Microsoft Certification Roundup
by Allan Hoffman
With Microsoft technology pervasive in the workplace, it's no surprise that tech professionals from network engineers to .NET developers often consider earning a Microsoft certification at some point in their careers.
Microsoft's lineup of certifications for information technology professionals includes credentials for help-desk workers to system administrators and beyond. Even seasoned IT pros may be daunted by the variety of certification options Microsoft offers. Fortunately, the company has worked to maintain a straightforward organisation of its credentials, even as the choices and variations continue to evolve.
Certifications for Techies and Their Employers
"When we started with IT certifications in the mid-'90s, there were only a handful of them," says Al Valvano, group product manager for certifications at Microsoft Learning. Now hundreds of IT certifications are available from a variety of vendors and organisations, presenting an almost overwhelming number of options for sometimes-confused techies to consider. Microsoft has responded with certifications designed to serve both IT professionals and the companies employing them, often by targeting specific job roles -- help-desk workers, for instance -- with credentials tailored to them, Valvano says. "It's not one size fits all," he adds.
Valvano sees the company's certifications as a way for IT workers to "validate and demonstrate" their skills in a competitive marketplace as well as show they are "deeply invested" in their careers. "It is a great way to differentiate yourself from your peers," Valvano says.
