A+ Certification. Looking for advice.

It seems like the 3 year update helps a lot. Yes, there are some really inane questions I've seen on the practice exams I've found on http://professormesser.com/ and ExamCompass.com(way more practice questions)

There is a 901 exam and a 902 exam. The 901 seems much more hardware based and the 902 is much more Windows based.

Stuff like knowing the min RAM requirements for win 7 Pro vs Win 7 Home 64 and whatever else, but there's plenty of good stuff, too.

BTW thank you to SvenBent for that ProfessorMesser link, really cool site!
 
Didn't do any study for it just sat the two exams and passed. Never bothered with re-certifying, I think that only came about a couple of years back for A+.

Fearing a dept closure/career change nine years ago, I did the A+ and Network+ certs. 2010 was the last year CompTIA had them as lifetime certs. Once I missed that deadline, I skipped out on pursuing Security+. But my department was spared and I didn't have to change careers. The certs are still valid (there's no distinction between pre or post 2010 certification) so I'm betting yours is still valid too. They're hanging on my office wall- and that's the only real use I got out of em. ;)

(most of the Tier1s in my company don't even have those base three CompTIA certs)

The current A+ and Network+ certs need to renewed every three years (20 CEUs) The Security+ certs need 50 CEUs to renew every three years. Something you have to keep in mind if you pursue- keeping them current will be costly unless your employer bankrolls them or reimburses you.
 
which is exactly why we all think a+ is a joke. but nooooo gotta have it now....

I don't like the requirement, but I get it. Same for higher level jobs that require higher level certs that are equally equal parts too general and too outdated.

But the 'gut check' is still needed, and they do the job.
 
I got my A+, but that was when I was 15. I now own my own IT company and frankly I'd hire anybody based on experience and hard interview questions over what "credentials" they have on paper. But I'm not saying I'd exclude you for having your A+.

I've always been an "experience over formal education" kind of guy. I have a multi 6 figure contract with literally no college experience and a 2.X highschool GPA. Education means you know how to test well, experience and knowledge are much more valuable.

Know your stuff, then prove it with a good interview and or work examples.
 
I got my A+, but that was when I was 15. I now own my own IT company and frankly I'd hire anybody based on experience and hard interview questions over what "credentials" they have on paper. But I'm not saying I'd exclude you for having your A+.

For small businesses, this isn't nearly as big of a deal, but for enterprises and those companies with government contracts, these certs are many times a basic requirement.

As in, can't even touch hardware/log on/etc. without the cert.
 
I've worked 4 different jobs in IT at 4 different large companies in Dallas, TX.

Never has the subject of A+ ever come up. It is also the butt of a lot of jokes in my current job when people flaunt their certification in their email signature. I don't think it's relevant and any employers worth your time certainly don't seem to give it any value.

In my experience, get your foot in the IT door in a low level job and start showing your prowess. You'd be surprised how quickly you can move from job to job if you start as low as a help desk analyst. I started a help desk job making $13/hr six years ago and now I make a hefty yearly salary. No certifications required. Just PC smarts.
 
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I guess, it kind of is... based on a loose set of standards. My point is you can put anything on a resume. You should definitely put "Fixed friends and family PC's for 5 years..."
but use wording like "Maintained and Serviced" just dont go thesaurus crazy.
 
but use wording like "Maintained and Serviced" just dont go thesaurus crazy.

But I really did upgrade a Windows 8.1 5400 rpm serial ATA harddrive to a 2.5" 128 gigabyte solid state disk because the disk queues were operating an an undesirable performance level...
 
But I really did upgrade a Windows 8.1 5400 rpm serial ATA harddrive to a 2.5" 128 gigabyte solid state disk because the disk queues were operating an an undesirable performance level...
you forgot the size of the 5400 ;)
and this is currently the single best performance upgrade for any system.
 
Fearing a dept closure/career change nine years ago, I did the A+ and Network+ certs. 2010 was the last year CompTIA had them as lifetime certs. Once I missed that deadline, I skipped out on pursuing Security+. But my department was spared and I didn't have to change careers. The certs are still valid (there's no distinction between pre or post 2010 certification) so I'm betting yours is still valid too. They're hanging on my office wall- and that's the only real use I got out of em. ;)

(most of the Tier1s in my company don't even have those base three CompTIA certs)

The current A+ and Network+ certs need to renewed every three years (20 CEUs) The Security+ certs need 50 CEUs to renew every three years. Something you have to keep in mind if you pursue- keeping them current will be costly unless your employer bankrolls them or reimburses you.


To be honest the whole renewal thing is ridiculous for most Comptia qualifications as they are basically introductory certs. I would ignore the fact if they were lapsed or not. The fact the person passed said exam in 2011 or whatever would be fine with me as an employer. The fact it's lapsed would mean zero. I would not ask an employee to re-sit such things.
 
To be honest the whole renewal thing is ridiculous for most Comptia qualifications as they are basically introductory certs. I would ignore the fact if they were lapsed or not. The fact the person passed said exam in 2011 or whatever would be fine with me as an employer. The fact it's lapsed would mean zero. I would not ask an employee to re-sit such things.

Well, the 'renewal' is the fee- which is to process and maintain your 'continuing education' in lieu of re-certifying you.

Which is not a concept in and of itself that I have a problem with, but for these certs, they really should just have a 'keeping up to date' process available for those that don't need more than what the base cert covers.
 
Wasn't really sure where else to post this topic.

I'm wondering if anyone has any good Ebook/Audiobook (study resource) recommendations for A+ material?

And beyond A+, do you guys have any other relevant material recommendations?

As far as CompTIA certs, Network+ & Security+ are what you would want to get, next, if you want to do a steady climb up the ladder of certs and are planning on being more than a technician. A+ is all about how well you know the computer. Net+ is all about how well you understand basic to moderate networking practices, which is really what you need to know about if you are going to be doing any type of admin networking for companies. Sec+ shows you can not only handle network troubleshooting techniques which is what any boss wants his IT guy, to know, but also that you have some knowledge about how to protect that network from outside intrusion. They are all about the same difficulty, relatively easy. Once you take/pass the first A+, you should feel confident that you can pass the next two, also, as the A+ knowledge of hardware and OS layers will inject itself into many areas of business networking. When you understand the networking elements, well enough, that understanding is key in securing the network. So, done in this order each test acts like a stepping stone for the next.

But I would say that you should really get on the certification train because certs (the knowledge it takes to pass) is really the only thing that matters to employers. Certs are way, way more important than anything you would do in school. A degree/diploma really doesn't say much, on its own, especially in the tech/business school arena. They act like factories, pushing out 90% people who just did enough to get by and graduate. That is going to be a large portion of your class, probably.

I did it like this... A+, Net+, Sec+, CCNA, MCP, MCSA, MCSE. By the time I got around to taking the three MS Server tests, the "supposed to be hardest three of them all" were actually far easier than the MCP tests cause the accumulated knowledge from the previous meant that I already had every area of the server tests represented in various ways in all of the previous tests. I don't know what your goals are but if it is to be a network engineer then I would say the cert path I suggest is one that will definitely result in a wide area of networking knowledge.

Also, there are many locations, online, where you can get "mock cert tests" that will essentially give you a guideline as to the types of questions asked in the tests. You shouldn't go in to take the test until you have aced at least 5 or so practice tests in a row. If you are able to do that you have nothing to stress on, cause some of those practice test companies are really good at what they do. You don't want to walk into a cert test nervous or worried. You want to walk in having just aced the last five practice tests and confident that you will ace it, too.
 
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