Busy, busy, busy. This last week I went ahead and scheduled two Microsoft Certification Exams to complete before the end of the year.
The first I scheduled is 70-553, UPGRADE: MCSD Microsoft® .NET Skills to MCPD Enterprise Application Developer by Using the Microsoft .NET Framework: Part 1. I'll be taking it on Friday, the 22nd of December. I received a free voucher for this exam when I received my copy of VS.NET 2005 Professional from last year's launch. Pretty sweet deal, eh? Of course, I'm expecting this exam to require a little bit of study and preparation beforehand. That's alright, though, I'm looking forward to it. I'm all for sharpening my mind and challenging my skillset. A little bit of learning and growth never hurt anyone, right?
The next exam I scheduled is 71-445, TS: Microsoft® SQL Server 2005 Business Intelligence - Implementation and Maintenance. I'll be taking it on Saturday, the 16th of December. This is a beta exam which I was invited to participate in (Microsoft gave me a free voucher for it as well 
). This test will kick my butt, and right now I don't expect to pass it. However, I do expect to learn a ton from the preparation and study, so maybe, just maybe I will wind up passing it after all.
Some of you may be asking, why am I doing this? Why am I continuing to take more exams when I already have the MCSD certification? Let me give you a couple reasons.
- I am a professional and I believe in working very hard at keeping my skills current and staying abreast of new technologies. These certifications are a reflection of my efforts in learning and growth. They are my personal report card as to how well I am doing.
- Pop Art, the company I work for is a Microsoft Certified Partner and every exam I pass gives us points and moves us closer to becoming a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner.
- I have free vouchers. Yeah, the exams don't cost me jack. Talk about a no-brainer.
- This is a great opportunity to invest in myself and increase my financial worth.
- This is a great opportunity to invest in my company without having to shell out a single dime. The intellectual capital of my employer goes up and it's all because of me.
So now the pressure is on. Some of the logic behind this post is to create a personal sense of accountability. Now I must take those tests and I cannot back out. Now I must study and give my very best effort to pass them, otherwise my financial worth goes down. I like being in these sink-or-swim situations. Stay tuned for the results.