Questions regarding the Microsoft Office Specialist Certifications?

[WhatShouldIDo]

Referring to this: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/learning/mos-certification.aspx

Do anyone have any of these certifications for Microsoft Office?

They used to be called Microsoft Office User Specialist, but now it's just Microsoft Office Specialist.

Anybody here have one? Any version is fine, but preferably the most recent version of these certifications for Office 2013.

If you do have a MOS certification, which Office program did you get your certification for?

Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Access, OneNote, Sharepoint?

Is it worth it? Where would these certifications be most useful and need for, such as what job positions? And whether or not those would be jobs relevant to IT?

Do any of you know if any of these MS Office certifications can help in any way with resumes and finding a job or job position relevant to IT?

On whether these certifications would potentially increase your chances of finding any jobs or a job position relevant to IT? Such as, did you notice if you received significantly more interviews or interview requests and job offers from potential employers after getting your MS Office Certification (s) as when compared to before when you did not have your certification yet? Or was it more or less the same?

Lastly, anybody here that already have any of those MS Office certifications, ANY real advice you can or want to give me?

Much appreciated, thanks.

 

[MidnightShadow]

Your link is trying to take me to a webmail sign-in that's not mine.

 

[1etherer]

Wrong link?

If you know how to work with MS office in terms of troubleshooting it, no need!

That is more for office administrators if im correct..

Comptia A+ and Windows 7 desktop support certs will help you land a job.

 

[WhatShouldIDo]

Your link is trying to take me to a webmail sign-in that's not mine.

I must have copied and pasted more than one URL and then overlooked it or something. It should work fine and redirect to Microsoft's page for that certification.

If you know how to work with MS office in terms of troubleshooting it, no need!

That is more for office administrators if im correct..

I see. I heard the certifications for Outlook may benefit IT administrators sometimes if they need to work frequently with configuring and setting up Outlook, and then maybe a certification for Access, because Database can play another important role in IT support.

But certifications for Word, Excel, and Powerpoint are probably geared more toward office workers such as office managers, secretaries, maybe even accountants.

I'm currently back in school for Office Information Management which is pretty much like for Office Administration or Office Assistants and Administrative Assistants. So I was thinking that maybe if I take the Word 2013 exam and pass it then that's the only certification out of all those Office programs all I should go for, at least for now.

And usually I don't see any of the MOS Certifications as an absolute requirement in Job listings locally.

Also it is because I have not decided to immediately jump back into IT. It's still up there in the back of my mind, but I am not fully certain on whether I should continue the path I was on before despite all of the disappointments, let downs, frustrations and an overall not good experience that I had been through. Or if it would be better that I try something else but is still similar in some areas relevant to using computers on a regular basis on the job or in a real workplace?

Right now I am trying to diversify my skill sets relevant to using computers and commonly used professional software programs. But I know I would have to make up my mind at some point.

Comptia A+ and Windows 7 desktop support certs will help you land a job.

I figured that the consensus for getting a job in entry-level IT will always be having to take and pass the CompTIA's A+ exams.

While I was still in school between 2004-2006 they had brought this up on multiple occasions and at the time the A+ Certification was still a "good for life" certification. I never got around to planning for it and taking it once I had began working that phone and email support job. And then I became uncertain and wasn't too happy with the reality and results I was in so that made me continue to doubt at the time on whether if I should really get the A+ Certification or not.

I was also thinking about taking CompTIA's IT Fundamentals exam first (this one: https://certification.comptia.org/certifications/it-fundamentals) since I would think that could help me get an assessment of where I am currently at and to know how much I had fallen behind on and what I need to keep up and also because that certification does not expire. Then if I actually performed well enough on it, the results would give me more confidence to take the next step and proceed on preparing and planning for the A+.

But then I also need to know ahead of time on how to properly and what are the best ways to maintain an A+ Certification. Since now almost all IT certifications from A+ or above (Network+, Security+) will always expire every 3 years. And if I remember correctly It's not merely as simple as just pay a price to renew a certification.

There are additional steps to take, and they seemed rather confusing to me.

I forgot if it was just continuous take new courses and classes on updated materials that had been changed after every about every 3 years and pay the renewal fees or if there were more additional required steps I would need to take.

 

[1etherer]

Once you get Comptia A+ (forget doing fundamentals) and land a job, dont worry about keeping it up to date because in 3 years youll be more likely to be heading on your MSCE.

Comptia is just used to get your foot in the door.

 

[WhatShouldIDo]

Once you get Comptia A+ (forget doing fundamentals) and land a job, dont worry about keeping it up to date because in 3 years youll be more likely to be heading on your MSCE.

Comptia is just used to get your foot in the door.

I don't mean staying up to date, I meant the process of maintaining the certification as a valid certification because they will expire after 3 years, and you can't just renew and maintain them by paying a cost, unlike how for driver's licenses, you would just pay the costs to renew them and you won't absolutely have to take another road test.

It's how and what I would need to do in order maintaining a valid IT certification that I am concerned about. Other than the usual process of study, study, study, and cram, cram, cram to try and memorize as much material as possible a month or so prior to taking an exam or re-taking an exam.

The same goes for MSCE, the certification lasts 3 years and you would have to recertify. You absolutely have to re-take the entire exam every 3 years, and there is not other alternative, unlike CompTIA's continuing education requirements.

I just checked on Microsoft's website and it stated the following:

Q. Do I need to recertify my MCSA and, if so, what are the requirements?

A. Yes, recertification is required. To recertify your MCSE certification, you must pass the applicable recertification exam once every three years.

Between August 2014 and March 2015, recertification exams will be released for all MCSE and MCSD specialties. Recertification exams will cover material from the exams taken to originally earn the credential, with particular emphasis on the most recent product and process changes. Recertification deadlines for all MCSE and MCSD credential holders will be examined and adjusted, if needed, to ensure that these individuals have at least 12 months to take and pass the recertification exam.

But like I had mentioned earlier I'm not absolutely 100% sure if I really even should return to IT or if there are similar but alternate career paths I can switch to, and that is also why I am asking about the Microsoft Office Certifications.

 

[DistraughtSysop]

I don't mean staying up to date, I meant the process of maintaining the certification as a valid certification because they will expire after 3 years, and you can't just renew and maintain them by paying a cost, unlike how for driver's licenses, you would just pay the costs to renew them and you won't absolutely have to take another road test.

That's what rulezero was talking about. Once you're working in IT and you have real IT experience, the CompTIA certs don't really matter that much anymore and your work experience will be much more important. I happen to be certified for life with my CompTIAs, but if I wasn't then I still wouldn't bother to renew them. They helped me get my foot in the door and they don't really do anything for me now. Maybe Security+ if I ever get a DOD job.

For the most part, CompTIA certs are entry level and don't hold much value for the typical experienced IT professional.

By the way, with the A/Net/Sec+ certs, the higher cert will renew all lower certs. So, if you have all 3, re-certifying the Sec+ will also renew your A+ and Net+.

It's how and what I would need to do in order maintaining a valid IT certification that I am concerned about. Other than the usual process of study, study, study, and cram, cram, cram to try and memorize as much material as possible a month or so prior to taking an exam or re-taking an exam.

You just have to study your butt off, there's really no way around it. Ideally, the material would be something you already work with, so it shouldn't be too much of a jump. Sometimes people (or their employers) will pay for a certification bootcamp to help out with that.

A lot of cert tracks will commonly renew all lower certs if you re-certify in something. So, if you have a bunch of CCNAs and a CCNP, renewing your CCNP will also renew all your CCNAs.

But like I had mentioned earlier I'm not absolutely 100% sure if I really even should return to IT or if there are similar but alternate career paths I can switch to, and that is also why I am asking about the Microsoft Office Certifications.

To touch on your other points, Microsoft Office certs will do nothing for technical jobs in IT, same with CompTIA IT Fundamentals. Those are certs for non-technical office workers to show some technological competence and would be better suited for secretaries, assistants, accountants, etc.

If you don't know whether or not you want to get into IT, well, you don't have to be hands-on support/infrastructure. There's always the business side of it like project management, sales, etc. Sales engineering is typically a good compromise for technical people, making sales money but working more directly with the technology. If you're good with people then your options are endless. If you're not good with people then you should become good with people, no matter what industry you're in.

 

[WhatShouldIDo]

That's what rulezero was talking about. Once you're working in IT and you have real IT experience, the CompTIA certs don't really matter that much anymore and your work experience will be much more important. I happen to be certified for life with my CompTIAs, but if I wasn't then I still wouldn't bother to renew them. They helped me get my foot in the door and they don't really do anything for me now. Maybe Security+ if I ever get a DOD job.

You must have taken the 2003 edition of those exams, because I was aware that they used to be good for life certifications around that time, but then it had to be changed since technology is constantly being updated and evolving rapidly that keeping up to date is just one of the most important things in the IT Career field.

For the most part, CompTIA certs are entry level and don't hold much value for the typical experienced IT professional.

I think I'm starting to understand what you mean. By having the A+ Certification means that it would just increase your odds of actually even getting an in-person face to face interview VS. other applicants that had also applied for the same IT job or position you did that don't have any certifications and because it is also very useful when you do not have a certain amount of years in a specific type of IT job or such as in a specific area of working in IT.

I realize there are like so many paths and parts to IT that it makes my head spin as to which one really would have been the most suitable for me. I mean there's Security, Network and Cloud Technologies, Hardware, Services & Infrastructure, Management and Strategy, Storage and Data, Web & Mobile, Software Development, and Training. All of these are mentioned on CompTIA's website on IT career roadmap: https://certification.comptia.org/why-certify/roadmap

By the way, with the A/Net/Sec+ certs, the higher cert will renew all lower certs. So, if you have all 3, re-certifying the Sec+ will also renew your A+ and Net+.

I am aware of that already. As of now, it takes 20 Continuing Education Credits in order to maintain the A+ if I do not want to re-take a future A+ exam and pass their most current version of the exam, or if I feel that I am not ready to take qualifying higher-level CompTIA certification, or other higher-level industry certification, such as the Network+ and/or Sec+.

I still have not figure out the best and most efficient way to maintain 20 CEUs within 3 years for an A+ certification, do I just take courses such as these mentioned on CompTIA's website to consistently maintain those 20 CEUs?:

https://certification.comptia.org/c...ontinuing-education-units/a-educational-units

Although from the looks of it, according to their document here: (https://certification.comptia.org/d...mptia-continuing-education-activity-chart.pdf), it seems that the most efficient way is to "Complete a Training Course" worth 20 hours over a three year time frame as the CEUs qualifications are 1 CEU for each hour to complete the training course and because the maximum CEUs that can be earned within that 3 year is 20 CEUs, which would then be sufficient. Maybe I have this whole properly and efficiently maintaining the A+ certification figured out now, but correct me if you know I am wrong and have any misunderstandings about it.

To touch on your other points, Microsoft Office certs will do nothing for technical jobs in IT, same with CompTIA IT Fundamentals. Those are certs for non-technical office workers to show some technological competence and would be better suited for secretaries, assistants, accountants, etc.

I have wanted to take the IT fundamentals certification only because of the whole Good For Life status, I know it's of substantially lesser value if not absent of any real value for any serious professional and good IT job position available out there on the market.

The second reason is to get an assessment to see how far I'm behind, I figured if I can pass this then it should be evidence to suggest I still have a shot at going back to IT, but the next step is to really focus on studying and passing the A+ exam as well as finding help and assistance from career centers and the school that I am currently attending for something like Internships to try and help me get back to what and where I want to be, instead of the sticky situation I am in currently.

I figured that if I do actually pass IT fundamentals first then that means I should continue and get back on an IT career path, meaning I should go for A+ afterwards and make plans accordingly for it subsequently.

Otherwise, should I fail the IT fundamentals exam, and if I were to fail that exam on more than 2 attempts then I would believe that I am really behind and that I really would have a hard time keeping up and should probably consider alternate career paths instead. I haven't taken it yet, still in the planning stages, and I really hope that I take and pass that exam before the end of this summer.

As for Microsoft Office Specialist Certifications, I think you are right about them being really meant for Administrative Assistants and Office Workers. I'm currently taking 2 classes in college relevant to that field and area but I have not absolutely made up my mind if being an Administrative Assistant of some kind in the Healthcare or Medical field is what I really want to do. I know I will have to make up my mind soon since I'm not a recent high school grad anymore.

Part of the reason I would want to get involved with that is only because I think in the area I am in the most commonly available job openings available or in demand are in the healthcare industry or field.

Other than that I am also very interested in telecommuting work opportunities although I do not know if this is my best course of action to take. Any other advice from you or anyone else on this matter is much appreciated by me.

If you don't know whether or not you want to get into IT, well, you don't have to be hands-on support/infrastructure. There's always the business side of it like project management, sales, etc. Sales engineering is typically a good compromise for technical people, making sales money but working more directly with the technology. If you're good with people then your options are endless. If you're not good with people then you should become good with people, no matter what industry you're in.

Yes, absolutely. You've made a very important point.

I can not agree more. Possessing Good Soft skills are absolutely a must to be a successful professional regardless of what field or industry. This had been stressed many times in my classes when I had gone back to school. This is the way the professional world works. People helping people, people must work with other people and learn to tolerate, respect, and understand each other, that sort of thing. There's not "I" in Team, and very very rarely someone would work completely by themselves in the professional world. Also, being punctual consistently, so attendance really mattered and as well as meeting deadlines consistently for assignments.

I think the only jobs in the real world that have little to no interaction with customers or is substantially less customer service-oriented are like warehousing jobs. But then they require tons of physical labor and physical strength, such as working in the back storage rooms, stocking inventory, part of a purchasing department or something like that.

Thank you, I look forward to your response soon.