Now is the best time to get a SharePoint 2013 Certification

By Alex Bennett

Certifications have always been a great way to demonstrate your skills within IT. For both prospective job candidates and those already employed - certifications are increasingly looked-for to distinguish the good from the great.   

Microsoft SharePoint has bloomed into a multimillion-pound-a-year business that now dominates web application framework. Since its 2001 launch, the flagship product has successfully iterated for over a decade. As a result, it is now one of the best and most widely used web technologies. SharePoint is not just for the Fortune 500 companies (of which 78% use the software) – it’s a powerful and invaluable tool for anyone working in IT.

 
  "An introductory video from Microsoft"

Last year Microsoft launched SharePoint 2013 with a host of new features, improvements and fixes. The newest version supports key innovations like: better branding for your web presence, an emphasis on big data and a tighter integration with Excel, improved public-facing website hosting and better mobile support.

"SharePoint's basic features from Hitachi Solutions Canada"

SharePoint 2013 represents a huge leap in the product’s lifecycle but many professionals won’t even take advantage of these new features – for the motivated, it’s never been easier to stand out from the crowd. But what’s the best way to prove your know-how? Well, straight from the horse’s mouth of course, Microsoft offer two industry recognised SharePoint 2013 certifications.

Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert: SharePoint (MCSE)

The Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert: SharePoint (MCSE) is a globally recognised standard for IT professionals. With it you’ll boost your expertise in helping a company organise, sync, collaborate and share information across their entire organisation.

Microsoft identifies five modules along with their associated exam for this official cert:

1. Installing and configuring Windows Server 2012
2. Administering Windows Server 2012
3. Configuring Windows Server 2012 Services
4. Core Solutions of Microsoft SharePoint Server 2013
5. Advanced Solutions of Microsoft SharePoint Server 2013

Note: Steps 1-3 of this cert will earn you a Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA): Windows Server 2012 certification – helping you to reduce IT costs and deliver more business value.

MCSE: SharePoint certified professionals earn a median salary of £50,000 and qualify you for a job as a systems or network analyst.

Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer: SharePoint Applications (MCSD)

With this cert under your belt you’ll demonstrate your skill at designing and developing collaboration applications with Microsoft SharePoint. You will need a solid foundation of web programming, including HTML5 with JavaScript and ASP.NET MVC 4 before beginning this cert.

Microsoft identifies four modules along with their associated exam for this official cert:

1. Programming in HTML5 with JavaScript and CSS3
2. Developing ASP.NET MVC 4 Web applications
3. Developing Microsoft SharePoint Server 2013 Core Solutions
4. Developing Microsoft SharePoint Server 2013 Advanced Solutions

Earning an MCSD: SharePoint Applications cert will qualify you for jobs within software and web development. Within these ultra-competitive fields, this MCSD can make all the difference – 86% of recruiters indicate IT certifications are a high or medium priority during candidate evaluation).

So, what now?

Luckily, there are a number of great places to learn. But for those seeking the fastest way to get professionally certified – Firebrand Training guarantees to be the fastest route.

With us you will get MCSE: SharePoint certified - in just 6 days. And the same goes for the MCSD: SharePoint 2013 cert.

Find more details of our accelerated, all-inclusive training courses and discover why the training you’ll experience has helped win Institute of IT Training “Training Company of the Year” a record three times.

About the Author:       
Alex writes for Firebrand Training on a number of IT related topics. This includes exams, training, certification trends, project management, certification, careers advice and the industry itself.