Can someone recommend how to get started in developer certification? Which certs should i get first?
A:
Decide whether to aim for web, windows or enterprise development. There are specific certification paths for these areas. Once you decided it's straight forward, just pass exam by exam ;P Read the skills-being-measured, buy some study books and learn a few weeks or months for each exam.
driAn
2009-01-23 20:09:01
+3
A:
You have 3 areas of expertise for Visual Studio 2005:
- Windows
- Web
- Enterprise
On each of these categories you have two levels of certification:
- Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS)
- Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD)
Select your programming language of choice.
Igor Zelaya
2009-01-23 20:10:00
Yes, picking an area of expertise will get you started.
Bratch
2010-04-07 16:44:02
+18
A:
I've noticed that people that have certifications need them to demonstrate to others that they know a technology. People that really know the material don't need a certificate because their work and knowledge speaks for itself. When I'm interviewing people I'm always cautious of people that got a lot of certifications.
So, in my opinion, if you are really that good, don't bother.
I know I will be voted down for answering in this manner, but I don't care. I just want to let people know that not everyone has warm fuzzy feelings about Microsoft Certifications. Until the tests are made hard enough to actually mean something and they make it difficult to cheat, the program will have negative connotations.
Uncle Bob shares his opinion on developer certification: http://blog.objectmentor.com/articles/2010/04/27/certification-dont-waste-your-time
DavGarcia
2009-01-23 20:20:24
In your opinion, will having certifications *hurt* the people that really know the material?
Greg
2009-01-23 22:12:12
Sure does. So many people who have certifications are poor performers that I think it taints the entire program. The bar is just set way too low.
DavGarcia
2009-01-24 06:04:39
Please check your prejudices at the door. "In my experience" does not constitute truth.
Randolpho
2009-01-25 16:16:20
I also can't believe this was given as the accepted answer. I call shenanigans.
Randolpho
2009-02-26 14:54:41
This is not the answer to the question posted. Mr. joek1975 wants to know what options he has and which is the recommended path.I agree with you that experience should be the criteria for selecting developers. If you are good try scoring more marks in your certs rather than just passing...
Hemanshu Bhojak
2009-04-30 20:21:36
I still call shenanigans, but can people upvote this question to 10 so I can get a populist badge?
Randolpho
2009-05-27 19:02:50
@Randolpho: I would love to give you the populist badge, but I just can't find a way to do it...to upvote an answer I disagree with just rubs me the wrong way.
Beska
2009-08-10 21:26:09
Some people who are not developers are reassured when a developer has some sort of certification. A friend who works for a consulting company said that many of their customers ask if their developers are Microsoft certified. It's also nice for his company because they get a lot of free software if their programmers are certified.Experience is what really counts (obviously), but there are good developer jobs where you are not hired by a developer (as in a small company) and that's where having a cert can help.
John Fischer
2009-08-12 20:52:47
wow, what a voting war going on here. +1 this answer is not garbage, it is realistic.
Sky Sanders
2010-04-27 21:37:24
+58
A:
Edit 4/7/2010 Microsoft has recently released info on their certs for Visual Studio 2010, including a roadmap. It's lighter than their previous cert selection and still under development, so expect more to come. Feel free to read the PDF, and I've added links to the certs below.
I'd start with an MCTS ASP.NET cert and work your way along. ASP.NET is the most likely technology you'll use in any MS shop. I'd recommend working toward MCPD Enterprise Application Developer.
Training
Here are links to available training oriented towards MS Certifications:
- Microsoft Training
- MCTS Classes @ New Horizons
- MCPD Classes @ New Horizons
- Microsoft Certification Tests @ Prometric
Certification Core Test
The following is a core test required for all MCTS 3.5 certifications. It's unclear (to me, at the moment) if it or a similar test will be required for MCTS 4 certs.
- Application Development Foundation
70-536
Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist
Each bullet represents a separate MCTS certification.
- MCTS: .NET Framework 3.5, Windows Presentation Foundation Applications
70-502 (requires 70-536) - MCTS: .NET Framework 3.5, Windows Communication Foundation Applications
70-503 (requires 70-536) - MCTS: .NET Framework 3.5, Windows Workflow Foundation Applications
70-504 (requires 70-536) - MCTS: .NET Framework 3.5, Windows Forms Applications
70-505 (requires 70-536) - MCTS: .NET Framework 3.5, ADO.NET Applications
70-561 (requires 70-536) - MCTS: .NET Framework 3.5, ASP.NET Applications
70-562 (requires 70-536)
- MCTS: .NET Framework 4, Windows Applications
70-511 - MCTS: .NET Framework 4, Web Applications
70-515 - MCTS: .NET Framework 4, Service Communication Applications
70-513 - MCTS: .NET Framework 4, Data Access
70-516
Microsoft Certified Professional Developer
Each bullet represents a separate MCPD certification.
- MCPD: Windows Developer 3.5
70-563 (requires 70-505) - MCPD: ASP.NET Developer 3.5
70-564 (requires 70-536) - MCPD: Enterprise Application Developer 3.5
70-565 (requires 70-503, 70-505, 70-561, 70-562)
- MCPD: Windows Developer 4
70-518 (requires 70-511, 70-513, 70-516) - MCPD: Web Developer 4
70-519 (requires 70-515, 70-513, 70-516)
Microsoft Certified Architect
The short description: it's like a very expensive mini-doctoral program. Requires an entrance exam, $25k, a 5 week trip to Redmond, 5 more exams, a jury trial, an arm, a leg, and a firstborn child. OUCH!
Edit 4/7/2010: Hey, hey, looks like things have changed. No more 5 week trip, and only $5k. You still have to defend yourself and your case study against a review board. Definitely not easy, but probably worth it.
Edit 5.10.2010: And in one month they change again. Microsoft is now officially dropping the Solution and Infrastructure Architect Certs, which were the good ones, the ones that focused on software architecture and network architecture, respectively. Now Microsoft only offers Microsoft-specific technology MCAs in Exchange, SQL Server, AD, Communications Server, and Sharepoint. Important technologies, yes, but not developer oriented certs. I'll leave the links up, but alas, consider this section to be obsolete.
Randolpho
2009-01-23 20:31:10
When I got my Microsoft Certified Architect, they didn't take my firstborn child, just a pound of flesh.
Robert S.
2009-08-10 21:32:28
Wow, 5 week trip to Redmond sounds really cool. I wish I had 25k to spare. Will have to live with lowly MCPD for the time being.
Alexander Abramov
2009-10-15 16:00:56
+1 for mentioning the roadmap and laying out much of the information here.
Bratch
2010-04-07 16:43:35
+1
A:
If you are planning Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD) You could start reading the official book of the test that you wanna make, I was preparing for the 70526 and I found this very helpful Check the official MCPD certification site
Rulas
2009-01-23 20:35:21
The first editions of these books are not that good. Not all the material is covered, for example, and they contain some really big blatant errors in a way hat does not instill confidence in these books!
Dave Van den Eynde
2009-04-30 12:16:36
+1
A:
See also this related question - what-are-the-best-resources-to-get-ms-developer-certification
Benoit
2009-01-23 20:40:25
+8
A:
Don't forget the partner benefits that come with certifications. If you are working for a company that needs a Gold Partner status - this might be worth discussing with the person that manages your partner status. Different certifications come with different benefits in many cases - the MCPD certs for example can get your company a large number of free VS 2008 Team Developer with MSDN licenses.
Another thing to think about is how you go about getting the certification. Make sure that you know the subject, and are not just cramming for a test. Don't cheat - there are test answers out there, but stay away from them. If you take pride in what you're learning and what you already know, in the end, your certification will be more valuable to you, your employer, and potential future employers.
Scott Ivey
2009-01-23 20:40:34
+1
A:
The problem with these certs is that it's so easy to find the exams online. You can't trust that anyone really knows the MS stuff (outside of the Microsoft Certified Architect stuff) because you don't know who legitimately passed the material and who cheated their way through.
I think it's a good foundation to have (if you take the time to actually learn the material), but if I were a company, I wouldn't count on the cert meaning anything.
Kris
2009-01-23 22:38:09
A:
Many of the so called exams online are not always in many cases the same as the exam. I fell for this early on in my career and it cost me $180 bucks each time because I relied on the cheat tests. They only way to pass is to know your stuff. Don't rely on practice tests; they will let you down. You must learn the material, after all its about aquiring knowledge, not a piece of paper.