Certification Prep – The 20 Minute Workout

There is a short post over on the Born to Learn site titled Have another slice of MCTS--It's good for you! that I really recommend folks take a look at. There is one cross quote that is well representative of the job market today in my opinion. "Over one-third of respondents who have a Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) certification hold multiple MCTS designations. Those with multiple MCTS designations earn an average of $87,041, or $13,000 more than those who hold only one MCTS." That is great reason to get certified. As a holder of multiple certifications and an Microsoft Certified Instructor for the night classes at TodaysTec http://todaystec.com/about_us/display.php I can certainly exude the virtues of having certifications and keeping them up to date by getting containing education credits or by re-certifying on the newer technologies as they release. My Personal Certification Story outlines my start in the information technology field. I hav...

Hi gang. This post will only be worthwhile I suppose to the folks in Connecticut and perhaps the general vicinity surrounding. I have teamed up with Wallingford Computer Center to announce classes we are putting together for the fall. This is a trial schedule – if we can get some decent interest we are looking into the possibility of expanding the offering in 2011. In the meantime here is what we have on tap: Saturday October 9th from 10:30AM to 3:00PM Introduction to Windows 7 – This class will introduce Windows XP and Vista users to the new Windows 7 GUI (graphical user interface) as well as to show them how to perform common tasks. Some of the steps from XP / Vista have stayed the same and others have changed. The 1 day session cost is $124.00 and includes the classroom book to keep Saturday October 16th from 10:30AM to 3:00PM Introduction to Office 2010 class - This class will introduce Office 2003 users (primarily) to Office 2010 and the Office Ribbon which replaces the Offic...

There are no sure fire ways to get hired in the IT field, especially if you’re a newcomer in the current economy with organizations taking the “do more with less” mantra to a whole new level of meaning. Not only are you coming in with little to no practical experience but you’re potentially competing with some seasoned veterans for the few jobs that are available. There are however a few things you can do to maximize your chances and to set yourself apart from other potential hires. Today I’ll show you what you can do to position yourself for the best chance to grab that open position and get the job you want. I have a post from last year on the TrainSignal website titled How to Break into the IT Industry and Get the Job You Want and its as relevant now as it was when I originally wrote it. Feel free to check out the entire post at http://proxy.trainsignal.com/break-into-the-it-industry-and-get-the-job-you-want/ and let me know your thoughts.

LOLITA C. BALDOR, Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) ― Computer hackers have begun targeting power plants and other critical operations around the world in bold new efforts to seize control of them, setting off a scramble to shore up aging, vulnerable systems. Cyber criminals have long tried, at times successfully, to break into vital networks and power systems. But last month, experts for the first time discovered a malicious computer code — called a worm — specifically created to take over systems that control the inner workings of industrial plants. In response to the growing threat, the Department of Homeland Security has begun building specialized teams that can respond quickly to cyber emergencies at industrial facilities across the country. As much as 85 percent of the nation's critical infrastructure is owned and operated by private companies, ranging from nuclear and electric power plants to transportation and manufacturing systems. Many of the new attacks hav...

Over on the Petri IT Knowledgebase website I have a new article up titled Configuring Taskbar Alerts & Maintenance Functions in Windows 7 Action Center In this article I introduce the Windows 7 Action Center, how to directly access it from the Control Panel as well as to review some of the settings and options available to you through the Security and Maintenance functions This is another one of those Windows 7 articles that fits well within the body of knowledge for the exam. As always, I am always looking forward to any feedback you have on this or any of the articles I have written so feel free to offer your input. Additionally, I would welcome any suggestions topics of interest that you would like to see and based on free time and column space I’ll do what I can to deliver them to you.

Edited content from the FAQ that was originally published at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/ff384134.aspx Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 is an update for enterprises and IT Professionals that includes virtualization enhancements and previous improvements delivered via Windows Update. Windows 7 Service Pack 1 is an update that helps keep your PCs supported, provides ongoing improvement to the operating system, by including previous updates delivered over Windows Update as well as continuing incremental updates to the Windows 7 platform based on customer and partner feedback, and is easy for organization to deploy a single set of updates. The system requirements for the Service Pack 1 beta are that you need to be running the Release to Manufacturing (RTM) version of Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2 (build 7600). The beta of SP1 can install on RTM evaluation versions of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. The final release version of Service Pack 1 is expected to b...

by Kimberly Pittmon Certifying your skills affords tangible career advancement benefits. Possible merits include boosting your salary, illuminating your résumé and advancing your job. In today's sputtering job climate, attaining--or maintaining--a certification can give you a razor-sharp edge. Here is how a certification can jumpstart or augment your career: 1. Provides you leverage. Employers expect employees to contribute quickly, accurately and measurably. A certification says, "Yes, I can do that." 2. Illustrates your tenacity. If anything is worth having, it's worth the toil. Employers seek people who will produce more with fewer resources. 3. Boosts your confidence. In the workplace, it's all about solving problems. And confidence--to deliver--is the engine that drives practical solutions. 4. Illuminates your résumé. Hiring managers give résumés a cursory glance. A certification makes them apt to read your résumé and summon an interview. 5....