Certifications & exams > Certification benefits
Why get certified?
Verify your skills and unlock opportunity
This is an exciting time to get certified: we've recently revamped and launched brand new certification paths to reflect today's cloud-focused jobs, helping you to get hired, get ahead, be productive faster, and to receive the recognition you deserve.
Why get certified? Certifications give you a professional edge by providing globally recognised industry endorsed evidence of skills mastery, demonstrating your abilities and willingness to embrace new technologies. Verify your skills, unlock your opportunities.
Find the right technical certification for you
Success Stories
Get Ahead
On average, Microsoft certified technologists earn 15% more than their uncertified peers. What’s more, certified employees are often entrusted with supervising their peers—putting you on the fast track for a promotion.
When you pass a Microsoft Certification exam, you’ll have access to your Microsoft Badge; share your certification online with your professional network, and unlock your salary potential.
High Growth Opportunity
In high-growth industries, entry-level employees who hold a Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA) certification or Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certification can earn up to $16,000 more, annually, than their peers.
IDC/Microsoft, The Business Value of IT Certification, November 2015
Become a leader
In a study group of 20 IT professionals who were provided with exam vouchers, 18 passed the exam. Five of the 18 have been recognised as leaders in their respective technical areas, and most have received a job promotion or are working on more interesting projects.
Garth Jones, One Simple Thing to Help Your IT Career: Certification, Windows IT Pro, October 9, 2014
Get hired and be productive faster
Microsoft Certified Professionals spend less time interviewing and more time driving value. Adding a Microsoft certification to your CV helps you stand out and get hired—faster. What’s more, certified new hires are fully productive an entire month sooner than their uncertified peers, making your skills clearly stand out.
91%
91% of hiring managers consider certification as part of their hiring criteria.
Microsoft, Microsoft Certification Program Satisfaction Study, April 2012
39%
Certified new hires reach full productivity 39% faster than their peers
IDC/Microsoft, The Business Value of IT Certification, November 2015
38%
38% of IT professionals claimed certification helped them perform complex tasks more confidently.
Pearson VUE, The Value of IT Certification Survey, January 2016
Get recognised
As a Microsoft Certified Professional, you’ll make immediate impact, helping you get noticed and move forward quickly in your career. Compared to their peers, Microsoft certified developers are 90% more productive and nearly 60% more efficient. This means that they make nearly twice as many applications per year and in half the time per application.
And when you’ve been certified, you can share your achievements in a way that’s trusted and verifiable with your Microsoft badge! Your Microsoft badge empowers you to share your certification online with your professional network, find the employers that are looking for candidates like you, discover your salary potential, and easily apply for jobs.
Discover the Microsoft Certification benefits—and find out how the program has helped people in their careers.
Employees who are certified have more opportunities for advancement.
IDC/Microsoft, The Business Value of IT Certification, November 2015
Twenty-six percent of IT pros said they received a job offer or promotion upon sharing their badge with a future employer.
Pearson VUE, The Value of IT Certification Survey, January 2016
Certification, training and experience are three of the top four most important characteristics when selecting a candidate for a cloud-related position.
IDC/Microsoft, Climate Change: Cloud's Impact on IT Organisations and Staffing, November 2012