We were thrilled to feature Buck Woody for two tweetchat sessions on August 28. We talked about everything from ideas for aspiring DBAs to mentorship, from continuous learning to blogging tips and community involvement. Buck shared many resources and retweetable sound bites. If you were able to join us live, thank you for your contribution to the great chat. If you missed it... fear not. Below are replays of both tweetchats.
Bonus question: What do you think about all the tweetchats we've done so far? Is there a guest you'd like to see featured next? Please post suggestions in a comment below. Thanks!
Replay of session 1 - RSS feed
Replay of session 2 - RSS feed
With the 20th anniversary of Microsoft Learning upon us, we are heading into an unprecedented year in terms of new products and respective training and certification opportunities. Developers and IT Professionals have never had more opportunity to increase core skills and enable career success. Our goal continues to be developer and IT Professional empowerment and success through training and certification and we are very pleased to announce that Microsoft is bringing back its hugely popular Second Shot promotion—giving anyone a free extra chance to pass that exam! The Second Shot offer is valid through May of 2013 and we hope that many will take advantage of the opportunity.
Alison CunardGeneral ManagerMicrosoft Learning, Worldwide Marketing & Sales
Second Shot is available for single exams and featured certification packs.For more info and to get your voucher, visit http://aka.ms/secondshot .Spread the word on Twitter with hashtag #SecondShot.
When I heard about the idea for Be the Next Microsoft Employee back in February I couldn’t believe it. Hiring at Microsoft is a deep and complex process. Getting a new position added is also a mighty challenge. So when I heard that not only was the concept for this contest pitched and funded, but that an actual position had been opened for the winner of this contest, I was blown away!
And I was super-excited to get started…
I’m a product planner for Microsoft Learning’s SQL Server 2012 portfolio, so it was natural that as we started designing the contestant challenges, we’d look to the basic themes in our certification program for SQL Server. We knew from the job description that these candidates would be vying for a job where the ultimate candidate would be someone who held the new SQL Server 2012 MCSE: Data Platform certification, so that’s exactly what we did. If you’ve been following along with each challenge, you may have noticed a parallel between the challenges and the exams on the path to MCSE. The basic goal we had was that if someone was already an MCSE, these challenges should be difficult, but achievable. Just like the work we do here at Microsoft every day. Let me summarize them for you:
Challenge
Exam
1. Write a complicated query
70-461: Querying Microsoft SQL Server 2012
2. Modify security settings
70-462: Administering Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Databases
3. Propose an ETL strategy
70-463: Implementing a Data Warehouse with Microsoft SQL Server 2012
4. Debug a database problem
70-464: Developing Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Databases
5. Design an OLTP solution
70-465: Designing Database Solutions for Microsoft SQL Server 2012
We were thrilled to sign-up our amazing lead judge Buck Woody, and set off laying out the details of the challenges and recruiting our panel of experts to help us guest-judge each episode. We couldn’t be happier with the incredible support and participation of Tobias Ternstrom, Dandy Weyn, Denny Lee, boB Taylor, and Karen Lopez. All of the judges brought their real-world perspective to the contest, and we couldn’t have done the show without them.
Imagine our surprise when we met the final candidates, learned about their diverse skill sets and backgrounds, and then watched them each have different levels of success with each challenge. It was real world, and it was just like working on a team at Microsoft. Thanks to our contestants Alex, Chris, Mike and Stacy for handling our tricky challenges, our sometimes harsh critiques, and the chaos of filming a reality show all with grace and style. We’d work with any of you…
So, do you want to Be the Next Microsoft Employee? Get Certified. We’re hiring.
Do you wish you could ask a real, live person who has had a successful career in IT how the heck they’ve done it? Now’s your chance!
On August 28, you can ask Buck Woody your questions about careers, training, and certification during one of two tweetchats. Join #20Yrs20Ways from 7-8am and/or 6-7pm PDT and get your questions answered.
If you don’t yet know Buck, you’re in for a treat. He’s a Senior Technical Specialist at Microsoft. He’s also an author, a blogger, a teacher, a sought after speaker and was just a judge on the reality show Be the Next Microsoft Employee. He holds more certifications than he can count and has worked in IT since they had to shout 0’s and 1’s at each other across the room. As he says, “I’m very old, and know all the secret things.”
Get ready for these fun and informative hours with Buck by following @MSLearning and @BuckWoody on Twitter, and watch for hastag #20yrs20ways. Come find out what Buck’s secrets to success are on August 28!
Microsoft Learning’s year-long celebration of our first 20 years of certification—20 Years|20 Ways—is focused on creating better careers and better lives for IT pros, developers and students around the world. Creating a successful career can be complicated. But there are a few key ingredients to success that are true whether you’re looking for your first job or your next. One of those is having an on-line presence that impresses.
If your on-line presence needs a boost, give it a sure-fire spit shine with Way #13’s ‘Update to Impress Checklist’.
1. LinkedIn: If you don’t have a profile, create one. If you do have one, make sure it’s current, and includes a list of your certifications or a link to your MCP Virtual Business Card.
2. About.Me: Quickly and easily create a personal page. Big plus—ability to add eye-catching graphics.
3. Personal Blog: If you have one, make sure your bio is current and points someplace where a potential employer can read all about you (e.g. LinkedIn or About.Me.)
4. For MCP members:
It doesn’t take long to work your way through these three or four items, but the pay-off can be huge.
For more tips on personal branding on the social web, listen to the keynote address "Building the Brand of You!" by Stephen Rose at our 2012 Microsoft Certified Career Conference. To access to recording, visit the site and click on the "Microsoft Certified Career Conference" tile in the middle (login or registration required).
Do you have any other tips for making a great online impression? Share with us in a comment below!
Do you have experience using Visual Studio 2012? Want to help me determine which the questions that will appear on certification exam? If so, I have just the thing for you! We currently have seven Visual Studio 2012 certification exams in beta. By using the code in the table below, you can take the beta exam for free. But HURRY! The seats are available on a first come, first served basis, and the opportunity to take them for free will expire when all of the seats have been filled or on the expiration dates listed below (we've extended some of these dates), whichever comes first. To register for one of these exams, go to: http://www.register.prometric.com/, and follow the prompts.
Code
Codes Expire
481: Essentials of Developing Windows Metro style Apps using HTML5 and JavaScript
FYT481
8/20
482: Advanced Metro style App Development using HTML5 and JavaScript
GXZ482
8/17
483: Programming in C#
JOK483
8/21
484: Essentials of Developing Windows Metro style Apps using C#
FTT484
9/5
485: Advanced Metro style App Development using C#
FTT485
9/7
486: Developing ASP.NET 4.5 MVC Web Applications
WWW486
487: Developing Windows Azure and Web Services
WWW487
9/4
To learn more about the certifications that you can earn by taking these exams (and yes, if you pass the required exams in beta, you will earn the associated certification!), see Krista's post. Good luck!
If you have any questions about the beta process, let me know!
We are delighted to announce the latest offering in our reinvented Microsoft Certification Program, the Microsoft Certified Solution Developer (MCSD): Web Applications certification.
Today's customers expect high-quality, interactive line-of-business and consumer applications. With Visual Studio 2012, developers can use a single integrated solution to create modern, interactive web applications that seamlessly integrate with data-driven services. The MCSD: Web Applications certification is for developers who want the skills to build applications demanded in today’s market using MVC, Azure, HTML5, and CSS3.
Candidates must pass the following three exams to earn the MCSD: Web Applications certification:
Earning an MCSD: Web Applications certification helps developers build the skills needed to create tomorrow’s apps and provides a competitive advantage in the industry. Developers who achieve this challenging certification must regularly demonstrate their up-to-date and relevant skills on rapidly changing development technologies through recertification. The certifications will be achievable when the final versions of the exams release in mid-October.
The free beta period is running right now through August 12th for Exams 486 and 487, and there are still a limited number of free seats available! Register today with the promotional codes below to take these exams for free. Note that you will not receive your score until the live version of these exams are released.
The free beta period is already completed for Exam 480. (Missed it? Make sure you complete a Microsoft Learning SME Profile and keep it updated so we can send you a notification next time!) The good news is that you can still take the 480 beta exam, though at the regular exam price. Look for a 71- prefix when you register at Prometric.com, rather than the 70- prefix you see above. The live version of exam 480 is due out later this month, so you won't need to wait long to receive your result.
If you already hold an MCPD: Web Developer 4 certification, you're in luck. You can take advantage of a two-exam upgrade path. Upgrade exams will be available shortly after the live release of all the underlying exams.
Each exam will have a single, corresponding 5-day course that maps covers all that exam's objectives. Course 20480: Programming in HTML5 with JavaScript and CSS3, is expected to be available in October, with 20486 and 20487 arriving a few months later. Exam prep books will also follow in early calendar year 2013.
Visit our new MCSD: Web Applications page for full details on this exciting new certification.
As of today Windows 8 has been released to manufacturing (RTM)! This means means the final code is complete and Microsoft will deliver the “brand new OS” to hardware and software vendors.
Consumers will be able get Windows 8 starting on October 26th either by upgrading for $39.99 or on a new PC or device. And if you buy an eligible Windows 7 PC today, you will be able to purchase an upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for $17.99 through the Windows Upgrade Offer
However, Microsoft have a number of programs that provides various audiences early access to the Windows 8 RTM code to help prepare for Windows 8 as it enters the marketplace this fall:
Windows Server 2012 Arrives September 4
Windows Server 2012 has been released to manufacturing, too. That means the final code is complete and Microsoft will deliver the “brand new OS” to hardware and software vendors & partners this week. Good news for MSDN and TechNet subscribers and MS Partners, as Microsoft will also make the software available to their volume licensing customers in the next couple of weeks.
Get out your calendars and free up some time on September 4 you will need it
Most of the exams for SQL Server 2008, Visual Studio 2008, Visual Studio 2010, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Server 2008 will be retiring on July 31, 2013. Exams for SharePoint Server 2007 and Project Server 2007 will be retiring on January 31, 2013. After these exams retire, the certifications towards which they count will no longer be available to be earned. Already started on your certification path? That’s okay! You’ve still got plenty of time to achieve it, so go for it. If you earn a current MCITP or MCPD certification while it is still available, in most cases a shorter upgrade path with be available to our new MCSE and MCSD certifications.
Upcoming exam retirements
The Microsoft Certification team continually monitors industry trends and then revises exams and certification requirements to keep pace with changes in technology. On a regular basis, new exams are introduced and older exams are revised or retired. Certifications you have earned remain valid even if qualifying exams have been retired. When an exam you passed is retired, your transcript retains the record of the exam and identifies the exam as retired.
Five exams are scheduled to retire on September 30, 2012, including Exchange Server 2007 exams. Nine exams are scheduled to retire on January 31, 2013, including SharePoint Server 2007 and Project Server 2007 exams. Forty-nine exams relating to SQL Server 2008, Visual Studio 2008, Visual Studio 2010, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Server 2008 are scheduled to retire on July 31, 2013. Note that both exams and dates planned for retirement may be subject to change.
Availability of related certifications
SQL Server 2008, Visual Studio 2008 and Visual Studio 2010 certifications
We will be retiring all of the Visual Studio 2008 exams and most of the Visual Studio 2010 and SQL Server 2008 exams on July 31, 2013. As of that date, the following certifications will no longer be available to be earned:
New Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA) and Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE) certifications for SQL Server 2012 are already available, and new Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer (MCSD) certifications for Visual Studio 2012 are coming soon.
Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008 certifications
We will be retiring all of the Windows Server 2003 and most of the Windows Server 2008 exams on July 31, 2013. As of that date, the following certifications will no longer be available to be earned:
New MCSE: Private Cloud and MCSA: Windows Server certifications are already available, and other MCSE certifications covering other solutions are coming soon.
For some weird reason, my embedded links weren't working when I published this blog originally. Here it is again with the URLs provided. I have no idea what happened here... HUGE THANKS to Rogerio for letting me know!
I hope that you all know by now that you can "experience" each of the question types (or, in psychometric parlance, 'item types') that you might see on any of our exams by going here: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/certification/exam.aspx#tab4. Each video provides a quick tutorial on the question type, its various features and functionality, and how to answer it if you see an item like it on the exam. As you know, we recently introduced a new item type, short answer code (http://borntolearn.mslearn.net/btl/b/weblog/archive/2012/05/11/short-answer-code-questions-coming-soon.aspx), and I'm happy to announce that its tutorial is now available.
In addition, we have updated some of the other tutorials to reflect changes that we've made to some of our item types (e.g., remember my last blog post about eating my own dog food--these changes are reflected in these updates) and streamlined the page so you can easily find the tutorial for the item type that you're interested in (although it's worth watching all of them as you prepare for an exam!).
Even if you've taken one of our exams in the past, I encourage you to visit this site and watch the videos (http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/certification/exam.aspx#tab4) on the different item types that you might encounter on an exam. We generally do not identify the item types that you'll see on any of our exams because we expect you to understand the exam content, regardless of how it is presented. That being said, you should expect a combination of item types on your exams, and the better you understand how to interact with our item types--what you need to do to answer them--the better prepared you will be for the exam...and the more time you can spend focusing on the content of the question rather than on the mechanics of how to answer it can only benefit you in the long run.
Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to watch these videos (http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/certification/exam.aspx#tab4). I look forward to hearing what you think!