Looking for a better job? Add Access to your resume! - Access

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Looking for a better job? Add Access to your resume!

Applies to: Microsoft Office Access 2003

Applies to
Microsoft Office Access 2003

If you are looking for a new job or interested in growing within your current organization, then you are probably spending a good deal of time updating your resume, networking with friends and acquaintances, researching the job market, and last, but not the least, picking up the skills that will help you land your dream job!

Identifying the skills that you need to pick up

This is the most important part of preparing to make a job or career change. Take stock of your skills. What are you good at, and what do you need to pick up? Look at the requirements of jobs you are interested in, talk to recruiters, and look at the feedback you received during your last review. Focus on generic skills such as the ability to communicate, to get things done on time, and to solve problems, as well as on specific skills, such as familiarity with software specific to the job or industry. In addition to specialized programs, most organizations use productivity tools, such as Microsoft Office, to store, organize, and share information, and require that potential employees be familiar with these applications.

Even if a job does not explicitly require knowledge of an Office application, your Excel or Access skills will help you do your day-to-day work better, and give you that edge over your coworkers. For example, if you are a recruiter, and you are familiar with Access, you could set up an Access database either just for yourself, or for the whole team, that cuts down the time and effort you and your team spend on storing, organizing and retrieving information. Any skill that enhances the productivity of an individual or a team will not only help you get hired or move to the next level, it will also help you gain visibility and respect amongst your peers.

A quick look at Microsoft Access

Access is a popular database management program that you can use to store and organize large volumes of data. Access enables you to manage all your information from a single file known as a database.

An Access database is a collection of different types of objects. The following illustration shows the different types of database objects.

Database objects

Tables to store your data. Store data once in one table, but view it from multiple locations. When you update the data, it's automatically updated everywhere it appears.

Queries to find and retrieve just the data you want.

Forms to view, add, and update data in tables.

Reports to analyze or print data in a specific layout.

Data access pages to view, update, or analyze the database's data from the Internet or an intranet.

So, where do you start?

There are several excellent resources available to learn Access. Depending on your requirements, the amount of time you have, and your learning style, choose what works for you from the following suggestions:

Show Get started with Access 2003

As you already know, the best way to learn a new software is to install it on your computer and start playing with it. If you don't have Access installed on your computer, visit the Access 2003 Product Information page for an overview of the product and information on how to buy it.

The Access 2003 Assistance page , on Office Online, is a great place to go to get up-to-date information on learning and using Access. The site is a rich collection of how-to articles, tips, links to newsgroups and other Access Web sites.

Show Office Training courses on Access

If you have Office 2003 installed on your computer, you can take advantage of the Access courses that are online. These courses are free for Office 2003 users. The courses are self-paced, about 30-60 minutes long, and focus on a specific aspect or functionality of Access. Here are some sample titles you might want to start with:

Get to know Access
Table that data
Forms follow functions
Take the controls

You can find these and other training courses at Access courses, on Office Online.

Show Popular Access Books

If sitting in front of your computer and reading screenfuls of text is not your style of learning new things, pick up a book! Here are some popular books that can teach you Access.

Microsoft Office Access 2003 Step-by Step, Microsoft Press
Microsoft Office Access 2003 Inside Out, Microsoft Press
Sams Teach Yourself Access 2003 in 24 Hours, Sams
Access 2003 Bible, Wiley

You can also find information about other Access 2003 books from Microsoft Press on the Inside Information About Microsoft Office 2003 Editions Web site.

Show View samples and templates

Want to look at some sample databases or templates to get a quick start at using Access?

Look at some samples

Access includes a couple of sample files that you can browse to understand how a database works. For more information on how to open these sample files, see the Help topic Sample databases included with Access.
Experiment with a few Access templates

Access templates are database files that contain sample tables, forms, and reports, but no data. Visit the Templates page on Office Online, and download Access templates, such as the Inventory Management Database and the Photograph Database. Add some sample data, and see how a database works!

Show Get certified

When you are comfortable using Access, think about getting the Microsoft Office Specialist certification—see the Microsoft Office Specialist Web site for more information. Microsoft certifications add punch to the Skills section of your resume! You can get certified by clearing one or more exams that provide a valid and reliable measure of technical proficiency and expertise and your ability to perform specific real-world job functions. The information technology (IT) industry, your employer, clients, and peers will recognize your certification as a symbol of the skills and knowledge you’ve gained through experience.

Show Become a part of the online Access Community

When you start using Access, there will come a time when you don't know how to solve a problem, or can't find the answer to your specific question. Worried where to go or whom to ask? How about joining the Access Community - a team of Access users and experts who share information and help out each other? Subscribe to newsgroups that are of interest to you, and start exchanging ideas and questions with other users—including Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals (MVPs)!

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