A+ Certification

[int]

I've been taking some practice tests and have been scoring pretty well...I'm thinking the cert is worth it for what I'm doing lately.

I bought a book and have access to an online study resource (that's slow and killing me). I'm thinking just some practice tests would be best but since I'm broke for now I need a cheap solution/education. Any suggestions?

Any thoughts on getting more certifications? I'm thinking the Network+ next...

:cheers:

[file cabinet]

any sort of certification makes clueless future employers think anyone with an A+ Certification would have the necessary skills but I'm going to assume you probably already have the necessary skills. On another forum I go to, a lot of the hardware guys say it's a waste of money.. but if you know someone who only hires based on it then you might as well.

[int]

I agree on the waste of money. I took a couple more practice tests and averaged over 90% without doing much more than skimming the book I bought. Plus my work experience should speak for itself. But a couple of the contract/consulting gigs I've applied for prefer it.

I dug up a couple vouchers online which will knock a hundred bucks off. Might be worth it just to have on the list of useless shit I can do to make money. :rolleyes:

[s]

I live in "Silicon Hills," Texas and Mr. Wonder survived the tech bubble... no one seems to care about A+ certs here. Better than nothing, I guess.

[Groty]

A+ Certs are a gimmick. No point in getting them.

[Boozer]

Cert's are just a way for employers to have baseline skillset in mind for employees. If you are already doing well on the tests I would get it, if only to make getting work easier and to improve the resume a little. But I wouldn't blow any money on classes since you already have the skills and a study text.

[int]

I wouldn't take a class if my life depended on it. The book was on sale. And as much as I know they are a gimmick I lost a perfectly good temporary contract job to some jackass with a cert, so maybe the small investment is worth it, even if it is just to pad my resumee. Pfft.

[Boozer]

I hate jumping through those meaningless hoops too. At least this one is relativley painless.

[file cabinet]

I hate jumping through those meaningless hoops too. At least this one is relativley painless.

you mean they don't use a drill anymore?

[int]

Luckily for us, pain is only these types of menial tasks and we manage to avoid the really bad stuff. Cuz wer'e smert.

[int]

Well I bit the bullet and took the tests, so I'm certified. :rolleyes:

It was funny. I've never seen so many grammar errors on a test before. And maybe if the questions made sense (or were written by someone with more than a 4th grade education) I would have done better.

Oh well. Bad ass job, here I come!!! :rolleyes:

[Ellipsis]

So was it worth it int?

I am thinking about trying to get the knowelge needed to pass the test. Currently I have taken some easy multiple choice practice tests and have been scoring around 60% while only knowing "very general principles" about what they are talking about (I am very good at multiple choice). But to actaully do something in the field I would be required to actaully know some stuff.

Any suggestions? Other then taking more practice tests?

(sorry to be dragging up this old thread but since it is already here...)

[Crazy]

I, too, am interested in an industry insiders advice on the subject of certifications.

[YardGnome]

So was it worth it int?

I know I'm not int, but I'm A+, N+ and MCP certified. I would say it was worth it because it allowed me to get out of the dead end job I held making pizzas eight years ago...

I got my foot in the door working at an insurance company in the IT department and somehow wound up doing software development. I now hold a software engineering position (at a different company) which I probably never would have, had it not been for taking those tests.

Just keep taking the practice exams until you feel confident (i.e. 90% + every time) I'm not sure if they are any more difficult than they were when I took them, but both the A+ and N+ exams were relatively easy in comparison to the Microsoft exams (and cheaper too!)

[bonsai]

That's the biggest (imo) perks to having certifications, if you are otherwise under educated, (regardless of your informal knowledge) having certifications on your resume will allow you to get into entry level computer jobs without a formal education. I know a lot of my friends who didn't have the desire or money to go to college got into IT work this way.

[Ellipsis]

That's the biggest (imo) perks to having certifications, if you are otherwise under educated, (regardless of your informal knowledge) having certifications on your resume will allow you to get into entry level computer jobs without a formal education. I know a lot of my friends who didn't have the desire or money to go to college got into IT work this way.

My desire to stay in college is waning....it just does not intrest me as much as it once did...dropping out and taking a IT position instead of going for 4 more years of this and ending up doing something I really am not intrested in seems like a waste.

Again I am only 18 and my computer expertise is still somewhat limited (some 15 year olds on this site probably know more). Anyway I want to learn more about computers more then I want to persue my degree (or persue a degree in computers at college).

What are my epectations of income...I don't need much but something greater then minimum wage would be nice.

[bonsai]

What are my epectations of income...I don't need much but something greater then minimum wage would be nice.

This of course will depend on your area and the company you work for, but anywhere from $25k-$35k would be reasonable for an entry level job. After that your upward mobility is only limited by your motivation. After a few years your real world experience will be worth a lot more than a piece of paper that says you can code.

[Ellipsis]

This of course will depend on your area and the company you work for, but anywhere from $25k-$35k would be reasonable for an entry level job. After that your upward mobility is only limited by your motivation. After a few years your real world experience will be worth a lot more than a piece of paper that says you can code.

That is good enough for me...at least for now...

Any good ideas of study aids?

[YardGnome]

Any good ideas of study aids?

I find the best study aid is hands on experience. Get yourself a crappy old computer, open it up, figure out with the aid of books, the internet what everything does, how it works etc...

Maybe even take a class at a tech school, the classes are relatively inexpensive and should provide you with some hands on experience and (better than a book) a real person to hound endlessly with questions.

I just wanted to add, I somewhat regret not having followed through in college and I'm sure that if I did finish I'd probably be making a little more $$ than I do now. But to be honest with you I'm not sure if I have the patience for it. I'm screwed now, I have a mortgage to pay and can't go back to school full time even if I wanted to. Something to think about if you are considering dropping out.

[rhinosaur]

Regarding getting yourself a crappy old computer, I'm sure you can find many on craigslist.com if you don't already have one. When I recently gave away a partially usable 486 (salvaged with the intent to repair, I don't remember what was usable), I did so on Craigslist, and I saw other adverts for computers there.

On a side note, I took a computer course in high school that was basically training for A+ certification. We took apart and rebuilt old computers, then built brand new ones for the local community college. I'm sure I could have passed the test, but I didn't take it. I do not regret my decision to not take the test, since I would not have used my certification since then (I'm in an unrelated field). The training and knowledge itself was very useful, though, as I have used it many times since then.

[mmortal03]

I haven't gotten it, but it seems like studying for it and getting it could be a nice review for people who have always been interested in the topics unofficially. I could be wrong, but it seems like you might learn SOMETHING you didn't know; fill in the gaps.

However, out of all of the certifications, it seems like A+ would be the least informative for a computer geek. The Microsoft certifications seem like you would be presented more stuff you might not have experience with, compared to A+.

[bonsai]

Any good ideas of study aids?

Check out torrent sites, you'll find a bunch of stuff.

[int]

Jeezus. I don't even remember making this thread.

Like YardGnome, I'm A+, Net+, and an MCP on Windows XP.

I also was this close to getting an MCSA on W2K3: read the books, scored great on the practice exams and had set aside the money to go take the tests.

Career change happened later that week.

But, getting certified, while not entirely practical in practice, was the best thing I could put on my resume and business cards. Especially since I didn't study computer science in college. This seems to echo the market trends.

I think it's because it shows a certain level of self-motivation outside of regular schooling and job training. At least that's what I've gathered. I was plugging along at over $60K before I hit a wall at my job and just decided to go out on my own. I was happy with my income when I was on my own, and had I been more patient I would have been making 80-90 at my old job in a few years. I simply didn't like my bosses and operational processes (both limited the ability to help customers as best we could and I wasn't in a position to change that).
Although my career changed the certs still help me dispense of the basics in conversations in my new work. I'm in private equity (as an analyst, for now) so when we find a tech company I can mention I'm a former IT guy, list my certs, and move the conversation forward. So they are useful elsewhere too. Lots of former IT specialists take on jobs as salespeople later (and make the better money!).

Moving into server specialization really cranked up my income. Since the A+ and Net+ applied to the MCSA track, it all kinda fell in line.

The Exam Cram books got me through the A+ and Net+. The MS books (found them online for cheap) were the ones I used for the MS exam prep. I think I had the Exam Cram for the WinXP too.

I think the A+ has changed since I took it. Back then, it was more of a tech's test: someone who will be re-installing drivers and replacing video cards. I don't know if it's changed from that - but I know there have been some changes.

Entry level is around $30K a year with benefits, give or take a few grand depending on experience. I shot out on my own last year, before the career change, and was charging anywhere from $75 to $125 an hour. If I had finished my MCSA, new clients would have been charged $150 an hour minimum, up to $250 an hour, depending on the job. And I'm cheap (but have 10 years experience and a proper attitude to back it up).

Certifications in IT mean a lot to the people looking at you, so I wouldn't hesitate if you're looking for an IT career or just want to let your potential bosses know that you understand technology. That can't really hurt in today's world.

[mmortal03]

Jeezus. I don't even remember making this thread.

Yeah, talk about the thread starter answering his own question 4 years later! A time warp from our perspective. ;)


I'm A+, Net+, and an MCP on Windows XP.

I also was this close to getting an MCSA on W2K3: read the books, scored great on the practice exams and had set aside the money to go take the tests.

Career change happened later that week.


Would you say your job is a standard IT job? What industry? How much programming do you do?