Students - Blog

Earning College Credit with a Microsoft Certification

2011-06-28T01:36:00Z

I wanted to remind everyone that both students and Microsoft Certified Professionals (MCPs) are eligible to earn college credit with a Microsoft Certification. In short, approved certifications can be applied for up to six semester hours of college credit in either a bachelor’s-degree or associate-degree of computer applications, information technology, or computer information systems. There are no caveats to this. In order for you to qualify for the credit(s), you must have passed a select Microsoft Certification within the last three years.

The American Council on Education (ACE) is the governing body that has made this possible. One exciting thing about this is that they maintain a network of more than 1,500 cooperating, accredited colleges and universities! This list consists of all accredited colleges and universities that have agreed to consider ACE college-credit.

The following are Microsoft Certifications and exams that ACE recommends for college credit:

Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certifications

IT professional and developer certifications

Frequently asked questions are obtainable here:

Q. Will my school recognize the ACE credit recommendation?

Q. Is an ACE transcript different from an MCP digital transcript?

Q. Where can I find more information about the ACE College Credit Recommendation Service?

Q. Is my Microsoft Certified Application Specialist (MCAS) certification eligible for college credit?

Q. Are my MCSE and MCSA certifications eligible for college credit?

So students – whether you’re entering into your freshman year or finishing up next year as a senior, we welcome you to check out this program to start earning credit now!

Buy a PC for college and get an Xbox 360 for free!

2011-06-20T21:13:00Z

Students, if you’ve been struggling this past year taking notes on that sluggish laptop with no battery life, now’s the time to buy that new PC you need! For a limited time only (through 9/3/2011) Microsoft is offering a free Xbox 360 with the purchase of a qualifying laptop. To be eligible you only need to purchase a qualifying Windows 7 PC priced $699 or higher from the Microsoft store while showing a current student ID.

As you know, there is a lot of hype surrounding the Xbox 360 and Kinect - the motion sensing input device that enable users to control and interact with the Xbox 360 without a controller. However, ever since it was unveiled last year, Kinect has been used for much more than just gaming. KinectEDucation recently launched as a community-driven resource for developers, teachers, students, enthusiasts, and any other education stakeholder to promote the use of Kinect applications in the classroom. While the website is not directly affiliated with Microsoft, we have invited the founder of the website Johnny Kissko to come to our Redmond, Washington campus in July and present KinectEDucation in person.

Here’s a short video on KinectEDucation:

(Please visit the site to view this video)

What are your thoughts on bringing the Kinect into the classroom? Is it the future?

Be a Windows Mobile Developer when you grow up!

2011-06-09T04:05:21Z

Early on in my career, I struggled to find my niche in Information Technology. As it turned out, I didn’t know what I wanted to do when I grew up. I kept at it though, exploring all of my IT interests and landed my first role as an entry level support person who answered software support questions via email. Proving not to be as hands on as I had hoped, I later moved into a desktop and network administration role at a much larger company. Thankfully this ended up being far more suitable to my personality and it fulfilled my overall desire to troubleshoot things. I was happy.

That said, if I were given the choice again in 2011 to start my IT career over, I would likely decide on a Windows Developer role – for Windows Phone. Let me explain why.

While Windows Phone only has approximately 7% of US market share (as of March 2011, according to Nielsen), industry analysts project that it will surpass Apple’s iOS by 2015 as illustrated in the graph below.

If you think about it, these are some very encouraging statistics for those considering a career as a Windows Developer! If you decide to go this route, you will be poised for success as Windows Phone continues to penetrate the market – trust me.

Anyway, I hope this post has inspired you in some way to pick a career in an industry that is only going to keep getting bigger! Below are some additional resources on Windows Development from the Microsoft Learning student career portal.

Learning Plans To Guide the Way

Microsoft Learning Plans can help you navigate through training resources before you take your Microsoft Certification exam.

Learning Plan for the Windows developer job role

Recommended Microsoft E-Learning

These e-learning courses allow you to learn at your own pace—any time and any place.

· Collection 5160: Core Development with the Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 Foundation *

· Collection 5161: Advanced Development with the Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 Foundation *

· Collection 2541: Core Data Access Development with Microsoft Visual Studio 2005

· Collection 2542: Advanced Data Access Development with Microsoft Visual Studio 2005

· Collection 2546: Core Windows Client Development with Microsoft Visual Studio 2005

· Collection 2547: Advanced Windows Client Development with Microsoft Visual Studio 2005

* Free access to verified students through Microsoft DreamSpark

Certification Exams

Certification is a validation of your skills and can help differentiate you in today’s IT job market.

· Exam 72-536: TS: Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 – Application Development Foundation

· Exam 72-505: TS: Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5, Windows Forms Application Development

· Exam 70-563: PRO: Designing and Developing Windows Applications Using the Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5

Many Microsoft Certification exams are available at special student prices. The exams that have a "72" prefix (such as Exam 72-640), are available for students at the discounted price (up to 50% depending on country). You can take exams that have the "70" prefix; however, these exams are available at retail prices.

· Find out more about certification exam discounts for students

From the Video Library: IEEE.tv videos bring computer science to life

2011-05-31T23:19:00Z

As you move closer to graduation and will soon be entering the workforce, consider the qualifications on your resume that aren’t work experience. One way to stand out is by getting certified in Microsoft technologies. There are currently some great discounts on certifications, so be sure to check those out.

Another way that you can supercharge your resume is by being a part of professional organizations relevant to the industry you are looking to join. The best way to start is to look at industry veterans whom you respect and see if they belong to a professional group or organization. They can sometimes require a commitment of time and money, but they are worth the investment of both.

In the world of software engineering, the foremost organization is the IEEE Society, “the world’s largest professional association dedicated to advancing technological innovation and excellence for the benefit of humanity,” according to their website.

If you’re not familiar with the IEEE, it is very student-friendly and knows that the future of technological innovation lies with dedicated students. They have compiled a robust repository of interesting videos on IEEE.tv that are engaging for students interested in the IT field.

Here are a few of my videos recommendations:

Nerd Girls: This is a series that documents some cool projects by the Nerd Girls, a group of stylish, self-possessed, ambitious and confident women who are engineering students to boot. It is really an interesting series that breaks down the myth that engineering is an industry dominated by men.

Art, Technology, and Whimsy: Students at NYU's Interactive Telecommunications Program show off creations that spin technology in fun new ways, such as an upright piano rigged to make mixed drinks and a motion-sensitive belt buckle that can be used to control vintage arcade games.

The Future Awaits: This is my personal favorite. It is a retro video from the Global History Network, done as a recruitment tool for leadership positions in IEEE student branches on college campuses.

Calling all tech students: Enter the DIY Career Factor voting contest now!

2011-05-24T02:36:00Z

For those of you who have been following along with the Career Factor reality show, you have seen all of the great progress the cast has made. You have watched Steve struggle through the life of an unemployed IT pro, and have watched Rabeb successfully submit her first Windows Phone 7 app, and have cheered Caroline on as she worked her way through the MOS certification exams.

You can now become part of the story and win a prize package to follow Steve, Rabeb or Caroline’s footsteps. All you have to do is go to the Career Factor site and tell everyone in 100 characters why you deserve to win one of the following prize packages:

Windows Server® Boot Camp

One 3-exam Microsoft Certification pack for Microsoft Certified IT Professional: Enterprise Administrator
Three Windows Server 2008 Learning Plans
One practice exam from MeasureUp
One self-paced training kit (e-book) from Microsoft Press
One e-learning collection from Microsoft

Develop For Windows® Phone 7

One 3-exam Microsoft Certification pack for Microsoft Certified Professional Developer with Windows Phone 7 concentration
Three Learning Plans (Windows Phone 7, Microsoft Silverlight 4, .NET Framework 4)
One e-book from Microsoft Press
One practice exam from MeasureUp
One e-learning collection from Microsoft

Conquer Microsoft® Office

Four Microsoft Office Specialist Certification exams, including Expert level (Microsoft Office 2007 or 2010)
One study guide (e-book) from Microsoft Press
One practice exam from MeasureUp
One e-learning collection from Microsoft

This is the perfect opportunity for you to win big. As a student, you have everything going for you. The winners will be selected entirely on the number of votes they receive. So as a college student, you have a very active network of friends online. Just tell them to vote for you via Facebook and Twitter, and you’ll have a good chance of winning!

This is a great opportunity to get free stuff that can actually help you in your pursuit of a career in IT. Get certified and get noticed by future employers.

Anyone can win, enter now!

End-of-semester reminder: Get a Microsoft Certification – generous discount ends soon!

2011-04-27T23:24:00Z

A Microsoft Certification is always a good idea, whether you're at a tech student at university, IT college, working in an IT department, or looking to switch into the IT field. Competition for jobs is fierce, but a Microsoft Certification will help set you apart from all the other applicants and will help your resume rise to the top of the pile!

And just in time for all the college students graduating this May, not only do you get over 50% off the standard exam price, if you take your certification test before June 30th, you can take advantage of the FREE Exam Retake offer -if you don't pass your the first try, try again!

To take advantage of this offer before it expires -- grab a voucher code at www.microsoft.com/learning/studentdiscounts. Act now, offer ends June 30, 2011 and Microsoft Certification exam prices increase July 1.

Get Plugged In – The 15 Top Blogs for IT Students to Read

2011-04-14T20:30:39Z

As a student in IT, it is important to stay up to speed on the latest trends in technology because those trends often indicate the fastest-growing career paths. There are hundreds of thousands of tech blogs out there, but not all of them are created equal. Here are a few of the best blogs we’ve found for students to follow.

Start with some of the heavy hitters such as:

Engadet – Blog includes obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics.
Mashable – On of the most widely viewed sources for news in social and digital media, technology and web culture.
Gizmodo – “The gadget guide.” Latest news on gadgets and technology.
Boy Genius Report (BGR) - Technology category leader among early adopters, savvy technophiles, and casual readers.
GigaOM – Well-known provider of online media, events and research for global technology innovators.
TechCrunch – Blog dedicated to profiling startups, reviewing new Internet products, and breaking tech news.

Once you are familiar with these blogs and what they offer, start to dive deeper into the blog world:

gHacks Technology News - Software reviews, Internet news, and Windows and Linux tutorials.
ReadWriteWeb – One of the more popular technology blogs out there that covers a very broad range of trending topics. Known for insightful analysis about each day's Internet industry news.
The Windows Blog – Everything Windows
Digital Inspiration - Award winning technology blog. Features software reviews, consumer gadgets and useful web applications.
Beta News - Tech gear, cloud computing, and IT Systems news and popular file forum. In the last couple of years BetaNews has stepped up its game, hiring a well-known Microsoft authority Joe Wilcox from eWeek.
Dvice – Not as widely followed as the key consumer technology blogs but a favorite. Tech news and plenty of engineering concepts and designs. A fun read.
How-To Geek – Computer help, how-to’s, and IT tips.
Redmond Pie - Covers news from Microsoft, Google, and Apple. Geared toward those who love the technological innovations coming out from Microsoft and other companies.
Naked Security – IT security blog of the year. News, opinion, advice and research on computer security issues and the latest internet threats.

These blogs will plug you into the pipeline of IT news. As you start to find trends that are interesting to you, take a look at the sources these blogs link to, generally blogs that are even more focused. This is a good way to refine your interests and expertise, and help develop your niche as a hirable employee.

Any other blogs that you read on a daily basis that we missed?

Stack your resume - Tips to land a summer internship

2011-03-31T02:09:00Z

Students, your IT career is just around the corner. But you need to land that first job, right? An internship is a great option and can be one of the most important things you do before graduation. The experience can help you explore IT and, in many cases, position you for a full-time job offer. With these benefits and a challenging job market, you’ll want to differentiate yourself from the other candidates and guarantee that competitive advantage.

Here is some helpful advice:

Get Experience

School Organizations: Build and utilize your own professional network. Get involved with a school-affiliated organization that participates in real-world activities that relate to your major. This is a great way to get to know the students in your class, meet future contacts that will work in your industry, and diversify your college experience from other college graduates. It also looks great on a resume.

School Projects: What are you learning in school? Showcase it! You are doing projects related to your field every semester. Be sure to highlight that experience in your resume and showcase what you have learned. If you are at the top of your class, ask for a recommendation from your professor and post it on your LinkedIn profile or resume.

Use your resources

University Career Centers: Most universities have departments specifically dedicated to finding students internships and full time jobs. Be sure to take advantage of all their different services including resume building and workshops highlighting best practices for interviewing. Once you feel like your resume is solid and you have finely tuned your interviewing skills, check out different job postings on their website and apply early!

Career Fairs: Go to your school sponsored Career Fairs. These provide a great way to learn about companies in your area and find a company best suited for you. It’s a great way to apply to a number of places at once and build relationships by having conversations with the different recruiters at each booth. Don’t forget to dress professionally. See http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewattire/a/interviewdress.htm

Connections: You’ve heard it over and over that success is all about who you know. Well, it holds a lot of truth. Exhaust all your connections! The Born to Learn blog can help you. Get advice from the experts and be active on blogs like Born to Learn. If you know someone in the field, be persistent and find out everything you can about what they do. Show interest and pass along your resume for future consideration. What could it hurt?

Stand out

Resume and Cover Letter: Get advice from as many professionals as possible. Everyone has a different opinion on resumes. When applying for an IT position, wherever possible, quantify your experience. Mention numerically, time periods/efficiency improved, lines of code written/debugged, numbers of machines administered/fixed, etc. which demonstrate progress or accomplishments due directly to your work. Begin sentences with action verbs related to IT field. Show yourself as someone who is active, uses their brain, and gets things done. Stick with the past tense, even for descriptions of currently held positions, to avoid confusion. Make sure you can effectively sell yourself in one page. Employers will scan over these very quickly and you need something that will catch the eye. Many times, grammatical errors catch the eye so be careful and review it multiple times before sending it out! Some companies require you to send in a cover letter along with your resume. You can create a generic cover letter highlighting qualities that you think will benefit the company OR you can customize a cover letter for each company that you apply to. This will help you stand out among applicants that go generic!

You can also find some great advice from Microsoft/Student on resumes and cover letters.

Take classes and get certified: This time of year many college students will be competing for the best internships. Set yourself apart from everyone else by showcasing how hard you’ve worked. For example, if you have any interest in working for Microsoft, a great way to stand out from the crowd is to earn a Microsoft Certification. Being MS Certified shows that you not only got your degree in college, but you have worked hard to accomplish other goals. Check out My Intern Life 2 to see what life is like as a Microsoft intern.

Don’t wait to apply for internships! Start now! Most companies are already reviewing applications for summer internship spots. Use these tips to make sure you secure your internship spot!

Save the Date: Career Factor Tweet Chat

2011-03-12T02:56:17Z

Hi everyone, it’s me again. Kevin, the student from Career Factor. I just wanted to invite you to a very cool Tweet Chat with the Career Factor cast. The chat will take place next week, and is an event for anyone looking to get in touch with people who are seeking certifications just like you. So if you are (like me) wondering which direction to take on your career path after graduation, come chat with me.

It will be on Twitter under a chat called #CFchat. If you don't know much about Tweet Chats (I didn't either, it's easy to setup quickly) check out http://tweetchat.com/room/cfchat.The other Career Factor cast and I will be joining in to speak with the public, so if you have are looking to find out more about a specific certification, or have any tips you’d like to share, please join us!

Open on 2 days: March 16th at 10am PDT (check your time) and March 17th at 5pm PDT (check your time).

Networking with other techies is the best way to accelerate your career as you look into internships or entry-level jobs. And on Twitter, everyone's on the same playing field – from interns to hiring managers to CTOs. Who knows, you just might meet your next boss.

Message me on Twitter or Facebook and see you next Wednesday/Thursday!

-Kevin

Smartphone Security: A new niche market for students to consider

2011-02-28T20:17:44Z

At last week’s RSA Conference in San Francisco, one of the key topics discussed was smartphone security. In this day in age where the smart phone is as capable and connected as a personal computer, many vendors predict that smartphones will become the next big target for malware. Although there have not been many documented mobile malware scares yet in the US, in many countries the problem has already arisen.

One of the main concerns vendors say is that people put information on their smartphone that they may not put on their PC since their phones generally are never out of their immediate control so they feel more secure. However, it is that same mobility that puts them at risk - smartphones can be lost easily and they cross through myriad wireless networks on any given day.

Similarly, the caution PC users exhibit when downloading and installing software on their PCs may not carry over to their smartphones even though their phones may be just as vulnerable. Fortunately many companies are taking preventative steps to ensure the security of their products with these risks in mind. The Windows Phone, for example, has a strict application development process making certain the security of its users’ information.

According to the PCWorld coverage of RSA conference, many security software companies have either released or are planning to release a mobile security app of some sort showing that over the next few years a large emphasis will be placed on smartphone security and the development of smartphone security apps. This can be a huge opportunity for students looking to set themselves apart in searching for employment. Students with knowledge and skills in smartphone application development and security will prove to be valuable assets to their future employers. The ability to protect vital mobile information will become increasingly relevant as smartphone use and technology continues to grow.

Students interested in learning more about mobile applications should familiarize themselves with Windows Mobile MCTS certifications.

A student’s angle to Career Factor

2011-02-16T21:12:00Z

It’s that time again and school is in full swing. My name is Kevin, and I am a participant in Microsoft’s Career Factor online reality show.

I’d like to talk some about my “Career Factor” experience and how using blogs and social media helps advance my knowledge of the IT world.

Let me first begin by encouraging students to work while in school. I work in the computer lab on campus at my university and I also am working towards completing some Microsoft certifications!

It is that final semester and I am a big advocate of pursuing certifications while in school. As I approach graduation in May this year, I begin to see how classmates around me are competing for the same jobs that I am also applying for. We know that the last several years of the job market have been a bit rocky, and nobody wants to graduate with no leads on jobs.

I have noticed there has been a lot of work, mixed with excitement, towards getting Microsoft certifications. So naturally, to have the advantage in the field of my future career is priceless here.

Essentially, I have had three core items on my to-do lists this semester:

School (graduation)
Work (on campus IT job)
Certifications (reading/preparing for exams)

Come the middle of February, school will have been going for a month now. I have three more months of work to do – but it will one day pay off.

I wish I could have gotten started on certifications in previous semesters. In fact, I am beginning to learn that certifications are almost like piece of Graduate School degrees to have under your belt on resumes! If I could do it again or at least give students (non-seniors & seniors) suggestions, I would recommend them starting MSCE practice exams as soon as they feel a passion for working in IT.

Another recommendation: being an active member of social networks can be huge. I don’t know if you have seen the movie or not called “The Social Network” but it is true to the world of today. I joined Facebook when I entered college. My parents and many other parents jumped on the Facebook movement just years ago. Twitter, on the other hand, I just started with this last year or two. Learning to make use of these resources is pretty helpful in looking for jobs and leads on what companies want to do next. It even helps as a tool to spread awareness for Career Factor itself and to ask questions about what I should work with and study extra to pass my exams.

A little about what I am doing now for Career Factor:

Blogging and asking questions on www.thecareerfactor.com
Reading a few certification books, in pursuit of MSCE certifications.
Keeping updated with companies, recruiters, and job fairs
Connecting and staying plugged in to the relationships around me that are my support

So if you’re interested in following my pursuit for success and eventually jobs, connect with me on Career Factor. You don’t know how much being a student flies by!

-Kevin Dicken

Watching Career Factor can help you plot your IT goals

2011-02-11T03:51:24Z

Many of you may have seen or heard of the exciting new online reality series Career Factor through Microsoft Learning. Here’s a quick overview:

Career Factor is an online reality show focused on the lives of a handful of IT professionals at different stages of their professional development. Each of theses candidates comes from a different background but all have set career goals for themselves and have invited you to follow their steps along the way. They are sharing their experiences through social media – blog posts, video confessionals, Facebook and Twitter feed.

For students, the show offers an interesting peek into what your lives could look like years down the road as IT professionals. You can learn from participants’ experiences that can help guide your own skills development as you consider what certification tracks would work best for each of you. Closer to home, the show includes fellow students, Kevin, Caroline and Rabeb, so be sure to cheer them on!

A little more info about the students participating in Career Factor:

Kevin Dicken: The Student. Kevin is a college senior studying Management Information Systems at DBU in Dallas, TX. Kevin grew up as a technology enthusiast and found his niche for helping those around him with their computers problems.
Caroline Weilinger: The Office Competition Contender. Caroline is a student at SAIT Polytechnic in Calgary, enrolled in the Administrative Information Management (AIM) program. Her goal is to train to compete and succeed at the 2011 Certiport Worldwide Competition on Office.
Rabeb Othmani: The Windows Phone 7 Developer. Rabeb is a senior computer engineering student at The Faculty of Sciences of Tunis (FST) who specializes in User Experience Technologies including Silverlight, Windows Presentation Foundation, and Windows Phone 7, in addition to C# and .NET Technologies.

Be sure to visit the participant’s profiles to see their updates, blogs, and videos, and to follow them on Twitter. They will appreciate the support!

Join the mailing list for an exclusive offer!

2011-02-08T23:26:10Z

Make sure you're up to date on the latest discounts and products to help you get trained and certified!

Our new mailing list features the information you need to take advantage of new special offers as you reach your learning goals. We won't send too many emails (promise!), so anything we do send is intended to help you get skilled and get hired.

Oh, and here's another reason: Sign up by February 28 and get a free excerpt from an upcoming (and very popular) Microsoft Press book! Mailing list subscribers will get to read and use this excerpt long before the book is published, so take advantage of this limited-time opportunity. Sign up today!

Good news for grads: IT budgets to increase in 2011

2011-02-03T21:50:02Z

Great news for graduating IT students! According to an Economic Impact Survey taken by CIO of 333 top IT executives, 54 percent plan to increase their budget in 2011. This is a big improvement from May 2009 when a mere 14 percent planned to increase their budget. Where will all this increased funding be spent? Many IT executives will be investing in mobile solutions, top-line revenue-generating projects, and applications. Even more exciting for students is news that 56 percent will be increasing salaries and 42 percent plan on bringing on new employees.

What does this mean for IT students? This means that now, at the beginning of 2011 is a great time to start looking for employment for after graduation. If you haven’t already started applying, there is no better time to start than now. Also, familiarizing yourself with in-demand technologies is essential for anyone entering the job market this year. A great route for students to take will be to specialize in mobile technologies and application development. Even if that is not your specialty, becoming familiar with the concepts and technologies will definitely prove an invaluable asset to you as you search for a job.

Earning a Microsoft Certifications can help prove to employers your expertise in your field. To start your education in these in-demand and other technologies visit the Microsoft Learning Training page.

[via CIO]

Are You a Student Looking to Land a Career in IT?

2011-01-27T03:53:48Z

For students who are just getting started in an IT career, Microsoft has lots of resources. One career resource is the Microsoft Student Career Portal. It’s a good place to check out IT job roles like Web Developer, a Server Administrator, Consumer Support Technician, etc. If you're not quite sure which direction to take, the portal has a nifty tool to explore which role might be a good fit.

Once you have a job role in mind, dig a little deeper by going into Start Your Career and selecting that job role. You'll see that each role outlines the skills necessary and training you need to get there. The final step, of course, is validating your skills. Microsoft offers great discounts for students who are interested in getting a Microsoft Certification. As you enter the job market, a Microsoft Certification is a good way to set yourself apart as you look for a job in a competitive job market. And, it just so happens that you can get up to 55% off standard certification exam fees PLUS a Free Exam Retake by going to Special Offers.

Hear what other students have to say: (Please visit the site to view this video)

Check out these other Microsoft career resources for students:

Student to Business - Find internships and jobs from Microsoft partners, and unique networking opportunities, plus the guidance and connections needed to help ensure that you are prepared to meet the needs of companies around the globe.

Dreamspark - Download and use Microsoft tools and software to unlock your creative potential and embark on a path that will help lead to your academic and career success. Hone your skills in technical design, technology, math, science, or engineering.

Own Your Future – Get information on how to build a resume, write an effective cover letter or have the perfect job interview