Rampidbyter Rampid byter: A byte of my .Net developing life.

As I mentioned previously I embarked on a one certification a month mission. For October I took the 70-528 Web 2.0 certification, and last weekend I took the 70-536 .Net Framework Application Development Foundation exam. I passed and now officially have the Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist for Web 2.0 Framework certification. I bought a few new study books from Amazon so I’m hoping to keep the ball rolling. December is shaping up to be very difficult to schedule time for an exam with the holidays, but I may make this a new years resolution to continue my goal of one certification a month. 

I took the 70-528 MCTS Web 2.0 certification today. Passed it and now can add the MCTS to my resume. I didn’t blog about it, I did tweet it though, but I decided to do a challenge to myself to get one certification a month until the new year. The last certifications I took for were back in 2007, with one upgrade failure in 2008ish, but since then I hadn’t really felt the need to get any additional certifications (especially when MCSD expired.)

Since I’m a independent consultant now it seemed to behoove me to get additional certifications. For the simple fact when I list them the description web/desktop with framework number helps HR see I'm still relevant to their search. Considering my current job duties focus mainly on web development I’d really like to get a few desktop and database related certifications in the list.

I scheduled the exam two weeks ago, studied each evening, and took it today with a successful result. What was even more awesome was I actually found Microsoft has a certification pack deal going on where you get a big discount WITH second shots for each certification in the pack. I bought the 3-exam pack and saved a boat load of money AND get free second-shot chances if I blow the first try. For the month of October I have my first MCTS in web, and looking forward to getting more in the coming months.

Well I did it again. I’ve registered for another Microsoft Certification; well I guess two if you consider it’s a composite exam that will net me two additional certifications in one. I’m going to take exam 70-551 the first week of June that consists of three other exams, but since I’ve achieved the MCAD I can just do one upgrade exam. I think this certification will prove to be very difficult, or at least time consuming. The exam itself is scheduled for four hours, and I bet it may take that full amount of time to complete. Especially if they actually have me take the three exams that normally would be required for the two certifications I’m going for.

Hopefully this means by June I’ll have the MCTS: Web Dev .Net, and the MCPD: Web Dev .Net to go along with my others. I was very much hoping to take another exam that same day for the SQL Server 2005 certification, but it too was over four hours in length. I’m still trying for that elusive MCSD that managed to slip through my fingers with my failure at 70-300. I didn’t fail by much, but at the same time it was a slap in the face I plan to remedy on my next exam attempts. The SQL Server 2005 exam will satisfy my elective requirement for the MCSD, and then I’ll take the architecture exam once more after studying the 1.1 Framework in more detail. Considering I’ve been using 1.1 Framework for my daily duties at work I don’t think it will be as awkward as having taken those exams without having used 1.1 in three years at that point.

End goal is to have the extension MCP, MCAD, MCPD:Web, and MCTS:Web by June. I’m then going to take the two additional exams to complete the MCSD, and continue the MCPD exams for Desktop development, to distributed applications, and finally move into the Enterprise architecture exam to complete the series. At that point I assume the 3.0/3.5 certifications will be available and I may consider them at that point.

Why am I getting these certifications? I’ve heard that a lot recently and people keep joking about me being so adamant about getting certifications. I’ve seen a lot of Monster.com postings, and independent job postings looking for individuals with more advanced level certifications, IE, MCSD, or MCAD in addition to the bachelor’s degrees. So now that I’m covered I want to go overkill on the certification front, and also collect the little pens that come with having successfully passed. Anyway, we’ll see how the pay off, but my goal is to get as many as possible as quickly as possible. I’m going to start on open-source certifications eventually, mainly Java, and then Linux administration certifications. I want to be qualified, and it’s also fun to learn this information. It’s easier to learn when you’re looking at a deadline to know the material set upon yourself by a certification appointment. On top of that having to pay to take the exam from my pocket is a motivator to pass. Work is a loser when it comes to reimbursing me for this material so if things don’t change on that front I’m going to be extremely qualified to leave soon.

I’ve been studying for the MCAD upgrade to the MCTS examination for the last few months. I’m reading through the MCTS training exam books that I purchased through Amazon.com. I’ve particularly been studying up from the .Net Framework 2.0 Web-Based Client Development book from the series. I can’t tell you how wonderfully the writers present the information. I’ve long been a fan of the authors of the Wrox publishing technical books, but I can’t express how fantastic the material that authors Glenn Johnson and Tony Northrup has presented the features of ASP.Net 2.0 in the Microsoft Press publication. Cheers to these two for some of the best, down to earth, and moderately comprehensive material. I’ve never once read a technical book where the authors actually touched on the related technology.

In the first chapter of this book the authors take the user through a background on how the ASP.Net framework handles web server content interactions. They actually step the user through using Telenet of all things to see what is really being presented to the browsers. Wow, I was blown away. Most every other book, including the MCAD study guide books only touched on the high level view of the interactions. Never once before has an author given the user the ability to SEE what is going on behind the scenes. Talk about starting the book off with a bang, four chapters into the book, and I still feel like the material being presented to me is done in such a way to promote learning. While I may not ever remember every single base class name, nor concern myself with it until when I need to build a custom implementation, the authors present the material in a way we can both learn and understand from. I can’t wait to read the other two books in the series, and take the new certification.

I recently took and did not pass a Microsoft certification exam. It wasn’t overly difficult either, at least looking back at it, but the questions were presented in a way I was not expecting. I took the 70-300 architecture examination and did not pass by 100 points. The score was poor enough for me to smack myself on the head, but not poor enough so that I am too embarrassed to try again. I think next time I’ll have to study more on how to interpret business requirements, to prepare for the case study readings, and in general just review the study books more. It’s a pain because I only had that one day to take the examination, and now I have to wait two months to get a free day. Next time I’ll have to remember failing is a possibility.

Today one of my peers contacted me about what some of the best methods I used for preparing for Microsoft certification exams. In general I usually forward them onto general references books from Wrox publishing company, or suggest getting one of the Microsoft recommended study guides.

I’ve recently completed my MCP (Microsoft Certified Professional), and MCAD (Microsoft Certified Application Developer) certifications using the Microsoft recommended study guides along with Transcender exams. Together this combination of materials is enough to get the most inept programmer up to par in order to pass these certifications.

Personally, if you’re going to get the Microsoft study guides buy the training kits that include 1-3 books along with a companion study CD, which includes it’s own practice exams. I think the most invaluable asset to my preparation was the companion CD. It wasn’t until I took these practice exams that I realized how the questions would be presented, the type of material likely to be used, and was able to formulate a good study routine accordingly.

The Microsoft practice exams combined with using the Trascender exams, which also consists of practice exams, digital flash card program, and most importantly is very difficult to pass. I found these two exam preparation sources were actually even more difficult than the actual certification exams themselves.

So if anyone else is out there looking to take a Microsoft certification exam please reference Amazon.com with the suggested books from the Microsoft certification requirement recommended study guides. You can find a link to the Microsoft certification home page below:

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/certifications.mspx

Good luck, good studying, and get those certs!