Great

Coders
Designers
Step 3: Prepare for Exams Step 5: Complete Your Exams
Review Exam Preparation Guides By taking the steps to become Microsoft certified, you’ll distin-
Administrators
Before you register for any exam, you should become familiar guish yourself from other developers and IT professionals. Your
with the exam’s objectives. Microsoft exam preparation guides demonstrated expertise with the latest Microsoft products and
Developers
and training texts will give you information about the skills that platforms will earn you a respected place on the job and with your
are measured by each exam. industry peers. Embraced by industry professionals worldwide,
Microsoft certification remains one of the most effective ways aren’t born.
They’re certified.
• Microsoft Learning Exam Preparation Guides – Check out a 10
to reach your long-term career goals. You’ll also have access to
listing of exam preparation guides, searchable by exam title career-related tools, private newsgroups, and exclusive discounts
or exam number. and invitations to Microsoft certified community-only events.
• Microsoft Press Certification and Training Texts11 – Get official
To stay updated with the latest news and certifications from
Microsoft Press self-paced training for the expertise you need
on the job, as well as on Microsoft certification exams. Microsoft Learning, subscribe to our e-mail newsletters.14

Microsoft certification exams are administered by independent

testing centers worldwide. Find an independent testing center
near you.15
Step 4: Take a FREE Practice Test
Practice Tests
When working toward certification, it’s important to reduce your
likelihood of re-testing. When you’re ready to take an exam, take Welcome to Microsoft Certification
a free, comprehensive practice test first to find out if you may need
We wish you best of luck on the path to industry

Microsoft Certification Planning Guide

additional study, training, or hands-on work experience before
recognition and career advancement!
you take the real thing. MeasureUp 12 will prepare you for exam
day using innovative technology.
For Professionals
• Microsoft Certification Practice Tests – Microsoft Certified
13

Practice Test Providers (PTPs) provide the highest quality

products and services so you can gauge your readiness for
an Microsoft Certification exam.
Congratulations on deciding to achieve your Microsoft certification. By achieving Microsoft certification, you
validate your technical skills in customer solutions while raising industry-wide awareness of your capabilities.
By providing a widely recognized, objective validation of technical ability, Microsoft certified professionals
deploy and manage Microsoft technologies faster, smarter, and with reduced costs while increasing productivity.

Footnotes Step 1: Choose your path

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http://redmondmag.com/salarysurveys/article.asp?EditorialsID=91
http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp
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http://www.microsoft.com/learning/MODL
http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcpexams/prepare/findexam.mspx
Step 2: Get trained
Step 3: Prepare for exams
3 http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/newgen 11 http://www.microsoft.com/mspress/findabook/list/subject_category_T.aspx
4 http://www.microsoft.com/learning/assessment 12 http://www.measureup.com/Site/display_article.aspx?id=955
5 13 http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcpexams/prepare/practicetests.mspx
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http://www.microsoft.com/mspress/findabook/list/subject_category_T.aspx
http://www.microsoft.com/learning/training/find 14 http://www.microsoft.com/learning/newsletters/default.mspx Step 4: Take a practice test
7 http://learning.microsoft.com/Manager/default.aspx?brand=Learning 15 http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcpexams/register
8 http://www.microsoft.com/learning/elearning.mspx Step 5: Complete your exam
Boost Your Career with Microsoft Certification Step 1: Choose Your Path
With every certification you achieve, you’ll add value to your or- In addition, the Gartner 2006 IT Market Compensation Study The first step to Microsoft certification is choosing a path that • Find Training6 – Find a training resource to help you build your
ganization and take your professional reputation to a higher level: found that organizations take certification into consideration when capitalizes on your professional experience. There are a wide skills on Microsoft products and technologies.
considering candidates, their competency, and their overall value. range of certifications that cover the spectrum of professions • Learning Manager7 – Track your training progress and achieve-
• Move further along the path to career advancement within the IT industry, and you can decide which certification ments with this workspace tool.
• Validate your real-world technology skills • Validate your skills. Hiring managers consider certification as is appropriate and will support your career goals.
• Increase your productivity part of the job requirement and tend to view certifications as
• Deploy technologies faster, smarter, and with reduced costs a more objective measure of a candidate’s skill level than self- • Microsoft Certifications Overview2 – Find out why Microsoft Microsoft E-Learning
reported skills and competency. Certifications help you stand out from other IT personnel. If you learn best independently, Official Microsoft E-Learning
The benefits of certification also include: • Add value. The added market value that a certification brings Courses provide a simple and effective way for you to learn at
can be as high as 30%-40%. The average salary uplift reported your own pace and on your own schedule.
• Industry recognition of your technical proficiency and proof across all certifications in the study was in the 5%–11% range. Microsoft New Generation Certifications
The new generation of Microsoft certifications provides a simpler • Microsoft E-Learning8 – Take E-learning courses to improve your
of your technical leadership • Stay current. Certification numbers are growing as evidenced and more targeted framework for the validation of core skills. skills, prepare for a project or an exam, or earn certifications.
• Personalized logos that identify your certification status to by double digit growth of certifications in economic and New Generation Certifications are the most relevant, flexible, Most E-learning courses include hands-on virtual labs.
colleagues and clients academic sectors, as professionals seek to round out their and cost-effective way to showcase your skills because they are:
achievements with IT skills that have commercial appeal.
• Access to discounts on products and services from Microsoft
and selected companies • Role-based, emphasizing a primary skill set and job role Microsoft Official Distance Learning
• Invitations to conferences, training sessions, and special events • Rigorous, providing more in-depth validation of your knowledge Microsoft Official Distance Learning (MODL) is an exciting new
Now that you’ve decided to get your
learning platform that blends instructor-led training, live discus-
• Access to career-related resources that will help enhance your Microsoft certification, what’s next? • Fast, offering shorter certification paths
sion, real-world based scenarios, and self-directed study into one
skills and keep you in the know With its innovative new generation certification architecture,
rich and accessible educational experience—delivered right to
Microsoft provides a simpler and more targeted framework for IT Want to learn more about new generation certifications? Visit
your desktop. With MODL, you get:
According to Redmond magazine’s 11th annual survey of managers to validate core skills within the spectrum of professions the New Generation of Microsoft Certifications3 site for the latest
compensation for Microsoft IT professionals1, Microsoft certifica- of the IT industry. This clarified learning path enables you to build information on all the new requirements.
• One-on-one time with an expert Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT)
tion can lead to more earning power, with average salaries for a compelling competitive advantage with a more relevant, flexible,
Microsoft Certified Professionals showing a notable increase in and cost-effective way to showcase your skills. • Rich peer-to-peer interaction and support
2006 over the previous year. The survey also indicates that • Real world scenarios and exercises that you can work through
Microsoft certification equates to salary increases with every Step 2: Get Trained at your own pace
added year of professional experience. Other findings include:
Whatever your style or schedule, Microsoft Learning offers training • Hundreds of interactive activities in each course, and game-like
resources that will complement the way you learn, including study lab environments
• 43% of respondents reported salary increases as a result of
Microsoft certification guides, tutorials, and instructor-led training. These comprehensive • Plenty of time between sessions to study course material
training offerings will help you build technical solutions and stay
• 57% of respondents expected to receive pay bonuses that year • Individualized assessments that include detailed instructor
competitive today and in the future.
feedback and scored results
• More than 40% of respondents reported that Microsoft
certification was a factor in improving their ability to find • Microsoft Skills Assessments4 – This free, 30-question skills
MODL courses currently being offered are Microsoft Windows
or keep a job or lead to a promotion assessment and learning plan will help you improve any areas
Server 2003 and Microsoft SQL Server 2005.
of weakness.
• Microsoft Press Training Kits5 – Self-paced training for the • MODL9 – Find out how the unique MODL format allows you to
expertise you need on the job. learn anytime, anywhere.