The Microsoft Office Specialist Certifications And Their Needs

Out of some of the majorly used suites of tools productivity, Microsoft Office stands to be the undisputed leader in the business world. Many industries have even made it mandatory for the candidates to have the at least the basic knowledge of the Microsoft Office Tools for employment.

Under such a scenario, possessing a credential that could validate the Microsoft Office proficiency could be of utmost help to the individuals. And for this specific need, there are various Microsoft Office Specialist Certifications that authenticate the technical proficiency of the individuals for the modern business world with respect to Microsoft Office Suite.

Microsoft Office Specialist Certifications encompass all the features and functionalities relating Microsoft Office. With this credential in your resume, you could easily anticipate an improvement in your candidate marketability, academic performance, increase in the confidence and thereby the productivity of your organization.

Levels of Microsoft Office Specialist Certifications:

The Microsoft Office Certifications are basically offered at 3 levels which are as follows:

Foundational Level MOS Certifications:

The basic and foundational level of MOS certifications exists for most of the popular programs of Microsoft Office Suite. The current foundational level Microsoft Office Specialist certifications are for:

·         Microsoft Office Word 2010

·         Microsoft Office Excel 2010

·         Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2010

·         Microsoft Office Outlook 2010

·         Microsoft Office Access 2010

·         Microsoft SharePoint 2010

·         Microsoft Office OneNote 2010

·         Microsoft Office 365

Expert Level Microsoft Office Specialist Certifications:

The second level of Microsoft Office Specialist Certifications is the Expert level that constructs on the most superior features of the Microsoft Office Suite. The currently available MOS Expert level credentials are for:

·         Microsoft Office Word 2010

·         Microsoft Office Excel 2010

Master Lever Microsoft Office Specialist Certification:

The Microsoft Office Certification in its Master level is the most superior of the certifications and validates the overall proficiency and expertise of an individual across the Microsoft Office System. The professional that possesses this credential is said to have a deep understanding and wide set of skills to exploit the depth of Microsoft Office Products. But to earn the certification, a candidate is required to pass the following set of four exams:

·         Microsoft Office Specialist Word 2010 Expert Exam

·         Microsoft Office Specialist Excel 2010 Expert Exam

·         Microsoft Office Specialist PowerPoint 2010 foundational exam

·       One from either Microsoft Office Specialist Outlook 2010, Access 2010, SharePoint 2010 or OneNote 2010 foundational exam

And though the MOS credentials are highly tough to obtain, you could easily acquire them with the help of online courses that allow you to pass Microsoft certification without taking exam. When you have adequate knowledge, skills and experience in operating Microsoft Tools, these online programs could help to save a lot of your time and labor for your certification need.

Thus, with a Microsoft Office Specialist Certification, you could easily apply for jobs such as IT support Technician, Executive Assistant, Research Analyst, Database Specialist and Office Manager etc. Needless to mention, the certification is a guarantee of salary hikes and growth in your career. 

Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer: What You Wish To Know

Recently, the value of MCSE or Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer certification has gained a worldwide prominence and this is due to the fact that it allows you to work in system engineering and system administration field globally. The certified individuals also said to have their expertise in Microsoft Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003 exams.

Let us look at some other aspects of this certification.

Duties And Job Description:

MCSE certifications portray knowledge of the individuals in examining business requirements and also help to design and implement infrastructures according to Microsoft Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003. According to researches, the common job titles that are held by MCSE certified individuals are:

·         System administrator

·         System engineer

·         IT manager

·         Network administrator etc.

Also, these titles could be combined in to offer a single position in the organization, such as ‘system and network administrator.’

The individuals concerned with computer systems and network engineering may also resolve issues that are concerned with systems, applications and designs, with finding apt solutions may also be acquired.

The network and system administrators are also related to installation, monitoring, testing and support of the organization’s networks, including all, its local area network and wide area network as well.

In short, individuals with MCSE certifications lead the projects, ensure the timely backup of the system and are also liable to keep it secure.

MCSE Certifications:

In order to earn a MCSE credential, the candidates are requires to have a professional experience of about 1 to 2 years. The experience could be regarding network operating systems and also regarding the implementation and administration of client and network operating system.

The standing Windows Server 2003 certification requires the candidates to pass a set of seven exams. Out of these, four of them are in networking systems, one with client operating system, one related to design and the leftover exam could be chosen from a specific set.

Due to the meticulous labor required to be put forward for the exam, many online courses are allowing you to pass Microsoft Certification without taking exam. If you are confident of your skills as a Microsoft professional, you could opt for these courses and enroll in these online programs to receive a credential boost for your resume having stipulated experience.

Pros And Cons Of A MCSE Certification:

MCSE certifications may have a specific set of benefits and flaws of their own, which are as follows:

Pros:

·         MCSE certification in your resume could considerably raise your salary, with the present employer or even when you wish to change your job.

·         You could expect a better individual growth of your career in comparison to an individual that does not possess the certification.

·         MCSE is a globally recognized credential

·         When there is a change in technology, you could even upgrade your certification to other better ones.

Cons:

·         Obtain a MCSE certification could be rigorous, which requires you to have about 2 years of experience and passing a set of 7 to 8 exams.

·         Study material and exam could be costly. 

Passing Microsoft Examination Made Utterly Attainable

Microsoft Examinations are not a cakewalk to perform, for it could put to test your patience, meticulousness and most importantly, the ability to deliver your best. Over the years, people have inculcated various methods to achieve success and most of them direct them to work utmost hard. 

However, with the latest mantra to ‘work smarter, rather than working harder,’ your goal to pass Microsoft Certification without Taking Exam is nothing more than reading your nursery rhymes in ease. 

If you have been aspiring to receive the anticipated success in your Microsoft Certification, all you need to do is focus on the aforementioned mantra and take the help of following points, while doing your preparation:

1.       Smart Is, Knowing What To Know:

Microsoft exams are not an easy target; you must be acquainted, as it could test your devotion towards the subject matter up to the fullest. Rather than asking answers for the questions, the papers are more inclined to test your trick-solving ability. And the worst of all is that you could never take up almost everything in your little mind.

Under such scenario, it is imperative to know what you need to study and the extent to do it effectively. Going too deep into a particular topic could make the other ones bamboozling and you would never wish to face such a situation. 

For this, get the help of an expert or visit sites that offer information on the exact quantity of material to be studies.

2.       Study Material Matters Much:

Hoards of books, immense subject matter and thousands of websites to help you, but you may end up finding questions in exams that have never passed before your eyes. For the matter, people have received immense help from Microsoft Office Curriculum (MOC), but again, it does not mean that you would get the exactly the similar matter.

However, no matter what source you choose to study, acquire guidance from a legitimate source only. And out of tens of thousands of sources available for the purpose, choose the ones which you could find most prominent and authentic enough to help you out.

3.       Pen And Paper Are Never Out Of Fashion:

With this, it is meant that taking notes of what you do holds much of importance. Whether you wish to jot down any technical element or simply write the name of any website, it could do a lot of good to offer benefits when you revise down the matter.

There is definitely a kind of science associated with the fact that the act of writing details, which we wish to remember, fixes the notes in our short-term memory. And to your delight, while you sit to give the exam, a partially remembered answer could be recovered fully by going back to the details of your notes and remembering what you took down with pen.

4.       Repetition Of Your Meticulous Labor:

Practice makes a man perfect and so will it do in the process of your preparation for Microsoft examination. This practice for the same could be in dual forms: examination practice and technology management. With this, it is meant that while it is imperative to acquire test-taking skills, to manage the system on which you take the certification exam is equally important. 

And all this is with immense and honest self-labor, put forward in a stipulated direction to achieve the target. 

5.       Time Management:

Against everything, the management of your time is highly imperative for your success. While taking up a specific set of questions, note down the time taken to answer them completely. This process makes sure that while you give exams, you do not run out of time against the number of questions you need to answer. 

6.       Sit Back And Rest:

Human minds have their own sweet capabilities, you ought to know, and you cannot operate your brains 24/7 to achieve the anticipated results. This is why, choose a separate resting and relaxing time too. The process makes sure that your mind is not overcrowded to an extent that when you sit to revise, you are nowhere in the world.

The act of working smart is not tough. All it needs is your patience and an extra presence of mind to achieve the best of results in your Microsoft exams.

The Benefits in Obtaining A MCSD Certification

You would never love to be lost in a crowd of many, where, all are from the IT background, all possess excellent solution development skills and all of these are extremely knowledgeable. 

Due to this, now you could opt to obtain a Microsoft certified solutions Developer Certification, which is an intermediate level IT credential offered by Microsoft. This certification is highly suitable for the individuals that develop enterprise solutions with respect to Microsoft developmental technologies and tools. 

This Microsoft certification is available in four specializations, viz.:

·         Windows store apps

·         Web applications

·         SharePoint applications

·         Application lifecycle management

All upon your interest, you could opt for any of these four MCSD certifications and crack the exam for outshining the crowd of professionals around you. Also, there are many programs which offer you to pass Microsoft Certification without Taking Exam. 

You could even opt for these programs if you have years of professional knowledge and skills, which could make you stand apart with the MCSD certification in your hand. 

The MCSD Certification has the following major benefits:

·         IT Recognition: Any kind of a MCSD Certification listed in your resume offers you a great recognition in the IT industry. 

·         Technical Knowledge: With the help of these certifications, an individual is able to achieve a considerable access to high-level technical information through Microsoft. 

·         Company Discounts: You could also get to access the discounts offered by different companies such as free IT trainings, various certification offers and student discounts etc. 

·         Microsoft Member Clubs: What is the most blissful part of all is that you get to become a member of Microsoft certification program. This offers benefits of accessing member-only information and you could also attend the Microsoft conferences, online classrooms, webinars and training session facilities that are offered by Microsoft. 

·         Monetary Benefits: A MCSD certification in your hand is a huge boost to your career, where you could not only get a better job, but the one that pays you well. Companies are always looking for professionals with these certifications in their resume and are ready to pay them well. You could choose career options such as Software engineer, software developer, software architect and programmer etc. and also get handsome monetary rewards, increments and promotions in the process. 

·     Global Recognition: Not only in your city, country or a particular IT organization, MCSD certifications offer you global recognition. You would always have an upper hand over the candidates applying for the same job, but without the similar credentials in the resume. Needless to mention, the salary package could also be the one you wish for. 

According to a study, about 59 percent of the managers with MCSD certifications feel that the credentials demonstrate the candidate’s commitment to their IT career, while 61 percent had definite expertise in a particular subject matter. Also, 58 percent of the managers think that certifications show innovativeness and adaptability. 

Therefore, MCSD certifications are lot more than feathers to your cap, which could boost your IT-related career to a totally different level.

Microsoft Certification: The Levels Of Their Acquisition

With Microsoft Certifications, an individual is anticipated to portray skills and expertise, which are needed to implement business solutions using Microsoft Technologies. It basically provides the core business and productivity programs that organization could always rely upon for their needs.

And with the latest launch of its iteration, the MCP or Microsoft Certified Professionals Programs have experienced a new generation of Microsoft Certification. While on one hand these reflect the increased value of cloud-computing, on the other, they still validate to build on-site business solutions using Microsoft technologies.

The current MCP program has three certification levels which are:

·         Associate
·         Expert
·         Master

Let us discuss these three levels of the certifications in a bit detail:

Associate Level:

This level has the following certifications:

·     Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) certification: It validates the technical skills of individuals in specific Microsoft products such as Windows 7 or SharePoint 2010. The skills measured by a MCTS certification include troubleshooting, building and debugging a Microsoft technology etc.

·     Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA) certification: It could be called as the basic step if the Cloud-optimized Microsoft Certification tracks. It is designed for the newbie in the IT industry and they demonstrate fundamental onsite and skills of Cloud Computing in an individual’s Microsoft core platforms.

Expert level:

Expert Level certifications encompass the following programs:

·     Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD) certifications: These certifications are designed for the programmers and developers who wish to obtain specific certifications in their respective fields.

·      Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) certifications: These are the certifications that designate IT professional that do not have their whole focus and development. Both the MCDP and MCITP certifications validate expertise of the professionals across multiple technologies. For example: Enterprise Desktop Support Technician and Database Administrator etc. Both these certifications also test the design, deploy, operation, integration and optimization of technologies for the IT job role.

·    Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE) and Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer (MCSD) certifications: While MCSE certifications are meant for the IT professionals, MCSD programs are meant for the programmers. These programs essentially test the technical skills, ability to build on-premise and cloud optimized solutions across various Microsoft platforms.

Master Level:

The master level certifications of Microsoft include the following programs:

·     Microsoft Certified Architect (MCA) certifications: These are the certifications that help the outshining professionals of IT architecture to distinguish their proficiency. The certification requires a high level of skills within a professional and concludes with an oral review by honorable board of your peers.

·    Microsoft Certified Solutions Master (MCSM) certifications: As it is categorized under the Master level of Microsoft certifications, the professionals with MCSM certification have thorough technical skills and experience to plan, design and execute intricate business and IT-related solutions, for cloud-based and hybrid enterprise environments using a wide range of technology.

For such encouraging and boosting certifications, the individuals and even the professionals are required to put in meticulous effort to pass the exam. However, with some online programs offering facilities to Pass Microsoft Certification withoutTaking Exam, you could easily obtain these certifications with lesser efforts.