The Microsoft Office Specialist: Excel Associate is $100, I want to take a short class before I take this at a community college, but after is this worth paying for and putting on my resume? Short question, I know, but any help is appreciated, thank you!
I checked out the Microsoft Office Specialist certification and I can already ace the first one. Between working full time and a toddler at home, I could probably pass the master with about a week of studying an hour or two a day.
Buuuuuuut they're $100 a pop. Are these certs worth it? I currently run a commercial warehouse and use Excel daily, and my boss has said in the next two years I'll basically be doubling my salary...but it's essentially a startup so we don't have many benefits and I've been eyeing getting into something more IT related (data analyst, support, something).
Is it worth it?
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Hello!
So for reference I am 23 years old and work a full time office job that does not really require excel use, however I am looking to get paid better which means that all the jobs I am looking at require Excel use. I only used Excel like 3times in my life. I just signed up for a free 16 week Excel course at a local university that what would enable me to pass an exam and become “Microsoft Office Specialist” certified.
Now if I’m honest I signed up for it because it was free and because I would learn the basics not necessarily because I would get a certificate.
In your experiences have employers required or preferred these sort of credentials?
Thanks! :)
Over 10+ years I've taught myself VBA and solid general Excel. I wouldn't consider myself beyond an intermediate level knowing how powerful it all is and how much I don't know, but the average office colleague always says I'm an expert. I say that only to paint a picture of the fact I know enough to seem good to the layman, but also know enough to understand how much more I have to learn.
Power BI and power query aren't things I've touched, however, and I know I need to. So I want to learn them, and I will, but in terms of career progression I wanted to know how much value is given to Microsoft certificates by recruiters. I don't have a degree, and I won't have experience, so to progress my career I need an alternative way to convince potential employers that I can do what they're asking.
Is it worth spending a few hundred quid to get some of these certificates? Are they regarded well and as good qualifications for roles needing power BI knowledge?
I'm in the UK for reference, currently work in product safety and compliance and use Excel and VBA daily, but have no direct use for power BI in current role - this is all intended to let me move into better positions that utilize the things I love more (namely Excel and data in general).
Thanks for any responses in advance!
I work with excel on what I believe is an above average skill level, but it’s hard to really describe that in a resume.
Is the certification test via Microsoft a good way to stand out (for example, exam 77-727 or exam 77-728)? If not, what are some ways to highlight your use of excel in the job hunting world? “Proficient at Microsoft excel” seems so... underwhelming.
On my resume I have Proficient at Excel (VLOOKUP, PIVOT TABLES, VBA, INDEX/MATCH) etc. basically examples of what I can do
You need to do more than just the 77-727 exam!
I am sitting on a panel of the final set of interviews for a new staff member next week. Part of the job the applicants are applying for heavily involves the new staff member being competent in Excel. Basically the better the successful candidate is with excel the less training I will have to do once they are hired.
One (and only one) of the final applicants has MOS 77-727 and the other two don't. Upon reviewing the resumes ahead of the interviews I feel much more confident that the applicant with the certificate has a decent knowledge of Excel. It impresses me that they went to the effort to go and sit the exam and get certified. I am not saying they will get the job but at this stage ahead of the interviews I would say it really is to their advantage.
I would definitely recommend getting this certification as it really does help.
What worries me a little is that they only did the MOS 77-727 and not some other more advanced exams (MOS 77-728). To me this tells me they have a good basic knowledge of MS Excel but are no master. If they also had MOS 77-728 I would know they have serious excel skills or at least ambitions for be an excel master.
Basically in this case the MOS 77-727 of the candidate says both good and bad things about the candidate. Good that they bothered to get the qualification but bad that they never kept going with it. Still they are better placed than the other two who have no proof of their skills.
Many websites speak of how valuable being certified in the office is as an employee, but I can't find consistent answers to anything.
Does the exam cover all office programs? (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)
What is the cost of the exam?
Where can I study for the exam?
How much time should it take to study for the exam?
Hi all,
I am a full-time student and currently waiting for my new course to start in August. So, yes, I have a lot of time. Therefore, I am thinking of taking the MOS exam in the meantime. I was wondering how good I should be to pass this.
I consider myself an above average excel user.
Any type of opinion is appreciated.
Thanks in Advance!
’m considering whether Microsoft 365 certifications are worth it, there are several important questions I need to ask myself. First, what exactly will I learn, and how will it benefit me in my current job or future roles? Should I pursue a Fundamentals, Associate, or Expert-level certification, and which one aligns with my career goals? How much time and effort will it take for me to get certified, and can I realistically balance studying with my current responsibilities? I also need to think about the cost of the certification and if I believe the investment will be worth the potential salary increase or new job opportunities. Is this certification recognized by employers in my industry, and will it help me stand out when applying for roles? Given that Microsoft 365 tools are constantly evolving, will I need to continually update my certification to stay relevant? Do I need hands-on experience with the tools before pursuing the certification, or can I succeed even if I’m starting from scratch? I also have to ask myself whether the knowledge I gain will have a tangible impact on my work or career. What happens if I fail the exam, and how likely is that to happen? Finally, how does Microsoft 365 certification compare to other certifications in terms of value for my career, and will it help me move up in my current role or even transition to a higher-level position? These questions will help me determine if Microsoft 365 certifications are the right path for me.
Found out these 4 certifications - which is the best pick?
Why i cant see many people doing this cert? Is it worth doing?
Worth investing $100 (8397.20 INR) / certificate?
-Microsoft Office Specialist: Excel Associate (Microsoft 365 Apps) - MO210
-Microsoft Office Specialist: Excel Expert (Microsoft 365 Apps) - MO211
-Microsoft Office Specialist: Excel Associate (Office 2019) - MO200
-Microsoft Office Specialist: Microsoft Excel Expert (Office 2019) - MO201
I want to get a MOS cert in Excel to prove on my resume that I am “advanced” with Excel. Will the cert help? How else can I actually prove during an interview that I have the Excel skills I say I have?
I am looking for an analyst position and all of the job postings require “advanced” Excel skills.
I find pleasure in acquiring knowledge about Office 365 and have successfully obtained a certification as a Microsoft Office Specialist: Expert. Currently, I am unsure about the next certification to pursue. At 19 years of age, I am employed as a material handler at CTDI, a role I'm not particularly fond of. The job entails standing all day, packing phones, which leaves my mind prone to wandering into various unrelated subjects. I aspire for a role that offers more variety than the repetitive tasks I'm engaged in currently. Despite my disinterest in IT support due to finding topics like networking, operating systems, cloud computing, and hardware unstimulating, my primary aim is to master a specific software or a set of entry level skill and secure a promising career utilizing it.
I’m not sure the best subreddit to post this in but I could use some advice.
I’m in my early 30’s, have no college education, and have been working in customer service mainly but its taking a toll on my mental health so I’m looking to get into a data entry/admin assistant/office desk job.
Of course the problem is that I don’t have experience in these roles or Microsoft office (most jobs want Microsoft office proficiency & job experience) so no one will hire me for them.
I’m wondering if getting certified in Microsoft office would be helpful to have on my resume in place of experience. And more importantly, where is the best place to get certified? A google search shows tons of different options and I want something that will actually teach me, not rip me off, and stand out to potential employers.
I’m so tired and so desperate. Would be so appreciative of any advice!
Hi All,
Has anyone here completed the Microsoft Office Specialist Course? If so what is your advice? Work has kindly offered to pay for me to complete the course, although I am finding the process a bit tedious. They want everything to be done their way, when there's more than one way to crack an egg. Also, I've noticed that you lose marks for using certain keyboard shortcuts instead of clicking which is a little frustrating. I'm so used to using keyboard shortcuts and think they're more efficient so I think it's unfair to penalise people for using them.
Thank you all for your comments. I'm encouraged to persist with the course : )
I just took the Outlook this weekend and I’m planning on doing the Excel and Word Expert and the PowerPoint Specialist so that I can get the Master. It seems like the most universal Microsoft accomplishment so it’s great to have under your belt - especially paid for. It sucks to have to do things their way, but you should know that stuff, not just the shortcuts.
I watched a Lynda.com course and got in the high 900s, so the Specialist level isn’t that difficult for Outlook. I’m assuming the specialist level of Excel is the same.
I have the same question but just for the Excel expert certification. Is it worth it? Do employers even know about it? I've been trying to find a "universal" certification that's known/accepted by most places.
Current acct student about to finish my undergrad. I have a good handle on excel. One of my professors keeps telling us that in order to differentiate ourselves we should take the exam. I figured if so then I have time this winter between semesters to study and take it and its not very expensive (around $100 I believe without buying a courseware). Thoughts?
Hi, I have two questions,
The first being is it worth it to get my MOS-Excel expert certification? I am graduating next semester with a BA in Economics and don't have any work experience with Excel.
The second question is do you think it possible to study and pass the MOS-Excel expert exam in one month? I have limited excel experience but I am very comfortable with computers and believe I will be a 'fast' learner. What about just the MOS-Excel specialist? and is this lesser test worth pursuing?
I really would love any advice possible. I have purchased a UDEMY course on excel and also would probably buy the Gmetrix test preparation stuff.
So I successfully pitched a business case for my employer to cover the cost of two MOS Excel Expert exams and a copy of the MOS Excel Expert Study Guide. Regarding myself as a know-it-all in Excel I was surprised to fail the first exam I sat. I can't bring myself to fess up to my employer about failing and asking for them to cover the cost of a resit. I'm purchasing the resit exam ($150) and access to the GMetrix test exams ($40), leaving me $190 out.
So, now I find myself wondering - was this really worth the hassle? I'm committed now having spent $190 and work having spent $300 plus whatever the book was, but I find myself wondering how useful this really is.
Love to hear your thoughts guys!
I'm looking into Microsoft Office Specialist certification, but I'd like to get some insight into it first. As anyone found this useful/beneficial? Should I get the 2010 or the 2007? Is the exam easy/hard? General experience with getting and then having the cert would be greatly appreciated, both good and bad. Thanks.
MOS should be a very easy cert to pass. What is your job role and what is your 5 year plan career wise?
The only ones that should be remotely difficult are the Access and Excel. The rest is pretty self-explanatory.
Personally, I'd wait. The next version of Office has some interesting changes.
Ultimately I am looking for an internship/role as a financial analyst. Would this help boost me above other candidates, or is this not worthy? Cost is $100 outside of school. I am a finance major in a non-target university looking for internships as it's my junior year, going to be senior. Any and all help is welcome as I haven't returned much luck with my 20-30 applications.