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I am now a Microsoft Certified Professional

What a crazy week that is. I am currently in Seattle for the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional summit, which ended yesterday. I took an additional day in Seattle to meet a few friends and Siemens colleagues, and this morning got an email notifying me that I passed the MCTS exam about WPF that I took back then in December.

Because the exam was in beta stage when I took it, Microsoft needed a veeeeeeeery long time to evaluate the replies and check if I met the requirement. Apparently, they also had issues finding volunteers to try the beta exam, so it took even longer than planned. But hey, everything happens when you wait long enough, and as of today I am a Microsoft Certified Professional.

Now I want to point again what I wrote in December: I am not quite sure about the value of the MCTS exams. You are not a good developer just because you learn answers by heart. Testing one's knowledge with multiple choice questions is really absurd, especially when it comes to programming. Additionally, in Europe, most firms I know of really don't care if you have a cert or not, and rather look to your credentials, experience and education, as well as things like involvement in the community, etc...

But hey, the exam was free, it was fun learning for it, and I got the title, so what am I complaining about? :)

http://www.galasoft.ch

Print | posted on Saturday, April 19, 2008 3:29 AM

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# re: I am now a Microsoft Certified Professional

left by Tom at 4/20/2008 4:23 AM Gravatar
On the value of the MCTS exams...

Well, I would hope an employer would look at your efforts and your achievement of a goal as a sign that you have pride and confidence in your skills and abilities and are willing to do whatever it takes to succeed (even on someone else's terms).

Congratulations!

# re: I am now a Microsoft Certified Professional

left by Laurent at 4/20/2008 8:48 PM Gravatar
Hi Tom,

Of course you are right. If the firm is clever enough to understand the MCTS qualification as a part of a whole, not any more important than a MVP title, the fact that someone blogs regularly, etc... You can find answers to MCTS exams online (not for the beta ones, though, obviously :) and if someone simply learns by heart to pass the exam (and forgets as soon as he gets the title), then it's useless. So, OK for MCTS, but only as a small part of a whole evaluation of a candidate :)

Thanks!
Laurent

# re: I am now a Microsoft Certified Professional

left by Jeff W at 4/23/2008 11:54 PM Gravatar
Congrats Laurent!!! You've earned it.
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