As you're researching Microsoft MCSE's, you'll probably be in 1 of 2 situations: You might be wondering about a complete career change to the world of IT, and research demonstrates there's a massive need for people with the right qualifications. Or you're already a professional - and you want to enhance your CV with the Microsoft qualification.

As you discover more about training providers, avoid any that cut costs by failing to provide the most up-to-date Microsoft version. Overall, this will cost the student much more as they will have been educated in an out-of-date syllabus which will have to be revised pretty much straight away. Providers should be completely focused on finding the right path for aspiring trainees. Mentoring education is equally concerned with helping people to work out where to go, as much as giving them help to get there.

Some training providers have a handy Job Placement Assistance service, to help you get your first job. The need for this feature can be bigged up out of proportion though - it's quite easy for companies marketing departments to make it sound harder than it is. In reality, the massive skills shortage in this country is what will make you attractive to employers.

Help and assistance with preparing a CV and getting interviews is sometimes offered (if it isn't, consult one of our sites). It's essential that you update that dusty old CV straight away - don't leave it till you pass the exams! It's not uncommon to find that junior support jobs have been bagged by students who are in the process of training and have still to get qualified. At the very least this will get you into the 'maybe' pile of CV's - rather than the 'No' pile. If you'd like to keep travelling time and costs to a minimum, then you'll probably find that a specialist independent regional recruitment consultant or service could be of more use than a centralised service, because they're far more likely to know the jobs that are going locally.

A big grievance of various course providers is how hard people are focused on studying to become certified, but how un-prepared they are to work on getting the position they've studied for. Get out there and hustle - you might find it's fun.

'Exam Guarantees' are often bundled with training offers - this always means you have to pay for the exams when you pay for the rest of your course. But before you get taken in by this so-called guarantee, consider this:

These days, we're a little bit more aware of sales ploys - and generally we grasp that we're actually paying for it (it isn't free or out of the goodness of their hearts!) The honest truth is that when students fund their relevant examinations, one at a time, there's a much better chance they'll qualify each time - as they'll think of their payment and their application will be greater.

Do the examinations somewhere local and go for the best offer you can find when you're ready. What's the point in paying early for examinations when there's absolutely nothing that says you have to? A great deal of money is secured by training companies charging all their exam fees up-front - and then cashing in when they're not all taken. In addition to this, many exam guarantees are worthless. The majority of organisations will not pay again for an exam until you have demonstrated conclusively that you won't fail again.

The cost of exams was 112 pounds or thereabouts in the last 12 months via local VUE or Pro-metric centres throughout the country. Therefore, why splash out often many hundreds of pounds extra to get 'an Exam Guarantee', when it's obvious that the most successful method is a regular, committed, study programme, with an accredited exam preparation system.

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