Is Microsoft Certification Becoming Worthless? - continued
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Today's array of Microsoft titles and certifications makes it difficult to determine what level of skill a person has, and worse, which if any certification requirements should be used in a job posting. With so many titles, Microsoft can't hope to promote them all.
So, does Microsoft certification still have value? Will the hours and dollars spent on training be proven worthwhile by additional opportunities opened up by the letters after your name? Is Microsoft's certification program achieving its goal of providing certifications which can be put to better use by both business and professionals?
Unfortunately, the answer seems to be, no.
Instead, confusion seems to dominate among those trying to make use of the new certification titles. Many job postings resort to vague guesses about certification requirements. One such listing says "Certified Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA), Microsoft Certified Technical Specialist (MCTS), Microsoft Certified Master (MCM), or equivalent."
Considering that covers pretty much the whole range of administrator certifications, one wonders if the people doing the hiring even know what the certifications mean and if those professionals who hold higher level certifications would get any extra value from them.
Even less promising, a recent search at Monster.com found 959 job postings matching the search term "MCSE" and just 61 matching "MCITP". "MCTS" faired marginally better at 81. Considering that both of the latter certifications should theoretically cover more positions, if they were being properly used, their numbers should actually be much higher than the number of MCSE jobs. The one potential bright spot is the MCSA, which managed to return 219 hits, proving that when it comes to hiring, it is the simple certifications that can and do work.
Strategically then, computer professionals would want to aim for the broad certifications like the MCSE and MCSA for maximum value. Unfortunately, with the release of Windows 2008, those certifications are dead-ended. The official upgrade paths from Microsoft all lead to MCITP of one version or another (see the problem?) which leaves only the MCM as an "overall" certification.
Certification Value
Like a university diploma, the intrinsic value of certification is only relevant in so much that it translates to the appropriate arenas. A Harvard degree carries a certain amount of weight due to both perception and reality, while only those within the engineering community are likely to be suitably impressed by a degree from Georgia Tech.
Unfortunately, the current Microsoft certifications lack the same cachet of the original ones, even if they are more rigorous and more applicable to specific job roles. Like a degree from a top-quality, but only locally known university, the new Microsoft certifications carry less weight than ever, leaving certification holders scrambling to prove that not only are they certified, but that their certification is meaningful as well. And with the numerous titles, tracks, and worst of all, acronyms, that isn't likely to change any time soon.
This article was written by Brian Nelson, www.trainsignal.com. Train Signal produces and sell high quality computer training courses on Windows Server, Exchange, Cisco, VMware and more.
