Steps MOUS
Step 1: Choose a Product and Select Your Level of Proficiency
Specialist tests are available for many of the Microsoft® Office 95 and Office 97 products. Before you prepare for Microsoft Office User Specialist testing, assess your skill levels and determine which Office product and what level of proficiency you want to target.
As a general rule of thumb, Proficient Specialists can handle a wide range of everyday tasks with ease. Expert Specialists are expected to do all those everyday tasks, plus handle more complex assignments that require advanced formatting and functionality.
For detailed exam preparation guides for both Proficient and Expert Specialist levels, select the name of an Office product from the following lists.
Microsoft Office 97
Microsoft Access Expert Specialist
Microsoft Excel Proficient Specialist and Expert Specialist
Microsoft FrontPage® Expert Specialist
Microsoft Outlook™ Expert Specialist
Microsoft PowerPoint® Expert Specialist
Microsoft Word Proficient Specialist and Expert Specialist
Users who attain Expert Specialist status on all five core Office 97 applications (Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access, PowerPoint, and Outlook) qualify to take the Office 97 Integration exam. Passing this exam demonstrates that you are not only an expert in the individual Office 97 products, but are also skilled in integrating them into a cohesive whole. This entitles you to be called a Microsoft Office Expert.
Note: Exam for Microsoft Office 97 Integration will be available later this year.
(da Mous.net) About Those Levels . . .
The Microsoft Office User Specialist Program offers three levels of expertise. Start at any level, depending on your experience.
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Microsoft Office Proficient Specialist.
Prove your abilities by passing one test in either Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel to become a Specialist at this level.
Microsoft Office Expert Specialist.
Prove you are skilled with the Microsoft Office family of products, including Microsoft PowerPoint 97 and Microsoft FrontPage 97.
Microsoft Office Expert.
Prove you have achieved Expert status in each of the Microsoft Office applications and have demonstrated -- through the Office Integration exam -- your ability to integrate these applications. This is the highest level you can reach.
Step2: Prepare for the Test
Being a Microsoft® Office Specialist provides a valuable industry credential - proof that users have the skills required by employers. The exams are developed with input from subject matter experts in the corporate and education markets.
Test content comes from real-world scenarios and accurately mirrors on-the-
job performance. Unlike multiple-choice tests that ask questions about the software, Office User Specialist exams take place within the Microsoft Office applications themselves. Test-takers must demonstrate their skills in realistic tasks.
You can prepare for an exam by taking a class at a school or training center, or you can purchase and review self-study materials. A variety of high-quality courseware is available to you through both of these avenues. Be sure to look for the Microsoft Office User Specialist Approved Courseware logo to ensure that you are getting quality learning materials that accurately map to the Office User Specialist exams.
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How Do I Assess My Experience?
You can start by taking a look at our Exam Preparation Guide that describes a list of skills you'll need to demonstrate in order to become a Specialist at the level you choose.
You can also take a look at these sample exam tasks to get a quick idea about what you're in for.
Sample Exam Tasks.
Microsoft Word 97
(WORD PROCESSOR)
Microsoft Office Proficient Specialist
Demonstrate use of styles and templates.
Microsoft Excel 97
(SPREADSHEET PROGRAM)
Microsoft Office Expert Specialist
Demonstrate use of macros.
Microsoft PowerPoint 97
(PRESENTATION GRAPHICS PROGRAM)
Microsoft Office Expert Specialist
Create a presentation from a template and add clip art, a Microsoft Excel chart, a movie, and a sound.
Microsoft Access 97
(DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM)
Microsoft Office Expert Specialist
Create a relational database and relate tables.
Microsoft FrontPage 97
(WEB SITE CREATION AND MANAGEMENT TOOL)
Microsoft Office Expert Specialist
Build a Web site for user input by adding check boxes, radio buttons, and push buttons.
Step3: Take the Test
All Microsoft® Office User Specialist testing is computer-based and is conducted primarily on the Windows® 95 operating system with the full array of Windows capabilities, including the graphical user interface. You will not be asked questions about Microsoft Office applications; you will be asked to perform tasks. The tests mirror actual job assignments within each Office product.
All of the exams take one hour or less - some take only about 30 minutes. In addition to measuring your skills, the tests also measure your productivity and efficiency. You may not use notes, manuals, a laptop, or any other aid to help you during the exam. You can take advantage of the built-in Office Help features, but be aware that doing so may use precious time and cause you to fail the test.
All exams are administered by an Authorized Client Testing (ACT) Center. If you have any questions about how exams are conducted or about schedules or test policies, contact your nearest ACT Center.