As a certified service and repair technician, I have taken the equivalent of 
Support Essentials plus a couple other offerings, annually.  They are typical 
"industrial exams" that qualify you as minimally competent but make no higher 
claims.  The most difficult feature of these exams is that when you take them 
for the first time you have to drive to a local testing center and take them in 
a proctored environment, which is a practical hassle (subsequent re-certs can 
be done online for most Apple exams).

Is it possible to pass the exams without specific Apple experience?  For most 
of these exams, Apple offers online training that you can do at home at your 
own speed (whether there is a price tag on the ones I haven't taken I don't 
know).

The big issue here, though, is that just because you have the "shiny badge," 
the corner offices don't magically open unto you.  Better you find an 
Apple-oriented job somewhere that appeals to you and ask them what 
qualifications they want, and see how much theory fits reality.

And besides, it isn't always what you know.  If you're interested in pursuing 
an Apple Genius position, for example, you'll want to be young, attractive, 
fit, and look great in a t-shirt.  If you're retired and shaped more like Comic 
Book Guy, a perfect score on the Apple exams, 30 successful years in computer 
systems customer service, and an MIT computer science degree won't even get you 
the courtesy of a callback.  :-)

On Aug 2, 2011, at 6:53 AM, Sven Aluoor wrote:

> Hi folks
> 
> I am a former UNIX admin with quite good OpenLDAP experience. I have
> no professional experience with Apple products, but several years as a
> consumer.
> I wish to get a job in the Apple environment :-)
> 
> Did anyone took those (or similar) exams? How difficult and valuable
> are they? Is it possible to earn 100K $ a year as Apple specialist?
> Where to find an Apple job (not hardware)? Is it possible to pass the
> exams without real-world server (only Vwmare Fusion) experience?
> 
> Apple Certified Specialist in Directory Services (ACS - DS)
>    Mac OS X Support Essentials
>    Mac OS X Server Essentials
>    Mac OS X Directory Services
> 
> cheers Sven
> _______________________________________________
> MacOSX-talk mailing list
> [email protected]
> http://www.omnigroup.com/mailman/listinfo/macosx-talk

-- 
  Macs R We -- Personal Macintosh Service and Support
    in the Wickenburg and far Northwest Valley Areas.
                            http://macsrwe.com

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