Computer Training And Study in Microsoft Systems – Thoughts
Good for you! By landing here you\’ve doubtless been pondering on retraining for a new career – so already you\’ve made a start. Only one in ten of us are happy and fulfilled in our work, but most complain but just stay there. You could join a select group who take responsibility for their future.
Prior to considering individual training courses, seek out someone who will be able to guide you on what to look for. An advisor who will take time to get a feel for your personality, and discover what job role you\’ll be most comfortable with:
* Do you like to be around others at work? Are you better with new people or those you know well? Perhaps you prefer not to be disturbed and enjoy responsibilities that you can get on with on your own?
* What elements are you looking for from the area of industry you choose? – We all know that things have changed, look at building and banking for instance.
* Is this the final time you want to study, and if so, do you believe this career choice will give you scope to do that?
* Would you like your study to be in an industry where you\’re comfortable you\’ll have a job up to retirement age?
We ask you to really explore the computer industry – there are more jobs than employees, and it\’s a rare career choice where the industry is expanding. Despite what some people would have you think, IT is not full of nerdy individuals looking at screens the whole day (though those jobs exist.) Most positions are done by ordinary people who want to earn a very good living.
Student support is absolutely essential – look for a package that includes 24×7 access, as anything less will frustrate you and could put a damper on the speed you move through things.
some companies only provide email support (slow), and phone support is usually just a call-centre which will just take down the issue and email it over to their technical team – who will then call back sometime over the next 24hrs, at a time suitable for them. This is no good if you\’re stuck and can\’t continue and have a one hour time-slot in which to study.
The very best programs provide an online access 24 hours-a-day package combining multiple support operations throughout multiple time-zones. You get a single, easy-to-use interface that accesses the most appropriate office any time of the day or night: Support when you need it.
If you accept anything less than direct-access 24×7 support, you\’ll regret it. It may be that you don\’t use it during the night, but you may need weekends, evenings and early mornings at some point.
Looking around, we find a myriad of professional positions up for grabs in the IT industry. Finding the particular one out of this complexity is a mammoth decision.
How can we possibly grasp what is involved in a particular job when we\’ve never done it? Often we have never met anyone who performs the role either.
Achieving any kind of right choice can only grow through a methodical study of several shifting key points:
* The kind of person you think yourself to be – what kind of jobs you really enjoy, and conversely – what makes you unhappy.
* Are you looking to reach an important objective – like working for yourself sometime soon?
* The income needs that guide you?
* There are many ways to train in the IT industry – there\’s a need to achieve some key facts on what makes them different.
* Taking a good look at how much time and effort you can give.
For most of us, considering each of these concepts needs a long talk with an advisor that has direct industry experience. And not just the accreditations – but also the commercial expectations and needs also.
Don\’t accept anything less than the current Microsoft (or Cisco, CompTIA etc.) authorised simulation materials and exam preparation packages.
Make sure that the mock exams haven\’t just got questions on the correct subjects, but also asking them in the same way that the proper exam will formulate them. It throws students if they\’re met with completely different formats and phraseologies.
Practice exams can be very useful as a resource to you – so that when you come to take your actual exams, you don\’t get uptight.
A subtle way that colleges make a lot more is by adding exam fees upfront to the cost of a course then giving it \’Exam Guarantee\’ status. This sounds impressive, but let\’s just examine it more closely:
These days, we tend to be a tad more knowledgeable about sales gimmicks – and most of us know that for sure it is something we\’re paying for – it\’s not because they\’re so generous they want to give something away!
If it\’s important to you to pass first time, evidence suggests you must pay for one exam at a time, give it the necessary attention and give the task sufficient application.
Doesn\’t it make more sense to not pay up-front, but at the appropriate time, not to pay any mark-up to a training course provider, and to take it closer to home – instead of miles away at the college\’s beck and call?
Big margins are netted by some training companies who take the exam money up-front. Many students don\’t take them for one reason or another but the company keeps the money. Astoundingly enough, there are companies around who actually bank on it – as that\’s where a lot of their profit comes from.
Many training companies will require you to do mock exams and with-hold subsequent exam entries from you until you\’ve completely proven that you\’re likely to pass – making an \’exam guarantee\’ just about worthless.
Exams taken at local centres are in the region of 112 pounds in this country. What\’s the point of paying huge charges for \’Exam Guarantees\’ (usually wrapped up in the course package price) – when a quality course, support and consistent and systematic learning, coupled with quality exam simulation software is what will really see you through.
(C) 2009 Scott Edwards. Pop over to www.ccnatraining4.co.uk or Learn Programming.