Fake MCSE Certificates - Are They A Problem?
The Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) program was implemented by Microsoft to ensure that people who marketed themselves as experts on Microsoft products and systems were, in fact, competent with them. The first MCSE programs were started in the early 1990s, after the roll out of Windows 3.11, and the program got a significant boost in 1995 with the launch of Windows 95.
Since then, an MCSE certificate has been, if not a requirement to get a job in many IT departments, it is, at the very least, a competitive advantage. With that advantage has come a plethora of industries designed to train people to pass the MCSE exams…and even companies selling "fake" MCSE certificates, so that people with the skills but lacking the time to take the courses can get the jobs they're already qualified for.
Unfortunately, these fake MCSE certificates are now becoming a problem, as more and more IT departments are getting MCSEs who, bluntly, shouldn't be allowed near a computer, let alone be expected to trouble shoot networking stacks and registry problems.
If you're reading this article considering buying a fake MCSE thinking it's a golden ticket to a well paying job and a career that you can advance in, our advice is don't. Working as a systems administrator is the IT equivalent of being a janitor. You have long hours, you're expected to know everything, and know knowing the fundamentals of your job means that you'll be miserably unhappy doing it.
If you're an IT hiring manager, remember that the prevalence of fake MCSE certificates means you can't treat an MCSE as a rubber stamp indicative of competence in the subjects at hand. Always ask good interview questions, and even better, ask them to demonstrate some hands-on knowledge. (This is also good for weeding out "paper" MCSEs, people who crammed for the exams but have little to know practical experience.) You and your organization will be grateful for this extra weeding step in the interview process.
MCSE Certification
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