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Microsoft Office Certificate

post #1 of 5
3/2/09 at 3:28pm
Thread Starter 
So, I got my BA last summer and the world hasn't exactly become my oyster.

I received a catalog from my alma mater about the school's continuing education programs; one of these programs was a MS Office Certificate.

I actually do need to advance beyond my basic knowledge of the program but my question is: Would having this certificate make me a more attractive candidate for a job or is it just a silly (and expensive) piece of paper?

I'm getting a little desperate (and more than a little anxious) and I'm looking for any kind of hook that will get me noticed in a stack of resumes.
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post #2 of 5
3/2/09 at 3:40pm
To me it's useless. But I guess it depends what job you are applying too, obviously, an employer is more interested in knowing how you've used these tools in an actual job or school project than getting one of these certifications.
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post #3 of 5
3/2/09 at 3:41pm
I don't know what the tech economy of GA is like (not to mention Kennesaw), but here's some general ideas:
- People like to see that you have done and are doing things with your abilities, e.g., if you're a computer geek, do you contribute to OSS projects, participate in technical forums, have your own tech-focused website, etc. [i.e., the BA is not just a cert to find a job]
- If you know people who are doing what you want to do, find out what certs they have [in my experience, I know nobody with the MSO cert -- but in my circles anybody with an MS cert immediately loses 10 points]
- Is it possible/are you willing to do piece work/contracts from home? There
are online communities dedicated just to farming out short term contracts.

Good luck.
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post #4 of 5
3/2/09 at 11:29pm
sunwukong and El Capitan are spot on, potential employers are much more interested in a candidate having a degree plus applied skills than some certificate. I would say that experience even trumps a degree in some cases if you have enough of it behind your belt.

That is also taking into account specialized jobs.
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post #5 of 5
3/3/09 at 2:08pm
Thread Starter 
Yeah, a few people I've asked who are somewhat involved with hiring have basically echoed what you guys are saying.

Thanks for the help.
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