One fatal mistake that we encounter all too often is to focus entirely on getting a qualification, instead of focusing on the desired end-result. Colleges are brimming over with students who took a course because it seemed fun - instead of what would yield the career they desired. Don't let yourself become part of the group who select a program that on the surface appears interesting - and end up with a certification for a job they hate.

You must also consider how you feel about earning potential and career progression, and how ambitious you are. You should understand what industry expects from you, what particular exams are required and where you'll pick-up experience from. It's worth seeking help from a professional who can explain the sector you've chosen, and is able to give you 'A day in the life of' synopsis of the job being considered. All of these things are of paramount importance because you obviously have to know if you're barking up the wrong tree.

Anybody who's new to the business should think about getting into their training with a software support course. In addition to acquiring a useful understanding of an alternative area of the business, this gives you a skill to get you started in the I.T. sector. Take a look at the Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician ('MCDST'). Even a full path of 'MCDST', MCTS and MCITP can be planned to be accomplished in around five-hundred hrs of part-time study, so making it manageable for one year's part time study. Although, as always, we urge caution before making any selections in isolation. Talk to an industry advisor with knowledge of the profession first, in order to be sure your chosen profession will be fulfilling, and your learning-style suits the method of study. Just remember the object of training should be to effectively equip you for your particular career - it is not an end in itself, and should always complete that objective at the right price and in an appropriate manner .

Talk to any skilled advisor and we'd be amazed if they couldn't provide you with many horror stories of students who've been sold completely the wrong course for them. Make sure you deal with an experienced industry advisor that asks some in-depth questions to uncover the best thing for you - not for their bank-account! You need to find an ideal starting-point that fits you. If you've got any live experience or certification, you could discover that your appropriate starting-point is now at a different level to a new student. If this is going to be your first attempt at studying for an IT examination then you may want to start with some basic Microsoft package and Windows skills first.

Adding in the cost of examinations up-front then giving it 'Exam Guarantee' status is common for many companies. However, let's consider what's really going on:

Obviously it isn't free - you're still coughing up for it - the price has simply been included in the whole thing. We all want to pass first time. Going for exams one at a time and paying for them just before taking them makes it far more likely you'll pass first time - you revise thoroughly and are mindful of the investment you've made.

Don't you think it's more sensible to not pay up-front, but at the appropriate time, not to pay the fees marked up by a training course provider, and also to sit exams more locally - rather than possibly hours away from your area? What's the point in paying early for examination fees when you don't need to? Big margins are made by companies charging upfront for all their exams - and then cashing in when they're not all taken. Don't forget, with most 'Exam Guarantees' - they control when and how often you are allowed to do a re-take. You'll have to prove conclusively that you can pass before they'll pay for another exam.

On average, exams cost about 112 pounds twelve months or so ago through VUE or Pro-metric centres in the UK. Therefore, why splash out often many hundreds of pounds extra to get 'an Exam Guarantee', when it's no secret that the most successful method is study, commitment and preparing with good quality mock and practice exams.

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