Microsoft is arguably one of the largest and most successful technology companies in the world, with employees, partners, and representatives in virtually every country. And while many would say the success of Microsoft is due to its leadership and extraordinary vision, one cannot overlook the people who take this technology and turn it into the systems, products, and solutions we depend on for work, home, and play each day.

It is the Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) who makes these products the very mainstream tools we use every day to improve our productivity and enjoy life a little more. And when we hit a snag or our technology doesn't do what it's supposed to, it's the MCP who comes to the rescue.

It's no wonder then, that there's a strong demand for Microsoft Certified Professionals in virtually every industry and market sector. Career growth and opportunity abound for IT professionals who can validate their Microsoft IT skills, prompting many aspiring IT pros to take time off and attend instructor-led classes or take on training in their spare time via self-study in order to prep for exams.

Self-study has emerged as the preferred option for individuals looking for an economical approach to exam prep that doesn't disrupt their routines or take them away from work. The absence of a live instructor to answer questions and walk through concepts to sharpen IT skills, however, can often cause the student unnecessary frustration which can lead to course abandonment or less than desirable results on exam day.

That has all changed with the emergence of live support services that provide on-demand assistance for exam prep and self-study from Microsoft Certified Professionals and Trainers. Now when a student has a question, needs a demonstration of a task or tool, or wants help walking through a concept, he or she simply logs in and begins chatting with a live expert, or picks up the phone for a one-on-one call. The best of these on-demand support services are not tied to or confined by a specific vendor's courseware, and live support is accessible from any web browser 24/7. This way the student is never alone, whether studying over lunch or pulling an all-nighter.

The introduction of these services is quickly changing the way students are approaching self-study for exam prep, taking away the fear of learning something new, giving the student much-needed human interaction to stay motivated, and helping the student focus on what's important for exam day success. Providers of self-study resources for MCP exam prep are also taking note, with early market leaders now offering these services to certification candidates as part of a package deal that includes study materials, live support, and exam vouchers.

With any new Microsoft Certified Professional designation, comes new opportunities and challenges. Perhaps one of the greatest advantages to live expert support beyond study is having that support available on the job.

As growing professionals put their new IT skills into action, there are inevitably bits of knowledge and information that are forgotten until it's time to use them. That's when it's extremely valuable to have a live expert on hand to help recall what was learned and apply it to real-world task. Like the support received during exam prep, on-the-job help is just a click or call away, 24/7. Individuals don't have to stop what they're doing and interrupt a co-worker for help, and they don't have to waste time searching for the steps in a text book. They simply click and chat with a live expert who can walk through a task with them, or help them develop a new IT skill on the spot.

This new approach to self-study and IT skills improvement is not only helping growing professionals become Microsoft Certified Professionals, it's helping them be even more successful at it quicker, and with less trial and error on the job.

Live expert support for individuals, from the moment they start down the path to MCP certification, to the first time they use a new skill on the job is making a huge impact on the ease, speed, and confidence at which growing professionals are tackling self-study and improving their performance on exam day and at work.

By helping them get it right the first time, less time and money are wasted and more time is spent getting the most out of the Microsoft technology we all enjoy.