Thread: MSCE Curiosity

  1. #1
    sigma
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    MSCE Curiosity

    Does anyone who programs professionally see any use in getting MSCE certification? If yes, then why? I know that the IT people where I work with the certifications make less than half what I do. So what is the use?

  2. #2
    Mayor of Awesometown Govtcheez's Avatar
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    So you can say you're sigma, MCSE instead of plain old sigma.

    Seriously - it seems that during the boom in the late 90s so many people rushed out to get that and their A+ that they kinda lost meaning... At least, that's what I've heard.

  3. #3
    Banned Troll_King's Avatar
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    It doesn't hurt to be able to say that you have MCSE certification. The certification has some value, but it will not hold up against a degree. It might get you in the door of a corporation, and that's what it seems most individuals are after.

  4. #4
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    Frankly, an MCSE is about the best thing you can do for your career. You'll get a better job for more pay and less work. Your spouse/boyfriend/girlfriend will make wild, uninhibited love to you, your parents will love you, your kids will respect you, your dogs and cats will clean up after themselves. Did you know that Gandhi and Bono have MCSE's, but Saddam and Osama don't?
    Yes, an MCSE is well worth it.


    Just call me "Bill"

  5. #5
    Registered User Aran's Avatar
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    alright, john

    anyhow... what exactly is this certification that ye all are speaking of?

    I've heard brief mention of it, yet i have no real idea what it is or does.

  6. #6
    sigma
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    Here is an example that prompted the question.

    A friend and I graduated from college the same semester (1998). He double majored in computer science and mathematics, got his MSCE certification in networking and one other before graduating, and worked as an intern in the IT department that we both worked for after graduation. I majored in mathematics with a minor in computer science.

    Our offers were based on the positions we were taking. He took an offer from the IT department for $42,500, I accepted an offer as a software engineer for $44,400.

    My friend has been trying to transfer into a programming position but has not been able to due to timing. He had to stay in the IT department for two years before he could transfer internally, then is when the telecoms laid-off people and we had more programmers to choose from. This made the offers for internal transfers lower, in which case the lossing department can deny a transfer if the offer does not give a raise.

    Now four years later, my friend has received the standard merit increases for his position and is now making $58,740. I have received some merit increases above average but the rest were the average for my position and I am now making $78,560.

    My friend has looked at different companies, but since his experience is in IT, they would only make him an entry level offer for a programming position.

    The main difference with us is all my experience is in programming, and his is in IT.

    So, am I the exception, or is this common.

  7. #7
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    MCSE = Microsoft Certified System Engineer.
    Kind of a network administration certification, doesn't really deal with programming. MS has programming certifications, don't know their value in the marketplace.
    Truth is a malleable commodity - Dick Cheney

  8. #8
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    Originally posted by Unregistered
    Frankly, an MCSE is about the best thing you can do for your career. You'll get a better job for more pay and less work. Your spouse/boyfriend/girlfriend will make wild, uninhibited love to you, your parents will love you, your kids will respect you, your dogs and cats will clean up after themselves. Did you know that Gandhi and Bono have MCSE's, but Saddam and Osama don't?
    Yes, an MCSE is well worth it.
    C|N>K

  9. #9
    Banned Troll_King's Avatar
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    One of the local Universities is offering night courses on the Linux operating system. There are actually four courses that span about 9 months. At the end you can take the RHCE certification. These courses are preparation for that exam. I think that something like that would be good, and not a worthless way to spend your time.

  10. #10
    Me want cookie! Monster's Avatar
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    I tried some of the MCSD (Microsoft Certified Solution Developer) cources but each time I fell asleep.

  11. #11
    Registered User hermit's Avatar
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    what about MCSE VS RHCE? whats your opinion?

    -hermit-

  12. #12
    Banned Troll_King's Avatar
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    Originally posted by hermit
    what about MCSE VS RHCE? whats your opinion?

    -hermit-
    They are for different operating systems. An MCSE would be useless if you were using Linux and RHCE would be useless if you were using Microsoft Windows.

    I apply different valences to Linux and Microsoft operating systems.

  13. #13
    Registered User hermit's Avatar
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    what about the market at the moment? More redhat engineers or MS engineers ( whatever the call it )

  14. #14
    Banned Troll_King's Avatar
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    There are more Microsoft Techs. As far as engineers go, that might be a different story. I don't know. I think engineers need to look at the implementation of the operating system, and that is not covered by MCSE or RHCE.

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    Re: MSCE Curiosity

    Originally posted by sigma
    Does anyone who programs professionally see any use in getting MSCE certification? If yes, then why? I know that the IT people where I work with the certifications make less than half what I do. So what is the use?



    I was a former network major, and my teacher was double certified in MCSE and MCSA, as well as network +, and said that it's definately worth getting. He encouraged us all to get it, but I only took the class for about 2 months before deciding tcp/ip and the osi model just weren't for me I needed something that I could actually get into while I was learning it. Hence, I moved to programming- will be starting classes soon...

    If you're a programmer, there (probably) isn't any point in getting an MCSE, because an MCSE would get you nothing more than an entry level position in IT (if that). It could help to have it, and it wouldn't hurt.

    But one last note, certifications "seem" worthless because most don't actually prove that you've even worked with certain hardware/software. You can merely cram for a test, pass, and forget it all 2 weeks later. Something like a CCNA (Cisco certified network associate) can help someone generate a substantially larger salary due to all the time and lab work that it takes to receive one. And a CCNP makes a whole lot more than a CCNA, and both are based on certificate (programs).

    So don't underestimate the value of a certificate, it's just that microsoft/whoever certified tests can be taught, passed and forgotten in a period of months, so it doesn't substitute for a degree.
    Last edited by Terrance; 08-21-2002 at 06:41 AM.

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