Considering an MCSE? Then it's likely that you'll fall into one of two camps: You're someone with a certain amount of knowledge and you should formalise your skills with the Microsoft qualification. On the other hand you could be completely new to commercial IT, and you've found that there's a growing demand for qualified people.

As you find out about training providers, steer clear of any that short-change you by not upgrading their courses to the latest Microsoft version. Over time, this will cost the student much more due to the fact that they've been taught from an outdated MCSE program which will have to be revised very quickly. A company's mission statement should primarily be on the best thing for their clients, and they should be passionate about what they do. Studying isn't simply about qualifications - the process must also include guiding you on the most suitable route for you.

Many people question why traditional academic studies are being replaced by more commercial certifications? Industry is of the opinion that to learn the appropriate commercial skills, the right accreditation from such organisations as Microsoft, CISCO, Adobe and CompTIA is closer to the mark commercially - saving time and money. Many degrees, for example, often get bogged down in vast amounts of background study - with much too broad a syllabus. Students are then prevented from understanding the specific essentials in enough depth.

Put yourself in the employer's position - and you needed to take on someone with a very particular skill-set. What is easier: Go through loads of academic qualifications from graduate applicants, trying to establish what they know and which workplace skills have been attained, or select a specialised number of commercial certifications that exactly fulfil your criteria, and draw up from that who you want to speak to. Your interviews are then about personal suitability - instead of having to work out if they can do the job.

A so-called advisor who doesn't dig around with lots of question - the likelihood is they're really a salesperson. If they wade straight in with a specific product before getting to know your background and whether you have any commercial experience, then you know it's true. If you have a strong background, or maybe some live experience (maybe some existing accreditation?) then it could be that your starting point will be quite dissimilar from a student that is completely new to the industry. If this is going to be your initial effort at an IT exam then you should consider whether to start out with a user-skills course first.

Though regularly talked about in unison, the MCSA and 'MCSE' are in reality designed to carry out 2 different functions. The accreditation 'MCSA' (that is short for 'Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator') will lead you into server-administration & work in networks & senior-support. Anyone seeking technical systems work, managing the functions of a mid-sized or small office-network would do well to select an 'MCSA'. The work is actually perfect for someone that loves the nitty gritty of technical-challenges, because there is certainly a multitude of problem-solving with this role. It's quite a people-oriented role with a lot of variety, since the job intrinsically calls for supportive interaction with all the network-users.