Back in early 2002, my company sponsored a bunch of it's developers to get their MCSDs.  These were the days of VB6 and COM+.  After many evenings at a local college and 4 certification tests - we were MCSDs.  PrimMarily a web developer, I didn't get to put much of the COM+ to use, but the SQL Server 2000 Design & Implementation class proved extremely useful.  With my newly minted MCP & MCSD next to my name, I set out to upgrade my career.  Two of my next three jobs were made possible by interviewers who noted my credentials.  Although the credentials didn't get me the job, they got my resume the leg up it needed to get in the door.  For this, I am always grateful for having done the certification.

Over the following years, I passed the .Net solutions architechture certification but didn't do much after this.  Come 2007, I began wokring with BizTalk Server 2006.  Now anyone who has worked with this product knows it is huge.  There are numerous parts to this technology stack and each more complex than the next.  After some training and a book, we were off developing solutions.  I got the opportunity to attend Teched 2008 Developer in Orlando last year and used some of my down time to pass the Biztalk certification test.  I spent many hours in the lab doing test prep and reviewing the online test guide with some books.  I managed to pass on the first try despite the ridiculous number of social events I felt compelled to attend.  Returning to work I not only had a deeper knowledge for the core BizTalk development I was doing, but I also had a stronger understanding of the entire stack from BAM to BAS but also BRE and a few key points about orchestrations that always eluded me.

I am now sadly looking at my VB6 era MCSD and hoping to upgrade it.  I've used the online planner and have a good feel for what I need to do to reach MCPD - lots more tests.  The study room and being locked away from work at a conference center helps get things moving faster.  So regardless of wether I get to join the Bus, more certifications and visits to MS learning are in my future.  They have proven their worth to me both in job seeking and comprehensive study of the technology.

PS - Anybody reading this who doesn't know about the Get On The Bus Contest - Go here: http://blogs.technet.com/mslcommunity/archive/2009/04/09/another-chance-to-get-on-the-bus-or-fly-directly-to-teched.aspx