MCSD Certification, Is it really important?
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Hi Samantha, First you have to tell us what you want to do with your development career. Then we can advise you :) I would recommend doing the full MCSD to someone willing to develop just for Microsoft technologies. If you want to be a project manager or analyst though it would be best to not do the whole MCSD but just a select few exams from it plus a few others in the MCP programme. Also you need to decide which MCSD course to take. Do you want to be involved in internet development, database development or hardcore client-server development? Benefits are that, IMHO, it is a world-wide recognised qualification. It is not an easy qualification so people will respect you and know you did not fall off the back of a lorry into the development world. Oh and I would wait on getting a MCSD till .NET has arrived and the exams for it are posted. regards, Paul Watson Bluegrass Cape Town, South Africa "The greatest thing you will ever learn is to love, and be loved in return" - Moulin Rouge "In other words, the developer is dealing with an elephant, the accountant is dealing with a bunny rabbit." by Stan Shannon - 16/10/2001
Hi Paul, Thanks for your reply.... :) Actually, I'm planning to take the Visual C++ (Desktop and Distributed) exam #70-015 & 70-016 and solution architectures(exam 70-100) and the elective exam, i haven't think about it yet... Right now, I'm using Visual c++ at my work and some html, javascripts and cgi programming... our company deals in bioinformatic, we develop software for research lab... I'd like to pursue a career in software development, an internet based or database... :cool: :rose: Samantha:rose: :-O :-O :-O :-O :-O "Life is like a box of chocolate, you'll never know what you're gonna get"...--- Forrest Gump
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I wonder whether an MCSD actually improves your chances of getting a job. I guess there are people who might vakue an MCSD. But I bet finally it really comes down to what you know and how good you are and how well you can adapt to new technologies.... This is a mistake I see time and time again. Aside from having someone on the inside (i.e. someone who knows you who is already working at the place), how good you are has VERY little to do with getting a job. 1. Your resume has to get past the initial screening. Thus having a degree and sometimes the latest buzzwords like ColdFusion or MCSD etc can help to actually get that interview. 2. During the interview process you have 5-120 minutes to BS your way into the job position. This isn't about skill, it is about knowing the right answers to the questions posed to you. It is all about making a good impression. Too many managers base employment on STUPID questions that if you don't the pet answer, you are screwed. Tim Smith Descartes Systems Sciences, Inc.
During the interview process you have 5-120 minutes to BS your way into the job position. This isn't about skill, it is about knowing the right answers to the questions posed to you. Hmmm, I guess I disagree. I've never worked in a shop where a manager would conduct a technical interview. In my experience, technical interviews have always been conducted by senior engineers, and if the candidate looks promising, the project's architect is usually the last technical person to speak with the candidate. My managers have looked to the development team to help decide if the candidate is a good match. Is my experience in the minority? /ravi "There is always one more bug..." http://www.ravib.com ravib@ravib.com
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During the interview process you have 5-120 minutes to BS your way into the job position. This isn't about skill, it is about knowing the right answers to the questions posed to you. Hmmm, I guess I disagree. I've never worked in a shop where a manager would conduct a technical interview. In my experience, technical interviews have always been conducted by senior engineers, and if the candidate looks promising, the project's architect is usually the last technical person to speak with the candidate. My managers have looked to the development team to help decide if the candidate is a good match. Is my experience in the minority? /ravi "There is always one more bug..." http://www.ravib.com ravib@ravib.com
My experience has been that you need the buzzwords to get the resume to the manager. Then the manager does the "good match" interview and the developers do the technical interviews. So, you're both right! :) -c
#define O 0.05 #define I(c) putchar(c) main(){int I(int);double l[6];char lO[5];for(*(lO+1)=0;*(lO+1)<'2';I(0x0A),(*(l+5))=-25*O+((*(lO+1) )++)*O)for((*(lO+2))=0;(*(lO+2))<'2';(*(l+4))=-40.*O+((*(lO+2))++)*O){for((*(l))=(*(l+1))=0, *(lO)=1;++*(lO)&&(((*(l+2))=((*(l))*(*(l))))+((*(l+3))=((*(l+1))*(*(l+1))))<4.);(*(l+1))=(*( l))*(*(l+1))+(*(l+5))+(*(l+1))*(*(l)),(*(l))=((*(l+2))-(*(l+3)))+(*(l+4)));I((*(lO)?42:0x20));}}
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During the interview process you have 5-120 minutes to BS your way into the job position. This isn't about skill, it is about knowing the right answers to the questions posed to you. Hmmm, I guess I disagree. I've never worked in a shop where a manager would conduct a technical interview. In my experience, technical interviews have always been conducted by senior engineers, and if the candidate looks promising, the project's architect is usually the last technical person to speak with the candidate. My managers have looked to the development team to help decide if the candidate is a good match. Is my experience in the minority? /ravi "There is always one more bug..." http://www.ravib.com ravib@ravib.com
The problem is that in such a short amount of time, you can only get a very gross estimate of someone's ability. I could be the god of programming, but if your interview is structured where if I don't happen to know the answers to specific questions, I am sunk. Like Chris said, even in a tech interview, it boils down to knowing the right answers to questions. Tim Smith Descartes Systems Sciences, Inc.
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The problem is that in such a short amount of time, you can only get a very gross estimate of someone's ability. I could be the god of programming, but if your interview is structured where if I don't happen to know the answers to specific questions, I am sunk. Like Chris said, even in a tech interview, it boils down to knowing the right answers to questions. Tim Smith Descartes Systems Sciences, Inc.
Geez! I should changed the topic ...:confused:... "HOW TO GET THE JOB.." ;) :rose: Samantha:rose: :-O :-O :-O :-O :-O :-O "When you know a thing, maintain you know it; when you do not, acknowledge it. This is the characteristic of knowledge." --- Confucius
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The problem is that in such a short amount of time, you can only get a very gross estimate of someone's ability. I could be the god of programming, but if your interview is structured where if I don't happen to know the answers to specific questions, I am sunk. Like Chris said, even in a tech interview, it boils down to knowing the right answers to questions. Tim Smith Descartes Systems Sciences, Inc.
Tim, I could not agree more. I've been doing C++ for about 12 years now. VC++ since it came out. I have developed any number of large complex applications which have been successful, and widely used. Yet, there is ton's of stuff I regularly get tripped up on in interviews. Interviewer : "Stan, what is the 'Mutable' keyword for?" Stan: "F**k if I know." Interviewer: "Stan, the interview is over." Stan: "wow, that was quick. Did I get the job?" What *really* bugs me is when the interviewer reads the question off a sheet of paper, than has to read the answer to figure out if you were correct. If he doesn't need to have all that crap memorized, and he already works there, why do I? "But, daddy, that was back in the hippie ages..." My twelve year old son - winning the argument. "Stan, you are an intelligent guy who responds in meaningful ways" Paul Watson 16/10/01
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Tim, I could not agree more. I've been doing C++ for about 12 years now. VC++ since it came out. I have developed any number of large complex applications which have been successful, and widely used. Yet, there is ton's of stuff I regularly get tripped up on in interviews. Interviewer : "Stan, what is the 'Mutable' keyword for?" Stan: "F**k if I know." Interviewer: "Stan, the interview is over." Stan: "wow, that was quick. Did I get the job?" What *really* bugs me is when the interviewer reads the question off a sheet of paper, than has to read the answer to figure out if you were correct. If he doesn't need to have all that crap memorized, and he already works there, why do I? "But, daddy, that was back in the hippie ages..." My twelve year old son - winning the argument. "Stan, you are an intelligent guy who responds in meaningful ways" Paul Watson 16/10/01
Yup. There are too many people who have their own pet questions that they ask. If you don't know the answer, you are screwed. One guy asked me: "Who is the most important person in the development cycle?" The feel good answer is "the end user". Of course, I have always liked "the person who signs my check." Tim Smith Descartes Systems Sciences, Inc.
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Tim, I could not agree more. I've been doing C++ for about 12 years now. VC++ since it came out. I have developed any number of large complex applications which have been successful, and widely used. Yet, there is ton's of stuff I regularly get tripped up on in interviews. Interviewer : "Stan, what is the 'Mutable' keyword for?" Stan: "F**k if I know." Interviewer: "Stan, the interview is over." Stan: "wow, that was quick. Did I get the job?" What *really* bugs me is when the interviewer reads the question off a sheet of paper, than has to read the answer to figure out if you were correct. If he doesn't need to have all that crap memorized, and he already works there, why do I? "But, daddy, that was back in the hippie ages..." My twelve year old son - winning the argument. "Stan, you are an intelligent guy who responds in meaningful ways" Paul Watson 16/10/01
Did you ever stop to think that maybe using f**k in an anwser might have been the problem? ;P David Wulff, Founder of The BLA dwulff@battleaxesoftware.com New's flash - Bob caught in kitchen incident
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Did you ever stop to think that maybe using f**k in an anwser might have been the problem? ;P David Wulff, Founder of The BLA dwulff@battleaxesoftware.com New's flash - Bob caught in kitchen incident
Yeah, I suppose useing foul language is not the best advice. I should have just slapped the little prick out of his chair. :) "But, daddy, that was back in the hippie ages..." My twelve year old son - winning the argument. "Stan, you are an intelligent guy who responds in meaningful ways" Paul Watson 16/10/01
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Did you ever stop to think that maybe using f**k in an anwser might have been the problem? ;P David Wulff, Founder of The BLA dwulff@battleaxesoftware.com New's flash - Bob caught in kitchen incident
During interviews I clean up my language and replace all dirty words with "smurf". "Who is the most important person in the development process?" "The smurfing user who is such a smurfing smurf that he couldn't tell the difference between a feature and a smurfing smurfhead if he found it shoved up his smurf." Tim Smith Descartes Systems Sciences, Inc.
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During interviews I clean up my language and replace all dirty words with "smurf". "Who is the most important person in the development process?" "The smurfing user who is such a smurfing smurf that he couldn't tell the difference between a feature and a smurfing smurfhead if he found it shoved up his smurf." Tim Smith Descartes Systems Sciences, Inc.
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Hi Everyone, I just want to know your opinion regarding this subject... Is it really important to take MCSD Certification? I'm just wondering co'z I'm planning to take that certification but I'm not sure if I need to take that exam or not..:confused: ... what will be the benefits/advantages of taking it?... :omg: :rose: Samantha:rose: :-O :-O :-O :-O :-O :-O "Life is like a box of chocolate, you'll never know what you're gonna get" --- Forrest Gump
Personally I don't have *any* qualifications, but my take on it is that anyone who wouldn't hire me despite my skills because I don't have a degree/MSDN is probably not someone I want to work for. On the other hand, no-one will NOT hire you because you have MSCD, so if you want it, go for it. Christian After all, there's nothing wrong with an elite as long as I'm allowed to be part of it!! - Mike Burston Oct 23, 2001
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Hi Everyone, I just want to know your opinion regarding this subject... Is it really important to take MCSD Certification? I'm just wondering co'z I'm planning to take that certification but I'm not sure if I need to take that exam or not..:confused: ... what will be the benefits/advantages of taking it?... :omg: :rose: Samantha:rose: :-O :-O :-O :-O :-O :-O "Life is like a box of chocolate, you'll never know what you're gonna get" --- Forrest Gump
Certification can be important, but it depends on your situation. For instance, if you are a consultant, certification looks good to prospective clients. In some cases, certification is a requirement (for instance, for Microsoft Solution Providers). If you have no practical experience, Certification can give you a boost, but it's unlikely that you will like any employer that would hire you based on certification. Generally it's just another feather in your cap of a long list of credentials. It may help in some circumstances, not in others. -- Where are we going? And why am I in this handbasket?