Insights Into Microsoft IT Online Self-Paced Training
Nice One! Reading this subject matter indicates you’re probably wondering about where you’re going, and if training for a new career’s in your mind that means you’ve taken it further than the majority of people will. Did you know that just one in ten of us would say we are fulfilled in our working life – but the majority won’t do a thing about it. We encourage you to stand out from the crowd and make a start – those who do hardly ever regret it.
Before we even think about specific training programs, seek out someone who will be able to guide you on which area will be right for you. Someone who can ask questions about your likes and dislikes, and discover what type of job will be right for you:
* Do you operate better working alone or is being part of a team more important to you?
* What’s important that you get from the industry your job is in? (If it’s stability you’re after, you might think twice about banks or the building industry right now.)
* And how many years do you want to get out of your retraining, and can your chosen industry offer you the chance to do that?
* Are you confident that retraining in your chosen sector is commercially viable, and will offer the chance to be employed up to retirement age?
A predominant industry in Great Britain to meet the above criteria is Information Technology. There’s a shortage of qualified technicians in IT, just search any job site and you’ll see for yourself. Don’t let people tell you it’s full of techie geeks staring at theirscreens every day – there are loads more jobs than that. Large numbers of staff in IT are people of average intelligence, with well paid and stimulating jobs.
You should only consider study courses that progress to industry recognised qualifications. There are loads of trainers proposing their own ‘in-house’ certificates which aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on in the real world. From an employer’s perspective, only the top companies like Microsoft, Adobe, Cisco or CompTIA (to give some examples) give enough bang for your buck. Anything less won’t make the grade.
A fatal Faux-Pas that potential students often succumb to is to concentrate on the course itself, and not focus on where they want to get to. Colleges are stacked to the hilt with unaware students that chose an ‘interesting’ course – in place of something that could gain them an enjoyable career or job. Imagine training for just one year and then end up doing the actual job for 10-20 years. Don’t make the error of taking what may be a program of interest to you only to waste your life away with a job you hate!
Prioritise understanding what expectations industry may have of you. Which precise certifications you’ll be required to have and how you’ll go about getting some commercial experience. It’s definitely worth spending time thinking about how far you’d like to go as often it can present a very specific set of qualifications. We advise all students to speak with a skilled professional before following a particular study programme. This is essential to ensure it contains the relevant skills for the chosen career.
A key training course package should also offer wholly authorised exam preparation packages. Sometimes people can get confused by practicing questions for their exams that aren’t from authorised sources. It’s not uncommon that the terminology in the real exams is unfamiliar and you should be prepared for this. It’s a good idea to request some practice exams so you can check your comprehension whenever you need to. Simulations of exams add to your knowledge bank – so you won’t be quite so nervous at the actual exam.
The perhaps intimidating chore of securing your first computer related job is often made easier by some training providers because they offer a Job Placement Assistance facility. In reality it isn’t a complex operation to get the right work – assuming you’re well trained and qualified; the shortage of IT personnel in Britain looks after that.
However, what is relevant is to have help with your CV and interview techniques though; also we would encourage all students to bring their CV up to date as soon as training commences – don’t wait till you’ve finished your exams. Many junior support jobs are offered to people who are still learning and haven’t got any qualifications yet. At least this will get you into the ‘maybe’ pile of CV’s – rather than the ‘No’ pile. Most often, a specialist independent regional employment agency – who make their money when they’ve found you a job – is going to give you a better service than a recruitment division from a training organisation. They should, of course, also know the local industry and employment needs.
A good number of men and women, apparently, conscientiously work through their course materials (sometimes for years), only to do nothing special when finding their first job. Sell yourself… Make an effort to let employers know about you. A job isn’t just going to bump into you.
Take a look at my website for clear career advice – UK IT Training and IT Certification.
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