If you're looking for an MCSA (Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator) training course, pay attention to the fact that there are many different types of training; some are easier than others. You'll discover a variety of courses, both if you're new to network support, or have a certain amount of knowledge but are looking to gain acknowledged certifications. Each level should have a specialised course, so make sure you're being offered the best one before getting going. Identify a training company that talks with you so they understand what you hope to do, and will give you direction on how it will all work, long before they discuss course options.
You have to be sure that all your qualifications are commercially valid and current - don't even consider programs which provide certificates that are worthless because they're 'in-house'. To an employer, only the major heavyweights like Microsoft, CompTIA, Adobe or Cisco (for instance) will make the right impression. Anything less won't make the grade.
Considering the amount of options that are available, it's not really surprising that a large majority of newcomers to the industry get stuck choosing the job they could be successful with. How can we possibly grasp what is involved in a particular job when we haven't done that before? Often we don't even know anybody who is in that area at all. To work through this, we need to discuss several core topics:
* Personality plays a major part - what gives you a 'kick', and what are the things that you really dislike.
* Is your focus to re-train because of a precise motive - i.e. do you aim to work at home (working for yourself?)?
* Is salary further up on your wish list than anything else.
* Getting to grips with what typical career roles and markets are - including what sets them apart.
* What effort, commitment and time you're prepared to set aside for getting qualified.
For the majority of us, considering so much data needs a long talk with a professional who can explain things properly. And we're not only talking about the certifications - you also need to understand the commercial requirements and expectations of industry too.
The way a programme is physically sent to you isn't always given the appropriate level of importance. How many parts is the training broken down into? What is the order and how fast does each element come? Usually, you will purchase a course that takes between and 1 and 3 years and get posted one section at a time - from one exam to the next. It seems to make sense on one level, but consider these issues: Maybe the order of study offered by the provider doesn't suit. It may be difficult to get through all the elements at the speed required?
In an ideal situation, you want everything at the start - giving you them all for the future to come back to - whenever it suits you. You can also vary the order in which you attack each section if you find another route more intuitive.
A service that several companies offer is a Job Placement Assistance program. It's intention is to help you get your first commercial position. Because of the massive need for more IT skills in the United Kingdom even when times are hard, there's no need to get too caught up in this feature though. It isn't so complicated as you might think to secure the right work as long as you're correctly trained and certified.
CV and Interview advice and support is sometimes offered (if it isn't, consult one of our sites). Make sure you polish up your CV straight away - don't wait until you've finished your exams! You may not have got to the stage where you've passed your first exam when you will get your initial junior support role; but this can't and won't happen if interviewers don't get sight of your CV. You can usually expect quicker service from a specialised and independent local recruitment service than any training company's national service, because they'll know the area better.
Essentially, as long as you focus the same level of energy into finding your first IT position as into studying, you won't have any problems. A number of students curiously put hundreds of hours into their training course and then call a halt once certified and seem to expect employers to find them.
Copyright 2009 Jason Kendall. Go to Change My Career or Choosing A Career.
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