Unless you’ve spent the last couple of years on Mars, you won’t need telling that the economy has been feeling a little under the weather.
The newspapers have been full of stories about people being laid off in droves, taking salary cuts, or – as in the case of British Airways – actually being asked to work for nothing.
Now we all know that the media loves to paint black pictures even blacker. As the old adage says, “Good news does not sell newspapers.” At the same time, though, there is no denying that we are in the worst recession in living memory.
That poses a couple of questions: is there any way to make yourself recession-proof? Can you maintain or even boost your salary levels, and give your career that valuable extra ingredient of job security?
We believe that there is. And a great way to do so is to get a Microsoft Certification. There are two reasons for saying this.
First, IT qualifications move you into an area that is better safeguarded against the economic climate than most. People might cut down on luxury foods, holidays and flights abroad. Businesses might cut down on their expenses. But it’s difficult to economise on IT, because that is the lifeblood of companies.
An IT qualification is a great step forward, then. But Microsoft qualifications are an even bigger step in the right direction. Why? Because courses like MCSE, MCSA, MCITP and others don’t simply result in a piece of paper proving that you can pass an exam. They encourage problem solving, deductive reasoning and are practical rather than theoretical. In other words, they are proof of what you can do in a work environment.
Employers like this, as statistics show. They’re tired (and who can blame them?) of interviewing holders of qualifications who have to be helped to tie their shoelaces. Microsoft qualifications are rigorous, exacting and robust. No dummy ever passed one of those, and employers know that.
So, what’s the best way to get yourself such a certification? There are many routes, but CareerVision offers one that appeals to many. Since 1996, it has grown into one of the leading suppliers of home-based tutorials on DVD.
The advantage of this approach is that it brings genuinely expert knowledge right onto your desktop: the DVDs are presented by experienced professionals who really know their business – and how best to help people learn swiftly and effectively. These are complete certification DVD courses that contain live instructor-led training with printable courseware, study guides, online tutor support and practice exams.
You can progress at your own pace. You can study where you like, and even where you like: most people choose to do so at home, but you can also put otherwise wasted time to good use, such as long flights or train journeys.
Best of all, this approach is much cheaper than traditional, classroom-based study. You don’t even have to step outside your front door to get started!
So, if you’re tired of reading about economic doom and gloom, stop worrying about when it will affect you and do something about it. Sign up for a Microsoft certification today by visiting CareerVision on www.cvision.co.uk.
The RIBA Core Curriculum has been created by the RIBA for its members to ensure a breadth of professional development experiences. Chartered members are obliged to undertake a minimum of half of their 35 hours CPD per year from this curriculum, plus two hours specifically on Health and Safety. RIBA certified CPD presentations, such as all those listed, earn double points! Find out more about CPD at architecture.com.