I'm just somebody who 2 years ago got lucky with a job in IT after many
computer science classes but no degree. I love the work, like all of you
do. My job at the bank has very little new development and lots of code to
be maintained. For love of programming and to keep myself busy, I'm going
for the VB6 MCSD. I've got 70-175 & 70-176 under my belt and 70-100 is
next. What bothers me is that I've never worked with 1/4 of the tools I'm
learning about and I have doubts about how "legitimate" my certs are. I'm
hoping that obtaining the cert prior to obtaining the experience hasn't been
a colossal waste of time and that this process will "prepare" me for
something more challenging and exciting. Win or lose, though, I've had a lot
of fun learning more about VB.

Report this post to a moderator

I would say that your certs are as legimimate as mine or anyone else.

If you don't have experience, you could find some hassles if you're required
for more advanced things, but I think that the best thing on passing by the
extensive studying that you pass when getting certified is that you learn
where to get the information you need when you need, as well as giving you a
much broader vision of what can you get from the tools you're using.

I think that it's what makes you productive and efficient.

Cheers,
Paulo
"jetblue7" <jetblue71@attbi.com> wrote in message
news:C_YY9.43915$rM2.39835@rwcrnsc53...
> I'm just somebody who 2 years ago got lucky with a job in IT after many
> computer science classes but no degree. I love the work, like all of you
> do. My job at the bank has very little new development and lots of code
to
> be maintained. For love of programming and to keep myself busy, I'm going
> for the VB6 MCSD. I've got 70-175 & 70-176 under my belt and 70-100 is
> next. What bothers me is that I've never worked with 1/4 of the tools I'm
> learning about and I have doubts about how "legitimate" my certs are. I'm
> hoping that obtaining the cert prior to obtaining the experience hasn't
been
> a colossal waste of time and that this process will "prepare" me for
> something more challenging and exciting. Win or lose, though, I've had a
lot
> of fun learning more about VB.
>
>

Report this post to a moderator

I've seen people who work with Visual Studio every day for years but never
actually learn anything new. Often times, having conceptual knowledge of a
broad range of topics is more useful in solving an IT problem than having
extensive experience with a narrow range of topics.


"jetblue7" <jetblue71@attbi.com> wrote in message
news:C_YY9.43915$rM2.39835@rwcrnsc53...
> I'm just somebody who 2 years ago got lucky with a job in IT after many
> computer science classes but no degree. I love the work, like all of you
> do. My job at the bank has very little new development and lots of code
to
> be maintained. For love of programming and to keep myself busy, I'm going
> for the VB6 MCSD. I've got 70-175 & 70-176 under my belt and 70-100 is
> next. What bothers me is that I've never worked with 1/4 of the tools I'm
> learning about and I have doubts about how "legitimate" my certs are. I'm
> hoping that obtaining the cert prior to obtaining the experience hasn't
been
> a colossal waste of time and that this process will "prepare" me for
> something more challenging and exciting. Win or lose, though, I've had a
lot
> of fun learning more about VB.
>
>

Report this post to a moderator

Before obtaining the first cert, I had thought the studying process itself
would make me a better programmer. It hasn't. It's made me more
well-informed and has expanded my VB vocabulary, though. I've gained more
discipline and confidence, but to become a better problem solver or to
become a more valuable asset to my employer, it looks like going back for
the degree would be the best route. Certification, Education, and
Experience. An unbeatable combination in this thing of ours.

"Paulo Reichert" <paulo_reichert@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:eD4hdodxCHA.2488@TK2MSFTNGP12...
> I would say that your certs are as legimimate as mine or anyone else.
>
> If you don't have experience, you could find some hassles if you're
required
> for more advanced things, but I think that the best thing on passing by
the
> extensive studying that you pass when getting certified is that you learn
> where to get the information you need when you need, as well as giving you
a
> much broader vision of what can you get from the tools you're using.
>
> I think that it's what makes you productive and efficient.
>
> Cheers,
> Paulo
> "jetblue7" <jetblue71@attbi.com> wrote in message
> news:C_YY9.43915$rM2.39835@rwcrnsc53...
> > I'm just somebody who 2 years ago got lucky with a job in IT after many
> > computer science classes but no degree. I love the work, like all of
you
> > do. My job at the bank has very little new development and lots of code
> to
> > be maintained. For love of programming and to keep myself busy, I'm
going

> > for the VB6 MCSD. I've got 70-175 & 70-176 under my belt and 70-100 is
> > next. What bothers me is that I've never worked with 1/4 of the tools
I'm
> > learning about and I have doubts about how "legitimate" my certs are.
I'm
> > hoping that obtaining the cert prior to obtaining the experience hasn't
> been
> > a colossal waste of time and that this process will "prepare" me for
> > something more challenging and exciting. Win or lose, though, I've had a
> lot
> > of fun learning more about VB.
> >
> >
>
>

Report this post to a moderator

For me, the difference before and after certification is
this: apart from the morale/confidence boost, people
stopped looking at me saying "Oh, Electrical Engineers
can't program, only Computer Science grads can". With the
certs, I got them to be quiet on these silly issues
(really crazy, but true).

Also, it forces you to look into aspects of the s/w you
would otherwise not have. This makes your view on the
tools available more rounded. Plus, you now have more
gadgets in your toolbox that you now know how to use.
Gives you more power when solving problems.

I would recommend certification for anyone. It's harmless
really - only benefits, no drawbacks. I now work towards
certification on all s/w I roll up my sleeves for.

Of course if you are looking for guru-status or a better
job prospect, certification won't help too much.

Trevor

>-----Original Message-----
>Before obtaining the first cert, I had thought the
studying process itself
>would make me a better programmer. It hasn't. It's made
me more
>well-informed and has expanded my VB vocabulary, though.
I've gained more
>discipline and confidence, but to become a better problem
solver or to
>become a more valuable asset to my employer, it looks
like going back for
>the degree would be the best route. Certification,
Education, and
>Experience. An unbeatable combination in this thing of
ours.
>
>"Paulo Reichert" <paulo_reichert@hotmail.com> wrote in
message
>news:eD4hdodxCHA.2488@TK2MSFTNGP12...
>> I would say that your certs are as legimimate as mine
or anyone else.
>>
>> If you don't have experience, you could find some
hassles if you're
>required
>> for more advanced things, but I think that the best
thing on passing by
>the
>> extensive studying that you pass when getting certified
is that you learn

>> where to get the information you need when you need, as
well as giving you
>a
>> much broader vision of what can you get from the tools
you're using.
>>
>> I think that it's what makes you productive and
efficient.
>>
>> Cheers,
>> Paulo
>> "jetblue7" <jetblue71@attbi.com> wrote in message
>> news:C_YY9.43915$rM2.39835@rwcrnsc53...
>> > I'm just somebody who 2 years ago got lucky with a
job in IT after many[
color=darkred]
>> > computer science classes but no degree. I love the[/color]
work, like all of
> you
>> > do. My job at the bank has very little new
development and lots of code
>> to
>> > be maintained. For love of programming and to keep
myself busy, I'm
> going
>> > for the VB6 MCSD. I've got 70-175 & 70-176 under my
belt and 70-100 is[co
lor=darkred]
>> > next. What bothers me is that I've never worked with[/color]
1/4 of the tools
> I'm
>> > learning about and I have doubts about
how "legitimate" my certs are.
> I'm
>> > hoping that obtaining the cert prior to obtaining the
experience hasn't
>> been
>> > a colossal waste of time and that this process
will "prepare" me for[c
olor=darkred]
>> > something more challenging and exciting. Win or lose,[/color]
though, I've had a
>> lot
>> > of fun learning more about VB.
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>
>
>.
>

Report this post to a moderator

MCSD certificate is printed on a paper. That's for certain! Same as the
college diploma.


Greg Lin

"Trevor Grant" <mn_ik@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:014b01c2c6a0$2b091e00$8df
82ecf@TK2MSFTNGXA02...
> For me, the difference before and after certification is
> this: apart from the morale/confidence boost, people
> stopped looking at me saying "Oh, Electrical Engineers
> can't program, only Computer Science grads can". With the
> certs, I got them to be quiet on these silly issues
> (really crazy, but true).
>
> Also, it forces you to look into aspects of the s/w you
> would otherwise not have. This makes your view on the
> tools available more rounded. Plus, you now have more
> gadgets in your toolbox that you now know how to use.
> Gives you more power when solving problems.
>
> I would recommend certification for anyone. It's harmless
> really - only benefits, no drawbacks. I now work towards
> certification on all s/w I roll up my sleeves for.
>
> Of course if you are looking for guru-status or a better
> job prospect, certification won't help too much.
>
> Trevor
>
> >-----Original Message-----
> >Before obtaining the first cert, I had thought the
> studying process itself
> >would make me a better programmer. It hasn't. It's made
> me more
> >well-informed and has expanded my VB vocabulary, though.
> I've gained more
> >discipline and confidence, but to become a better problem
> solver or to
> >become a more valuable asset to my employer, it looks
> like going back for
> >the degree would be the best route. Certification,
> Education, and
> >Experience. An unbeatable combination in this thing of
> ours.
> >
> >"Paulo Reichert" <paulo_reichert@hotmail.com> wrote in
> message
> >news:eD4hdodxCHA.2488@TK2MSFTNGP12...
> >> I would say that your certs are as legimimate as mine
> or anyone else.
> >>
> >> If you don't have experience, you could find some
> hassles if you're
> >required
> >> for more advanced things, but I think that the best
> thing on passing by
> >the
> >> extensive studying that you pass when getting certified
> is that you learn
> >> where to get the information you need when you need, as
> well as giving you
> >a
> >> much broader vision of what can you get from the tools
> you're using.
> >>
> >> I think that it's what makes you productive and
> efficient.
> >>
> >> Cheers,
> >> Paulo
> >> "jetblue7" <jetblue71@attbi.com> wrote in message
> >> news:C_YY9.43915$rM2.39835@rwcrnsc53...
> >> > I'm just somebody who 2 years ago got lucky with a
> job in IT after many
> >> > computer science classes but no degree. I love the
> work, like all of
> >you
> >> > do. My job at the bank has very little new
> development and lots of code
> >> to
> >> > be maintained. For love of programming and to keep
> myself busy, I'm
> >going
> >> > for the VB6 MCSD. I've got 70-175 & 70-176 under my
> belt and 70-100 is

> >> > next. What bothers me is that I've never worked with
> 1/4 of the tools
> >I'm
> >> > learning about and I have doubts about
> how "legitimate" my certs are.
> >I'm
> >> > hoping that obtaining the cert prior to obtaining the
> experience hasn't
> >> been
> >> > a colossal waste of time and that this process
> will "prepare" me for
> >> > something more challenging and exciting. Win or lose,
> though, I've had a
> >> lot
> >> > of fun learning more about VB.
> >> >
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> >.
> >

Report this post to a moderator

Yeh totally, even if you never use 'User Documents" or something else
useless, at least its an option, and maybe you will use it (god help us all)
in the future.

These certifications really helped me to know that I was at the same level
as everyone else. Our boss uses the exams to bring new employees up to the
same level of knowledge. If you aren't qualified in VB he won't put you on a
vb project until you are. I think its an excellent idea!

Sam

"Jack Thumper" <JackThumper@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:b147bb$4r8$1@slb3.atl.mindspring.net...
> I've seen people who work with Visual Studio every day for years but never
> actually learn anything new. Often times, having conceptual knowledge of a
> broad range of topics is more useful in solving an IT problem than having
> extensive experience with a narrow range of topics.
>
>
> "jetblue7" <jetblue71@attbi.com> wrote in message
> news:C_YY9.43915$rM2.39835@rwcrnsc53...
> > I'm just somebody who 2 years ago got lucky with a job in IT after many
> > computer science classes but no degree. I love the work, like all of
you
> > do. My job at the bank has very little new development and lots of code
> to
> > be maintained. For love of programming and to keep myself busy, I'm
going

> > for the VB6 MCSD. I've got 70-175 & 70-176 under my belt and 70-100 is
> > next. What bothers me is that I've never worked with 1/4 of the tools
I'm
> > learning about and I have doubts about how "legitimate" my certs are.
I'm
> > hoping that obtaining the cert prior to obtaining the experience hasn't
> been
> > a colossal waste of time and that this process will "prepare" me for
> > something more challenging and exciting. Win or lose, though, I've had a
> lot
> > of fun learning more about VB.
> >
> >
>
>

Report this post to a moderator