by Alex Russel
alex.russel@studyhightech.com
Study High Tech Columnist

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, secretaries and administrative assistants held about 4.1 million jobs in 2002, ranking among the largest occupations in the U.S. economy. As their reliance on technology expands, the role of these millions of men and women has greatly evolved. Namely, nearly every single one of them most likely uses some form of Microsoft Office, the ubiquitous desktop software.

Since 1998, it is possible to become an MOUS/MOS, or Microsoft Office (User) Specialist. Administered by outside vendors but sanctioned by Microsoft, MOS training gives the administrative assistant the deepest understanding of Microsoft Office.

MOUS/MOS Certification

The MOUS.MOS exams are broken into sections and the administrative assistant can choose at what level he wants to specialize in Microsoft Office. The following are the separate exams that make up MOUS/MOS certification

• Microsoft Office Word 2003
• Microsoft Office Word 2003 Expert
• Microsoft Office Excel 2003
• Microsoft Office Excel 2003 Expert
• Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2003
• Microsoft Office Access 2003
• Microsoft Office Outlook 2003

Based on these exams, there are three levels of MOUS.MOS three levels of certification:

• Specialist (pass one of the non-Expert exams)
• Expert (pass one Expert exam)
• Master (pass the required Word 2003, Excel 2003 and PowerPoint 2003 exams as well as either the Access 2003 or Outlook 2003 exams.)

Training For MOUS/MOS Certification

You can do the training for these exams on your own but it is highly recommended that you pursue training through courses, whether in a classroom or online. Even Microsoft Office specialists have a hard time getting the total 1000 points possible on the MOUS/MOS certification exam, but it's well worth it.

About the Author

Alex Russel is a freelance writer living in Brooklyn, NY. Lucky enough to grow up in Europe with family all over the world, he has been a consummate traveler his whole life. Since graduating from Syracuse University he has worked at many different media companies in fields as diverse as film, TV, advertising, and journalism. He holds a dual bachelor's degree in English and History.