Everybody is busy these days, and generally should we decide to learn a new profession, getting educated at the same time as holding down a job is the only option open to us. Training tracks certified by Microsoft can fill that gap. You might like to find a training advisor, who can give you some ideas on whereabouts in industry would be best, and the kind of tasks that are a good match for someone with your personality. When you’ve settled on the career path you want, a suitable training program needs to be singled out that’s goes with your ability level and skill set. You should expect to be offered a bespoke package for you.
Getting your first commercial position sometimes feels easier to handle if you’re supported with a Job Placement Assistance program. Having said that, occasionally this feature is bigged up too much, because it is actually not that hard for a well trained and motivated person to secure a job in the IT environment - because companies everywhere are seeking skilled employees.
Help and assistance with preparing a CV and getting interviews should be offered (if not, see one of our sites for help). Make sure you update that dusty old CV immediately - not after you’ve qualified! Various junior support roles have been bagged by trainees who’re still on their course and have still to get qualified. This will at the very least get you on your way. Generally, a specialist independent regional recruitment consultant or service (who will get paid commission to place you) will perform better than any sector of a centralised training facility. It also stands to reason that they’ll be familiar with local industry and the area better.
A good number of men and women, so it seems, are prepared to study their hearts out (sometimes for years), and then just stop instead of looking for the right position. Sell yourself… Make an effort to get in front of employers. Don’t think a job’s just going to jump out in front of you.
You should only consider learning programs which progress to commercially acknowledged exams. There’s an endless list of trainers offering their own ‘in-house’ certificates which will prove unusable in the real world. From the perspective of an employer, only the big-boys such as Microsoft, Adobe, Cisco or CompTIA (to give some examples) provide enough commercial weight. Nothing else hits the mark.
A ridiculously large number of organisations only look at the plaque to hang on your wall, and avoid focusing on why you’re doing this - which is a commercial career or job. You should always begin with where you want to get to - don’t get hung-up on the training vehicle. Avoid becoming one of those unfortunate students who choose a training program that sounds really ‘interesting’ and ‘fun’ - and end up with a certification for something they’ll never enjoy.
It’s well worth a long chat to see what expectations industry may have of you. What particular exams they’ll want you to gain and how to gain experience. Spend some time considering how far you think you’ll want to progress your career as it will present a very specific set of accreditations. All students are advised to chat with experienced industry personnel before following a particular retraining course. This helps to ensure it has the required elements for that career path.
It’s essential to have accredited simulation materials and an exam preparation system as part of your course package. Due to the fact that many IT examination boards tend to be American, you’ll need to be used to the correct phraseology. It’s no use merely answering any old technical questions - it’s essential that you can cope with them in the proper exam format. Ensure that you ask for exam preparation tools so you’ll be able to verify your comprehension along the way. Simulated or practice exams add to your knowledge bank - so you won’t be quite so nervous at the actual exam.
At the top of your shopping list for a training program should be comprehensive 24×7 direct-access support with dedicated instructors and mentors. It’s an all too common story to find providers that only provide office hours (or extended office hours) support. Look for training with proper support available at all hours of the day and night (even if it’s early hours on Sunday morning!) You want access directly to professional tutors, and not a message system as this will slow you down - parked in a queue of others waiting to be called back when it’s convenient for them.
The best trainers incorporate three or four individual support centres across multiple time-zones. Online access provides the interactive interface to seamlessly link them all, at any time you choose, help is at hand, with no hassle or contact issues. If you accept anything less than online 24×7 support, you’ll end up kicking yourself. You might not want to use the service throughout the night, but what about weekends, evenings and early mornings at some point.