Monday, September 7, 2009

Training For a Career in Networking Simplified

By Jason Kendall

Currently in the UK, commercial institutions could not function efficiently without the help of support workers mending PC's and networks, while making recommendations to users each and every day. Because our society becomes growingly dependent on our PC's, we simultaneously find ourselves increasingly more reliant upon the commercially qualified IT networkers, who ensure the systems function properly.

Potential trainees looking to begin a career in computers and technology often have no idea of what route to follow, or even what market to obtain accreditation for.

As without any commercial skills in computing, in what way could we understand what someone in a particular job does?

Ultimately, the right conclusion can only grow from a detailed examination covering many varying key points:

* Our personalities play a starring role - what gives you a 'kick', and what are the areas that you really dislike.

* What length of time can you allocate for retraining?

* Where is the salary on a scale of importance - is it the most important thing, or is job satisfaction a lot higher on the priority-scale?

* Often, trainees don't consider the work expected to achieve their goals.

* Our advice is to think deeply about the amount of time and effort you're going to give to your training.

The bottom line is, the only real way of covering these is through an in-depth discussion with an experienced advisor who through years of experience will give you the information required.

Don't accept anything less than the current Microsoft (or relevant organisation's) authorised exam preparation packages.

Ensure that the simulated exams aren't just asking you the right questions on the correct subjects, but ask them in the way that the actual final exam will phrase them. This can really throw some trainees if they're met with completely different formats and phraseologies.

Mock exams will prove very useful for confidence building - so when it comes to taking the real thing, you don't get phased.

Get rid of a salesperson who just tells you what course you should do without a thorough investigation to assess your abilities as well as level of experience. Make sure they can draw from a expansive product range so they're able to give you a program that suits you..

Where you have a strong background, or even a touch of work-based experience (maybe some existing accreditation?) then obviously the level you'll need to start at will be very different from a trainee who has no experience.

Starting with a foundation module first can be the best way to get up and running on your computer studies, but depends on your skill level.

A sneaky way that training companies make more money is through up-front charges for exams and offering an exam guarantee. It looks impressive, until you think it through:

Everybody's aware that they're still being charged for it - it's quite obvious to see that it's already in the overall figure from the training company. It's absolutely not free - don't think these companies are so generous with their money!

Qualifying on the first 'go' is what everyone wants to do. Going for exams in order and paying as you go has a marked effect on pass-rates - you prepare appropriately and are mindful of the investment you've made.

Sit the exam at a local pro-metric testing centre and don't pay up-front, but seek out the best deal for you when you're ready.

Paying upfront for exams (and interest charges if you're borrowing money) is a false economy. Resist being talked into filling the training company's account with your hard-earned cash simply to help their cash-flow! A lot bank on the fact that you won't get to do them all - then they'll keep the extra money.

It's also worth noting that 'Exam Guarantees' often aren't worth the paper they're written on. Most companies won't pay for re-takes until you have demonstrated conclusively that you won't fail again.

Paying maybe a thousand pounds extra on an 'Exam Guarantee' is naive - when consistent and systematic learning, coupled with quality exam simulation software is what will really guarantee success.

We're often asked why traditional academic studies are now falling behind more commercially accredited qualifications?

As demand increases for knowledge about more and more complex technology, industry has had to move to specific, honed-in training that can only be obtained from the actual vendors - for example companies such as Microsoft, CompTIA, CISCO and Adobe. Often this saves time and money for the student.

Clearly, an appropriate degree of associated information has to be learned, but core specialisation in the areas needed gives a commercially trained person a distinct advantage.

It's a bit like the TV advert: 'It does what it says on the tin'. All an employer has to do is know where they have gaps, and then advertise for someone with the specific certification. They'll know then that all applicants can do what they need.

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