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Microsoft offers some of the most popular tech products in the world. While many users might not not be familiar with Azure, Microsoft Server, or SQL Server, they certainly know about Windows and the apps in the Microsoft Office suite. Applications like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint are so common that they are taken for granted.
Every Microsoft product has a corresponding professional certification. Office is no different — in fact it has three. Microsoft Office certifications are somewhat controversial because Office is a baseline technical competency for most office jobs. And for something so common, why get certified?
That's a question we'll explore. We'll look at what these certs cover, who should earn them, and who should not.
There are three Microsoft Office certifications: Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS), MOS Expert, and MOS Master. They are intended to demonstrate increasing levels of proficiency in using one or more of the five main Office apps: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and Outlook.
We used the term "increasing levels of proficiency", but maybe we should say "increasing breadth of proficiency". That's because, apart from Expert level exams for Word and Excel, specialist level exams are used at each level. You just have to pass more of them as you move up the ladder. The current certification exams are for the 2016 & 2019 versions of Office apps, which are also available via the cloud in Office 365.
You do NOT need specific prerequisites for any of the MOS certification levels. Microsoft, however, recommends that you have specific levels of skills in Microsoft Office, or the previous level certification.
You can become a MOS Specialist in one or more of the five Office apps we mentioned. There are no prerequisites. All you need do is pass the relevant exam(s):
Again, these exams show that you are a proficient user of the particular application. It doesn't say anything about whether you can install or administer the app.
MOS exams are administered at third-party Certiport Authorized Testing Centers
Each exam is weighted in four or five various categories related to use of the particular application. For example, the Word 2016 - 2019 exam contains the following categories:
Whereas the baseline Specialist certification allows you to be certified in one or more of five Office applications, the MOS Expert cert is focused on your choice of just two: Word or Excel.
You can get certified as a Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Expert in one or both of these apps, by passing the appropriate expert-level exam(s):
There are no specific prerequisites for either exam, although proficiency in Word or Excel is recommended. If you can't pass the Specialist exam, don't waste your time and money on the Expert exam.
As with the Specialist level exams, the Expert examinations are administered at Certiport Authorized Testing Centers.
Both exams are weighted in four categories related to use of the app. The Excel 2016 - 2019 Expert exam covers the following categories and weightings:
As we previously mentioned, these exams validate expertise in using the apps, not in administering them. For that reason, they would be relevant to professionals who use Word or Excel, or support other users.
For example, a MOS Expert certification might be a useful credential for a trainer or help desk person for Word or Excel. An Excel Expert certification might be also useful for accounting and financial professionals and data analysts, who must be proficient in advanced spreadsheet techniques.
The highest level of MOS certification is the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Master. The exams that you need to pass are ones that you might have taken at the Specialist or Expert levels. Unlike those levels, where you could be certified in just ONE app, here you are expected to prove your mastery of four apps, including passing the Expert level exams for Word and Excel.
To be certified as a MOS Master, you must first pass exams for three required Office apps, followed by one exam for your choice of an additional application.
The exams you must pass are as follows:
You can then pick one of these exams:
If you're already a certified Microsoft Office Specialist or Expert, then you may have taken and passed one or more of these exams. You just have to fill in the gaps.
However, it's not like other certs where you must be a Specialist before you can become an Expert. You can just go straight for the Master badge.
As we've said before, the exams are weighted in four or five categories related to use of the specific app. The Outlook 2016 - 2019 exam has the following categories and weightings:
Manage the Outlook environment for productivity (20-25%)
There are no prerequisites for MOS and MOS Expert. So which should you do first? It depends on whether you want to get your MOS Master, which requires the MOS and Expert.
Based on the skills demanded by your employer, you'll know which exams are the best. With this information, you can decide whether to get certified and, if so, at what level.
Although the Office suite is used by most business and government organizations, it's probably true the overwhelming majority of people use only a few of the apps. And from there, only a fraction of the features of each app. You may think you know Office, Excel, or PowerPoint. But you've probably only been scratching the surface.
Unlike their more technical certifications, Microsoft has not done a tremendous job promoting the MOS certs to employers as a measure of user proficiency. For that reason, you're not going to see many jobs that specify a Microsoft Office Specialist as a requirement.
You're more likely to see general requirements such as "must be proficient with all Microsoft Office; Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Outlook". However, organizations tend to be open to training and development and will likely pay for MOS certification exams.
So should you go it? Well, if you're in an office job and use one of more of the Office apps, then going for a Specialist level cert in Word will probably be a good move. At a minimum, it demonstrates to your boss your proficiency and eagerness to advance. Depending on what apps are used, you can then go for additional certs.
Can you help your boss with her PowerPoint presentations? What about Excel and Access for financial and data analysis? The certs you go for will be situation-specific — depending on what your job requires and your career goals.
The same thing applies to the Expert level certs. If there's value to you and your job in becoming an MOS Expert, then go for it. Perhaps a MOS Expert in Excel will help you land that coveted analyst slot in the Finance or Strategic Planning department.
Training and Office Support is one area where you will find MOS certifications specified as a job requirement. In these situations, you are either teaching students how to use one of more of the Office apps, or you are providing Help Desk support to end users.
In these situations, Expert or Master level certifications may be a requirement for the job. Practically speaking, the MOS Master cert with an Access elective would be an ideal combination for either of these job responsibilities.
Why It Doesn't Make Sense to Get Office Certified
If you already have a job, how can a MOS certification benefit you? Just because you use Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, or Access regularly doesn't mean that it's worth getting certified. It might be worth taking a course or two in using a Microsoft Office product. But there's probably little reason to spend the extra time and money to go for the certification exam(s).
If you're an IT pro working in an Office or Office 365 environment, then you might consider how a certification like the MCSA: Windows Server might be more valuable than a MOS cert. Sure, it can't hurt to learn to use Office apps, but you'll get more career leverage by learning how to administer them.
Global IT is an Certiport/Person Vue Authorized Testing Center and we offer training courses that are geared toward the MOS Specialist Exams. Contact us today for more information at (248) 557-2480.
