What is MOUS certification?

Microsoft brought the Microsoft Office User Specialist (MOUS) program into existence in the summer of 1997, and assigned the management of the program to a company called NIVO.

Since that time the MOUS program has set a standard in the Industry for Desktop Operations and it is the only Microsoft approved program designed to measure a candidates skills in the Microsoft Office products.

As the workforce becomes more and more computer oriented, it is demanding that its workers have technical competency. An average of only 20% of people use the Microsoft Office applications to their full potential, and MOUS certification will provide you will the knowledge of the true power and functionality possible with Microsoft Office.

MOUS certification has provided thousands of people with proof of their superior skills in the Microsoft Office Products, and the fact that they are able to fully utilize the applications.

At the present time, there are more than 2000 testing centers worldwide offering the MOUS exams in many languages, including English, French, German, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Certification Benefits

Being certified in Microsoft Office Products will give you the confidence and the proof that you know the application thoroughly. Prior to certification, you may be reluctant to call yourself a Microsoft Office Expert on your resume, but once you pass the test, you will have the confidence of knowing that you truly are an expert.

MOUS certification also helps to eliminate the guessing game for employers. In a time where many people make false statements on their resumes, knowing someone is certified and truly does have the skills to get the job done, helps to put the employers mind at ease.

MOUS certification options in Microsoft Office 97

MOUS certification options in Microsoft Office 2000

About the MOUS examinations

The MOUS exams are not multiple choice and can only be studied for with hands-on experience. You need to know the Microsoft Office application inside out, and these are not examinations that you can memorize questions and answers for. The test models the real world environment, and the emphasis is on performance.

You should take with you to the examination: a Picture ID (driver's license, or passport), and your MOUS ID number (in the event that you have written a MOUS examination before.

The examinations take approximately 60 minutes or less to complete, and candidates are measured on both knowledge and efficiency.

There is no limit to the number of times you may take a MOUS certification; however, the same fee applies each time you write the examination.

Examination results are displayed on the screen as soon as the examination is completed, and you will receive a printed copy of the results for the test administrator. If you pass the exam, you will receive your certificate in 2-3 weeks.

Refunds are not available for failed examinations, or for missed examination appointments.

Booking a MOUS examination

To locate a testing center near you call:

1-800-933-4493 in North America

0800-973-031 or 0345-002-000 in the United Kingdom.

You can also go to www.mous.net/testing/locator.asp to search for testing centers around the world.

Exam Costs

The exams range in price from $65US to $100US for each test, and vary from testing center to testing center. It is also important to note, that exams may be more expensive outside of North America. The reason for the price discrepancies, is that the testing centers pay NIVO for the right to offer the examinations, and in return each testing center is allowed to set its own price for the MOUS exams.

Writing a MOUS examination

The first screen you will see is the Candidate information section. You must fill out this section with the information as you want it to appear on your certification, and the address you would like the certification to be mailed to.

At this point, you will have the opportunity to go through a series of screens explaining the testing procedures and rules; it is a very good idea to read these. It gives you time to relax, and re-inforces the procedures in your mind.

The exam will not begin, and the timer will not start until you select "start test".

Take a minute to familiarize yourself with the screen. On the MOUS examination, the end test button, and the "next" button, are located fairly close together and you will want to make sure you don't accidentally hit the wrong button.

You will notice that the examination runs in its own appropriate application, and you will have access to all wizards and tools. It is very important to avoid using wizards unless the instructions specifically ask you to do so. You will have actual documents on your screen and be asked to perform a series of tasks to demonstrate your abilities.

Make sure you read all of the questions carefully, and answer the questions exactly as asked. (Remember you are being tested on accuracy and efficiency).

The instructions will be displayed in a small window - you can close this window by clicking on it. You can re-open this window by clicking the "instructions" button on the bottom of the screen.

If anything abnormal happens or the application crashes during your examination - do not panic! Contact your test administrator who can restart your exam from where you left off.

In the Office 97 examinations questions are either right or wrong, and you will not receive partial credit for partial answers, however, in the Office 2000 examinations you will get partial credit.

Make sure you have completely answered the question before you push the "next button". You cannot go back to questions later in these examinations.

Make sure you close all dialogue boxes, tool bars and menus before you push "next". Also, make sure you have left no tables, boxes, text or cells active or highlighted before you push "next", unless the instructions have clearly told you to do so.

There will be some questions where you will have to scroll down, particularly in Microsoft Word, in order to fully complete the task. Make sure you scroll back up, so that your answer is visible on the screen before you push the "next" button.

You will also need to make sure your entire answer has been accepted (in Excel you must push enter after putting numbers into a cell in order for the answer to be accepted).

Do not worry, fret or panic about remembering all of these instructions - they will all appear on the explanation of test procedure pages before your exam begins (as I mentioned earlier).

You will be notified on the screen immediately after your examination, as to whether you passed or failed. The testing administrator will give you a print out of this report - do not loose it - it is your confirmation that you passed the examination, should you not receive your certification in the suggested amount of time.

If you have trouble receiving your certification

If you have difficulty receiving your certification, you receive the wrong certification, or another problem occurs, please contact certificates@mous.net NIVO has people on staff for the sole purpose of helping customers in situations like these.

By: Tracey J. Rosenblath