It may be a highly sought-after qualification, but without critical job experience, the MCSE certification hardly guarantees work.

If you believe the TV hype - "Study for your MCSE and get a great job in computing!" - perhaps it's time to pause before you drink the Kool-Aid. More and more inexperienced techie wannabes are telling us that Microsoft Certified Systems Engineers without enough experience are in for one tough job hunt.

Question.techies.com, the Q&A forum on techies.com, bore some recent activity on the subject. Briana Lawson, who holds a degree in physics as well as an MCSE; Matt Chapman, a techies.com employee developing an industry standard for technology skills and competencies; and Steven Krueger, an expert with 10 years' experience as a technical training consultant, recently answered some questions about the job prognosis for MCSE holders.

Member:
I'm just finishing my MCSE certifications. All of the jobs call for a lot of experience, of which I have none. I'm not dumb. I have a bachelor's degree from Stanford, and a lot of business experience - I've owned several businesses (restaurants). How do I find jobs that are entry level?

Lawson:
It's been my personal experience that after earning a certification like the MCSE, the best way to get experience is to do some contracting through a staffing agency. I know that when I was earning my MCSE and was seeking a position, there wasn't much work available for new people. Many companies were getting their existing [employees] certified.

Having an MCSE and a degree from Stanford, you should be able to really utilize your business and technical expertise. I'd also take a look at some CIO positions, if you're open to something that doesn't require 100 percent hands-on skills. Most CIO positions are seeking someone who's experienced in the business world as well as in technology.

Member:
I am about to enter a two-year program, in which I'll obtain an A.A.S. degree, as well as the following certifications: A+, MCSE or CCNA, or both (it's possible, but rigorous.) Are these skills still in high demand, and which is preferable: the MCSE or the CCNA? Is there another certification that tops any of these? I'm fairly new to this and would like to know which direction is best before I start going down the wrong path.

Chapman:
My opinions are based on recent conversations I've had with recruiters and hiring managers. MCSEs with little or no prior IT work experience are becoming far too common in recruiter's inboxes lately. Hiring managers look at someone with no experience as a challenge whether they've proved they can pass some tests (MCSE) or not.

I'm not saying that the MCSE is not valuable. A recent article I read suggested that experienced IT professionals with their MCSE had 12 percent higher salaries than those with equal work experience but no certification. Unfortunately that doesn't do a lot of good when you try and compare 10 different applicants with no prior experience but all have their MCSE.

The CCNA hasn't been around as long. It hasn't received the same press as the MCSE, and Cisco has been a hot company recently. It's more of a supply and demand thing now (because the CCNA could easily go down the same path as the MCSE over the next few years). But the CCNA is a much better option in my opinion. Whatever you decide, getting some hands-on experience will provide the best outcome. Any certifications you pick up later will enhance that experience.

Member:
I'm an old retail manager with 19 years' experience. How can I get into the networking field? I've taught myself HTML, hand-coded my first Web site, have reformatted and re-installed Windows 98, among other things, including updating the AV software on all the PCs and configured email setups at my current workplace. I have taught myself not only what to learn, but have had to research where to get the knowledge. My passion for computing has been a near obsession. I'm currently enrolled in MCSE certification.

Krueger:
It sounds like you're already on your way to getting into the networking field by going for your MCSE. One thing to note is that, after passing one exam in the MCSE track, you are considered an MCP, a great certification for obtaining employment. So begin searching for employment immediately, don't wait until you complete all six exams for your MCSE.

Remember that your prospective employer is going to be concerned with experience. I can't count the number of people who rush off and obtain their MCSE and find out that their prospective employer still wants experience - even though they've obtained their MCSE. Its awesome that you've accelerated your technical knowledge to the degree that you have, but remember: Unless you can put this on your resume as a description of something you did as a part of your job, its difficult to say you have "experience."

That said, try and find some way in your current position as a retail manager to conduct some type of "techie project" at work. This is something you can then put on your resume as actual experience vs. actual knowledge.

Also, obtaining multi-platform certifications is very attractive to an employer. It's great that you're obtaining your MCSE, but most large companies run Novell as well, so having a CNE to go along with your MCSE is of tremendous advantage to them.

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