Hi Friends,
I know most of you will not like it, but Now SQL Server Certification Exams will also come along with an Expiry Date. Microsoft is changing a few Certification Exam policies and from SQL 2012 Pro Exam launch you need to reappear (in other words you need to do recertification) to keep it under active status.
This means: you need to plan for more money in your yearly education budget, More Stress and you need to be always up-to-date to be active and eligible for Certified positions.
Reason for recertification
In order to ensure that our certifications are meaningful and valuable indicators of candidates’ skills, Microsoft has implemented a recertification requirement for MCPD: Windows Azure Developer and MCPD: Windows Phone Developer. This requirement will also apply to the upcoming Professional-level SQL Server 2012 certifications. Windows Azure and Windows Phone certifications will require recertification every two years, while SQL Server 2012 certifications will require recertification every three years. Initially, the recertification requirement will be one or two exams.
After all it’s not that bad It will prove to be a blessing for deserving candidates
Recertification ensures that Microsoft Certifications remain meaningful and valuable indicators of candidates’ skills. Recertification provides assurance to hiring managers and other stakeholders that this person has demonstrated continued competence even as the technology has changed, based on service packs, revisions, and new product version releases. Recertification is especially important for certifications that cover frequently changing technologies such as Windows Azure and SQL Azure.
Whats your take on this? Do let us know…. Leave Comments
For more FAQ regarding Exam Policies: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/certification/exam-prep.aspx#tab4
Regards
Sarabpreet Anand
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If the SQL certification expires in 3 years, there isn’t much point in re-certifying. It seems like it is almost a year after the product is released before the tests and study guides are available, and they release a new version about every 3-4 years. You might as well just certify on the new version and let the old certification expire…
Hi Bill,
yes, you have a valid point, but not everybody gets a chance to work on new Version of SQL as and when Microsoft Launches it.
Moreover, one needs atleast 6 Months to 1Yr of time to get that level of expertise in the product to sit for the relevant exam.
So for all those people there is no other way, they must re-certify if they are in the mood to switch their currect job. Cool
Thanks,
Sarab
Pfff..
I pity companies who take certifications as a benhchmark for selecting candidates..
Hi Sachin,
This is not the only criteria which they look for, but it plays a vital role. Companies also have to start billing for the resource and Bid for accounts where these things do matter. Moreover, No one can test the technical competency by asking hardly 15-20 questions so this acts as a yardstick to measure your depth of knowledge. (Ideally this should be, that is the reason people appear in exams :))
Thanks,
Sarab
Sarab, I don’t agree with your comment that it takes 6 months to prep for a new certification on something like SQL Server if you are certified on the previous version. If you really know SQL Server 2008 there should not be any reason that you cannot take the 2012 upgrade exam when it comes out with just the study of the new features and brushing up on some of the “legacy” features that you use less often in your job. Now if you are not a DBA or SQL Server is not really a part of your primary job role it might be harder on you.
Hi Bob,
Thanks for sharing your point-of-view, i was talking in general. Many a people dont get chance to work on new products as and when they release and it becomes difficult to clear the exam merely by reading a book, Microsoft introduced simulations to stop this behaviour and i am sure SQL 2012 will have many.
but yes exceptions are everywhere, so i take your point and agree with you on this.
What is the Expiration date of SQL 2008 Developement (77-433) and SQL 2008 BI developement (70-448) Exams? Also when are the SQL 2012 exams available?