I've just finished a series of Microsoft exams, the story behind which is an entry in itself, but first things first.
When I first entered the IT industry as an intern, I knew a thing or 2 about computers already, having been a gamer since the days when we'd hack our final fantasy savegame with pctools to get more gold.
I was expected, as an intern, to complete my A+ and N+ before I could hope to earn a real salary at the company.
It was then that I was introduced to test engines.
They're a great idea, in principle.
Like communism, or donut holes.
I soon learned, though, that passing an IT exam relies more on who's taken it before you than how well you understand the work.
I started studying properly, watching videos and reading .pdf's.
But when I came across test engines, my whole study method changed.
IT exams are, by and large, multiple choice exams taken on a pc.
Which lets them give instant results due to the removal of the human presence in marking.
And to ready oneself for this new test taking technology (yay! Alliteration), test engines, a simulation of what the real test will be like, are made available.
Now these are supposed to contain questions that test your mastery of the material preceding.
But, in IT, there's always a hacker lurking.
And if you know where to go, you can find these test engines with actual exam questions (and answers)
So rather than study the work and familiarise with the test engine, rather get the real test and study that. Just make sure that these isn’t a newer version, and pow!, pass.
So even though I have, technically, an exchange server 2010 qualification, I can tell you that I've never logged onto a 2010 exchange server.
So before you pay BCC or CTI tens of thousands of rands to get your qualifications, realise that they are only worth the experience attached to them. I am a MSITP, but have never been tested on my ability to format a hard drive. Which is quite a basic skill.
I've also never been tested on my ability to google, which, believe me, is the most important thing you can ever know how to do in IT.
P.S. Liverpool 3 - Man U 1
