Microsoft Certification helps organizations improve performance. Learn how.
A November 2006 IDC study found that team performance increases when each new team member becomes certified—every time.
| • | Read the November 2006 IDC study (PDF file, 154 KB) |
The study shows that:
| • | For each new team member who becomes a Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP), team performance increases every time. |
| • | The skill level of a team is directly responsible for how an organization performs in several key IT functional areas. |
| • | When you increase the concentration of Microsoft certified team members on a team, you directly affect team performance. |
| • | On average, MCPs make up 40 percent to 55 percent of top performing teams. |
| • | Seventy-five percent of managers believe that certifications are important to team performance. |
| • | Sixty-six percent of managers believe that certifications improve the level of service and support offered to customers. |
"…for each additional member of a team certified, team performance increases. Whether the increase is from 37 percent to 38 percent of the team being certified or from 60 percent to 61 percent of the team, the team performance increases overall."
–IDC, Value of Certification: Team Certification and Organizational Performance, November 2006
A competitive advantage
 | Business decision makers and IT team leaders need to motivate, retain, and build skills in their technical teams. Simultaneously, they need to prove to upper management that technology increases customer satisfaction, builds competitive advantage, and improves return on investment (ROI). Microsoft Certification provides many ways to help. |
Relevance. Microsoft Certification exams are always relevant because they are continuously tested and revamped to reflect the most current industry trends. IT professionals review the exams before they are published, which allows us to always have a finger on the pulse. Certification exams are an efficient way to measure the skill set of an IT professional, and they provide a reliable benchmark for hiring.
Sixty-three percent of hiring managers think that certified individuals are more productive than their non-certified counterparts.
-MCP customer satisfaction study, 2006
Journey. Microsoft Certification is a valuable part of a career journey for any technology professional. Microsoft Certification gives hiring managers an opportunity to recognize staff for its achievements, and it helps with career development—which leads to staff satisfaction and retention.
Forty-five percent of employees strongly agree that when their employer pays for exams, it provides a strong incentive not to switch jobs.
-MCP customer satisfaction study, 2006
| • | Ten reasons to hire and develop MCPs |
| • | How to get your employees certified |
| • | What certifications are right for your staff? |
| • | Volume Licensing: Microsoft Learning Solutions |
Bring an MCP on board
 | In partnership with CareerBuilder.com, you have an easy way to search for qualified MCPs. Now, you can quickly post job openings and view candidates' resumés. It is another resource that is available to help you recruit the best candidates.
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Performance-based certification exams
Microsoft has introduced simulation testing into selected IT certification exams. This technology greatly enhances the value of certifications for hiring organizations by more accurately reflecting an individual's capability to perform critical IT tasks in the real world.
| • | Get the full story |
Microsoft Certification at work
Learn how organizations get more productivity and value out of Microsoft platforms and technologies when they have qualified Microsoft Certified Professionals on the job.
| • | MCSE certification a "Must" at Unisys |
| • | Financial benefits of certification |
| • | Find more case studies on Microsoft.com |