Post-Foundation Certification: Gurus, please advise

[joan]

Hi

I am an MBA with majors in IT and have just finished my ITIL foundation certification, where do I go now? whats next for me?? what certification should I do now?? I am planning to for IT Manager positions....Please answer. Many thanks.

Helen Dale

[Ed]

Hi Joan

Reading your post, it seems as if all your experience has been theoretical so far, is this right?

If so then the next steps are going to be hard. In my opinion you need at least five years practical experience in IT to go forward from where you are, and take the Managers Exam / obtain the Diploma. I see this as the obvious way forward if you want to get into IT Management.

Regards

Ed

[Restricted]

Hello Joan,

Congrats on clearing your first level in ITIL. I am taking my exam on 20th aug, any advice with regard to the test itself...also would you be able to shoot any questions that u could remember....if i cant answer..i better reschedule my test.

Thx..

[joan]

Hi Ed,

I do have 7 years of Oracle ERP consulting experience, so I am not new to IT completely. Just want to diverse my career. Any advice??

As for your restricted, well..... try understanding the concepts

[Ed]

Hi Joan

As I have posted elsewhere, what suits me may not suit you, so go for what interests you.

Are you a doer, or a manager?

If you are a doer go the practitioner route, if not then with your level of experience go straight to the Manager's Exam.

I hope this clarifies your thinking

Regards

Ed

[michalt]

Hi,

I think that the best option is to focus on areas you are currently participating in; probably Service Support areas, e.g. configuration, change, release. In this case you can reuse your current experience and knowledge.

Br,
Michael

[UKVIKING]

Joan,

How much pracitcal experience do you have working in IT.

I see you have 7 yrs with Oracle doing consulting.

So answer the following questions to yourself

1 - Do I know how a Call Center /Help desk / NOC / Service Desk should work in the different models as well as how it does work.

2 - Do I know how the users (customers) shoudl and do feel about their support (IS support)

3 - Do I know the difference between customer service, service management and operations and how each impacts on the customer and the operational teams

4 - Do I know the different ways that a company can (dis) organize their support teams - Micorsoft, Unix/Linux; network; database...web sites, etc

5 - Do I know the different ways that a company can (dis) organize their Development -> UAT - > Live environments

6 - Do I know the diiferent ways the IS and operational teams can be impacted by sales and marketing types.

Joan, these are things that I have picked up having worked for the following organizations

BBN 3 years
teaching IS to corporate & government clients 7 years
Digital Island 2 years
Cable & Wireless 5 years
self - 1 year (1 client - 8 months)

The ITIL Manager's Certificate for v2 is going to benefit you no matter what.

So would the following

COBIT Foundation
CMMI ( if you go the software lifecycle route)
PRINCE2 (UK Project Mgmt)
ISO 20000
ISO 27001

If you go beyond IS and become a general mgmt type, you will have to manage IS people. If you have the background knowledge of how IS does and does not work, the buzz words etc ; you have a better chance of successfully managing IS


BUt it all boils down to what do you want to do.

IS Management covers a larger screen.
_________________
John Hardesty
ITSM Manager's Certificate (Red Badge)

Change Management is POWER & CONTROL. /....evil laughter

[joan]

Thanks everyone for the replies.... ITIL Foundation was mutiple choice questions.... but I heard that ITIL Service Managers exams (I think 2 exams) are MCQs + written? Could someone please tell me the difference and would I have to take leave from work to study for these exams? Thanks in Advance...cheers...

[Ed]

Hi Joan

Yes you will have to have time away from work

The ISEB situation is as follows according to Getronics (UK)

The course is effectively 13 days - two lots of 5 days plus a revision day + two days for the exams

The exams take place on the afternoon of the 1st exam day and the morning of the second exam day.
They consist of two 3 hour examinations, each has 5 questions, written answers, approx 60% of which are based on the case study.
You need at least 50% score in each exam to pass.
If you score 65% or more in both, you get a distinction.
However, if you are unsuccessfull in one of the exams, then you can resit it within 13 months of receiving the results.

Regards

Ed

[UKVIKING]

Both the practioner's and the manager's exam are a little different

The Practioner's exam is available after taking the 3 day course

The exam is a combination of Essay and multiple choice

The Manager's course and exam is a bear

For v2, it is 2 5 day classes, then a 1 day class

Then a 2 day exam.

Service Support is a 3 hour essay hand written exam with 5 questions - one for each discipline. Each question may have multiple sections.

I wrote 40 pages - double spaced - for the exam

Same for service delivery

The first exam is in the afternoon, the second the morning

The exams are giving 4 times a year
_________________
John Hardesty
ITSM Manager's Certificate (Red Badge)

Change Management is POWER & CONTROL. /....evil laughter

[Ed]

Forgot to mention prices

Current prices are £1195 for each 5 day course + £125 for the revision day + 2 x £140 for the exams - total of £2795

Regards

Ed

[UKVIKING]

Ed,

True. But...I did not pay for the course ... my company did.. But true.

As to COBIT, there is an online course & exam for $200 for COBIT Foundation course/exam at ISACA

Joan,

the courses for ITIL et al are just like the Microsoft ceritified course
3 - 5 day course ranging from 1000 - 2000 in local currency for the course.

The exams are included in the price.
_________________
John Hardesty
ITSM Manager's Certificate (Red Badge)

Change Management is POWER & CONTROL. /....evil laughter

[Ed]

John

I didn't pay for mine either, but reading Joan's posts, I got a strong sense that she is not getting financial assistance from her company.

Some companies actually quote prices for each module and the exams separately - I took great care over this to ensure I did not give dodgy information.

I took the quotes direct from the Getronics site to ensure that I was as up to date as possible.

Also because as a Practitioner I have not yet done the Managers exams.


Regards

Ed

[joan]

Hi Gentlemen,

Yes, I will be paying for the courses. And that's why I am being so cautious, also I am a bit impressed by the size of the task !! John you wrote 40 pages !! Oh my Gosh !! I am not sure if I can do that.... by the way, does some one know the Pass rate of ITIL service manager exams??? also is ITIL & ITSM same?? I mean the Service manager track is called ITSM, right???....cheers...

[UKVIKING]

Joan

Yes, I wrote single side double space 40 pages for the service support exam

5 questions

roughly eight pages (8x11) per question

Each question had a part a) part b) and sometime a part c)

Statements like

list and explain the benefits of ____ to customer (case study)

The pass rate of the course hover between 70 - 80 % or a little higher. The company should teach you the material (ITIL) and have you do same exam questions every day... There were at least 20 questions during the course. The course also prepares you for the way the questions should be dealt with in the real exam.

Most instructors that I have met have been graders.....

I had to re-sit the Service Support exam twice because I kept thinking Change Management questions in Real Life terms and not case study/ITIL book terms. 1 lousy pt

IT SM yes is ITIL Service Managers' Exam
_________________
John Hardesty
ITSM Manager's Certificate (Red Badge)

Change Management is POWER & CONTROL. /....evil laughter