When I was in college, I used to think that getting a Microsoft certification or a sun Certification is a mammoth task which can be done only by people with thick glasses (My idea of an expert)
Then one of my friends introduced me to BrainBench. I took a couple of exams and got some decent scores. I took them just to show off to my friends that I am some one above them and that I add something that they don’t have. Some kind of a child ego.
Soon when I landed up in a job doing some web development using PHP, my company expected me to do a certification (any certification for that matter, as their client needed it). So I started to search for the correct one. After some weeks of research I settled down to MCDBA (Microsoft Certified Database Administrator) in SQL Server, as I had some interest in Databases and also I had some exposure to SQL Server in college (I used it in my college project). A local prometric center also offered me an offer. So I went and registered.
Then came the preparation phase. I settled down to do a self-learn rather than going for some training for two reasons. First I didn’t had the time second all through my life I hated attending lectures. I installed the trial version of SQL Server 2000 in my system and started playing with it.
I really found it difficult. Even though I have registered I postponed my exam date for more than 4 times, since I was not that confident.
It took me more than 3 months to write my first exam (70-229) and at last I got a score of 875. After seeing the score I got a lot of confidence in me. I believed that I could do it. You know it was really a great feeling to put MCP next to your name and add the MCP logo in your resume, homepage, email etc..
Before that confidence could fade away, I got an offer from a big software development company. Thanks for my confidence which made me get through the interview process. Although I have to work in J2EE in my new job I thought of finishing my remaining 3 exams for my MCBDA Track.
Then I took my 2nd exam (70-228). This time I took it with in 3 weeks of preparation. I jumped off my seat when I got a score of 946 in that exam.
And now as I am writing this I am preparing for my 3rd exam (70-290). This time I am going to write it with in 2 weeks of preparation.
During the process I have found out a couple of new things
- First – getting a certification is not such a mammoth task. (Even though I wear thick glasses now, (when I am not hiding behind contact lens)
- Second – Having a certification doesn’t tag you as an expert.
- Third – But a certification is really a tag for an expert.
I found even carrol (http://weblogs.asp.net/bkcarroll/archive/2004/01/22/61838.aspx) talking about the same thing.
Update : Thanks Satya for finding out those typos, which I have overlooked in my original article. Now I have corrected them.
ya Sudar, getting a certification really gives u a lot of confidence. Congrats on your score and do well for the rest of the exams.
First Sudar let me congratulate on the certifications you have done.
Then, it’s nice to see your article accentuating the need to have confidence.Put it simply, I can say that, you in your own way showed many, if not all, the strength of will itself makes extra-ordinary things look ordinary if treated in the right manner and finally, All the best for the rest of your exams.
Thnaks Srikanth
Congratulations on your certifications.It was really nice to read your experiences.I am planning to take 70-229 and this will be my first exam towards certification…and I am really nervous, but reading your bolg was kinda helpful.
Thanks for sharing.
ritz
Hi, i am going to write 70-229.if any one have material please send to me. and i want to know the prometric center at chennai.
Please help me (netkrishnan@gmail.com)
Regards,
Radhakrishnan.S