher certifications that will be discussed below, then you'll
get this on your way there.
Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD) - This certification was
Microsoft's previous "Developer Certification" meaning that this was the highest
certification that was offered that consisted strictly of development-related
material. Receiving it involved passing four exams within specific areas (based
on the focus of your certification). You can find the complete list of courses
and paths required for the MCPD here.
Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer (MCSD) - This is Microsoft's most recent
"Developer Certification" which will replace the MCPD Certification (which is
being deprecated / retired in July of 2013). The MCSD focuses within three major
areas of very recent Microsoft development technologies and would likely be the
best to persue if you wanted to focus on current and emerging skills that will
be relevant in the coming years. You can find the complete list of courses and
paths required for the MCSD here.
The Microsoft Certifications that you listed are basically all of the major ones
within the realm of development. I'll cover each of the major ones and what they
are :
Most people, however, take some kind of course. Some colleges -- especially
career and some community colleges -- offer such courses (though usually they're
non-credit). Other providers of such courses are private... some of them
Microsoft Certified vendors of one type or another, who offer the courses in
such settings as sitting around a conference table in their offices. Still
others specialize in Microsoft certification training, and so have nice
classrooms set up in their offices.
There are also some online (and other forms of distance learning) courses to
help prepare for the exams.
The cost of taking classes to prepare can vary wildly. Some are actually free
(or very nearly so), while others can cost hundreds of dollars. It all just
depends on the provider.
And here's a Google search of MCTS training resources (which can be mind-numbing
in their sheer numbers and types, so be careful what you choose):
There are some pretty good, yet relatively inexpensive, ways to get vendor
certificate training. Be careful not to sign-up for something expensive and
involved when something cheaper -- like subscribing to an "all the certificates
you care to study for one flat rate" web site -- would, in addition to
purchasing a study guide or two at a bookstore, likely be better.
If you want a career in IT, then you need to have both an accredited degree in
same (preferably a bachelors over an associates), and also a variety of IT
certifications. The MCTS is but one that you will need.
You should probably also get the Microsoft MCSE and/or MCSA. The ICS CISSP. And
the ITIL.
There are others, but if you have those, you'll be evidencing a broad range of
IT expertise that will be useful, generally. Then, in addition, if the
particular IT job in which you end-up requires additional specialist
certification, then you can get that, too (hopefully at the expense of your
employer who requires it of you).
Then, whenever (if ever) you're interested in a masters in IT, here's something
really cool of which you should be aware...
There's a big (and fully-accredited, fully-legitimate) university in Australia
which has partnered with Microsoft and several other vendors to structure
distance learning degrees which include various certifications; and in which
degrees, considerable amounts of credit may be earned simply by acquiring said
certifications. It's WAY cool.
One can, for example, get up to half of the credit toward a Masters degree in
information technology by simply getting an MCSE (though the exams which make it
up must be certain ones which correspond with the university's courses). I've
always said that if one were going to get an MCSE, first consult the web site of
this university and make sure that one takes the specific MCSE exams that this
school requires so that if ever one later decided to enter said school's masters
program, one will have already earned up to half its degree's credits by simply
having the MCSE under his/her belt. Is that cool, or what?
I wouldn't rely on them over experience (which is far and away the most valuable
asset out there) but they are worth pursuing especially if you don't feel like
you have enough experience and need to demonstrate that you have the necessary
skills to land a position as a developer.
If you are going to pursue a certification, I would recommend going after the
MCSD (Web Applications Track) as it is a very recent certification that focuses
on several emerging technologies that will still be very relevant (if not
more-so) in the coming years. You'll pick up the MCTS along the way and then
you'll have both of those under your belt. MCPD would be very difficult to
achieve based on the short time constraints (passing four quite difficult tests
within just a few months is feasible, but I don't believe that it is worth it
since it will be "retired" soon after).
No job experience at all is necessary for any of the Microsoft Certifications,
you can take them at any time as long as you feel confident enough with the
materials of the specific exam you should be fine. The tests are quite difficult
by most standards and typically cover large amounts of material, but with what
it sounds like a good bit of time to study and prepare you should be fine.
Certifications, in addition to degrees, are so important in the IT field, now,
that one may almost no longer get a job in that field without both. The
certifications, though, are so important that one who has a little IT experience
can get a pretty good job even without a degree as long as he has all the right
certs. But don't do that. Definitely get the degree... and not merely an
associates. Get the bachelors in IT; and make sure it's from a "regionally"
accredited school.
Then get the certs I mentioned (being mindful, if you think you'll ever get an
IT masters, to take the specific exams that that Strut masters program requires
so that you'll have already earned up to half the credit just from the certs).
If you already have two years of experience in working in the .NET environment,
a certification isn't going to guarantee that you will get employed, a salary
increase or any other bonuses for achieving the honor. However, it can help
supplement your resume by indicating that you are familiar with specific
technologies enough to apply them in real-world applications to solve problems.
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