The Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator course is an ideal qualification for anyone hoping to work as a network engineer. So if you're already experienced but need to formalise your skills with a recognised qualification, or you're new to the industry, you should soon be able to select a course to suit your needs. For a person with no knowledge of the computer industry, it's probably a good idea to improve your skill-set ahead of getting involved in your four Microsoft Certified Professional exams (MCP's) that are required to achieve an MCSA. Search for an organisation that will design a course to help you - one who will guide you to ensure that you've selected your options carefully.

We can't make a big enough deal out of this point: It's essential to obtain proper 24x7 round-the-clock instructor support. Later, you'll kick yourself if you don't. Locate training schools where you can access help at any time of day or night (no matter if it's in the middle of the night on a weekend!) You want 24x7 direct access to mentors and instructors, and not access to a call-in service which takes messages - so you're waiting for tutors to call you back when it's convenient for them.

World-class organisations offer an internet-based 24x7 service utilising a variety of support centres from around the world. You're offered a single, easy-to-use environment that switches seamlessly to the best choice of centres no matter what time of day it is: Support on demand. Search out an educator that offers this level of study support. Only true live 24x7 round-the-clock support delivers what is required.

Make sure that all your qualifications are current and commercially required - forget programmes which lead to some in-house certificate (which is as useless as if you'd printed it yourself). From a commercial standpoint, only the top companies like Microsoft, CompTIA, Cisco or Adobe (to give some examples) give enough bang for your buck. Nothing else makes the grade.

One useful service that several companies offer is job placement assistance. It's intention is to help you get your first commercial position. However sometimes people are too impressed with this facility, for it's really not that difficult for any motivated and trained individual to land work in the IT environment - as employers are keen to find appropriately skilled employees.

However, what is relevant is to have advice and support about your CV and interviews though; and we'd recommend everybody to bring their CV up to date the day they start training - don't delay till you've finished your exams. It's not unusual to find that you'll land your first job while still studying (sometimes when you've only just got going). If your course details aren't on your CV - or it's not getting in front of interviewers, then you don't stand a chance! If it's important to you to find work near your home, then it's quite likely that an independent and specialised local employment service can generally be of more use than a centralised service, because they're going to know local employment needs.

In a nutshell, if you put as much hard work into finding your first IT position as into studying, you won't have any problems. A number of trainees strangely put hundreds of hours into their learning program and do nothing more once they've passed their exams and would appear to think that businesses will just discover them.

It's essential to have the current Microsoft (or any other key organisation's) authorised simulation materials and exam preparation packages. Students regularly can get confused by practicing questions for their exams that aren't from authorised sources. Sometimes, the terminology in the real exams is unfamiliar and you need to be ready for this. Simulations and practice exams will prove very useful as a tool for logging knowledge into your brain - so when it comes to taking the real deal, you won't be worried.

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