Earlier this year we asked the Career Factor cast to give us feedback on their journey so far and any advice they have for others following their paths. As their stories come to a close, we’re publishing their personal statements to help you get inspired to start your own journey. (Another great place to start is the DIY Career Factor contest, which ends June 15!)
Today’s advice comes from Caroline and Simon.
The Office Competition Competitor - Caroline
What was your starting point before Career Factor?My knowledge base in regards to the Microsoft Office Suite prior to Career Factor was not overly extensive. My experience with MOS was fresh, in that I was only just learning the material though my schooling in the AIM program at SAIT Polytechnic. What was your goal for Career Factor?Being in Career Factor has been a huge motivator for me. The goals that I had set for myself prior to Career Factor were far different than the goals I have for myself now. Prior to the show, the Microsoft Office Suite was new to me, as I had only just begun my studies in the AIM program in 2009. The courses offered in the AIM program have given me a momentous boost in my knowledge and confidence in the suite. I knew about the MOS certification exams through my instructors, and I knew I wanted to challenge them. What I did not know was that I would later be offered the opportunity to take part in a reality show that would follow my journey through taking these certification exams. Needless to say, what had gone from a hope to pass each exam had now turned into “I must get perfect scores on each of these exams in hopes to later compete in a Microsoft Office World Wide Competition!” How would you do this again, knowing what you know now?The resources that have become available to me were fantastic. If I were to go through this again I’m not sure that I would change much when it came to the resources I have used to prepare myself. Being a contestant on Career Factor really opened up a lot of doors for me in the sense that I may not have even known about a lot of the resources available to help me get the best education on the office suite as possible. I have also been very fortunate to have the help of all my peers and instructors here at SAIT. Without them I’m not sure that this journey through exams would be going so smoothly. Some of the resources I have relied on in preparation for the exams are:
The IT Manager - Simon
What was your starting point before Career Factor?Prior to Career Factor I was an experienced .NET programmer holding an MCPD in Windows Forms development (.NET2/VS2005) managing a team of 8 developers who, although they had a wide range of experience in Windows development, were not certified. What was your goal for Career Factor?The goal that I set at the start of Career Factor was to get enough of my team (at least 4) certified on the latest (.NET 4) technologies such that we as a company would be able to retain our Microsoft Partner Network benefits. How would you do this again, knowing what you know now?MS Press Self-Paced training kits are invaluablePractise Tests from both the training kit and companies such as MeasureUp.E-learning and certification planner from the MS websiteSome sort of machine that allows me to find another 2 days a week to prepare for exams – Making/Finding the time to study is the hardest thing when juggling with a full time job that does not readily allow on-the-job study.