The Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD) credential validates a comprehensive set of skills that are necessary to deploy, build, optimize, and operate applications successfully by using Microsoft Visual Studio and the Microsoft .NET Framework. The MCPD certification is designed to provide hiring managers with a strong indicator of your potential job success. It requires two to three years of relevant experience and a commitment to remaining current in best practices and technologies. If you plan to develop applications by using Visual Studio 2008 and the Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5, the Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD) on Visual Studio 2008 certifications can help you validate your skills and abilities. Candidates should have two to three years of experience using the underlying technologies that are covered in the exam. The available certification paths include the following:

• Windows Developer 3.5 for developers who build rich client applications for the Windows Forms platform by using the Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5.
• ASP.NET Developer 3.5 for developers who build interactive, data-driven ASP.NET applications by using ASP.NET 3.5 for both intranet and Internet uses.
• Enterprise Application Developer 3.5 for developers who build distributed solutions that focus on ASP.NET and Windows Forms rich-client experiences.