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Got the cert in 1999, but i self-studied. Bought books & tapes, much less than $1000. Then did the "test a day" thing with cramsession.com. Passed the H/W & S/W, but that was 1999. Don't know if I could do it now with all the changes in computers.
I'm going to take the E-biz cert, do it with self-study.
Aaaaaah....the Operation Delta Threads. Let us go back....back...back to those heady days where Queen of Hearts was building her first PC and merrily steering me into a cardiac arrest. :D :D
Those threads were a lot of fun....we all had a blast with them. It's fun to read them again and see how much technology has changed in such little time. The components have changed, but the principle building/troubleshooting techniques remain the same. Those threads can be a great resource for that A+ certification. :)
Myself personally,
When I first started in IT, a couple of certifications is what would get me an interview and upon those I got many more:
A+, Net+, i-Net+, Linux+, Security+, Server+, MCP, MCSA, MCSE (NT4), CIW-A
However, it's amazing that now when I go for interviews (I switched jobs as recently as two months ago), I found that it was all of my experience that got me in the door. Everyone I interviewed for (3 int's, 3 offers) all wanted me because of what I had done, not where I had gone to school or what cert's I had.
Just my .02
Silicon Scream --
I agree it is not the paper that gets you the job, its the experience. However, not having the paper can HINDER you. At least that has been my experience so far. Looking at job postings on CareerBuilder, Monster, WorkinTexas, and a few others, I have noticed those jobs that have better wages (better than just an entry level position), all require MSCE or MSCA or a Network cert of some sort. Very few jobs simply state "3-5 years experience required". Therefore, I know in order to get my foot in the door to get the initial interview, I need to have more than just an A+ or MCDST cert plus 4 years experience. I have knowledge in the area, as well as experience, however the HR departments prevent my resume from getting to the right people becuase I lack the specified requirements.
Yea, it's unfortunate too that a lot of HR turkey's don't now what any of those certifications are so many people get dropped out of the gate when in reality they could be superior in overall qualifications.Quote:
Originally posted by jslater25
Silicon Scream --
I agree it is not the paper that gets you the job, its the experience. However, not having the paper can HINDER you. At least that has been my experience so far. Looking at job postings on CareerBuilder, Monster, WorkinTexas, and a few others, I have noticed those jobs that have better wages (better than just an entry level position), all require MSCE or MSCA or a Network cert of some sort. Very few jobs simply state "3-5 years experience required". Therefore, I know in order to get my foot in the door to get the initial interview, I need to have more than just an A+ or MCDST cert plus 4 years experience. I have knowledge in the area, as well as experience, however the HR departments prevent my resume from getting to the right people becuase I lack the specified requirements.
I am in agreement however that certification's can only help you. I mean, I've never heard of certification's that hurt you per se.
This thread is a couple months old but I thought I'd resurrect it just because I am beginning to study for my A+. I already have the job that pays more than entry level wages, but I and my boss would like me to get certified. A fellow part time co worker has the book, and the cd. We sat here one day this week and took the Hardware portion, for which I had not studied the book for, and I passed the hardware part. My learning comes from VDR, so I was happy that I was able to pass the practice hdw part. I had trouble with the laser printer portions, only getting part of them right. But honestly, how many laser printers are there in homes these days? LOL Btw, my boss would also like me to get the Net+, and really, I'm not interested in networking per se as a job function at any rate.
One of my questions is: how many tests do you take for the A+ cert? I saw on info installed from the cd that there are more than a few tests. Do you take all of them, or just a few? We did test number 1, hdw and test number 1 OS. The os we didn't fair as well as the hdw one.
Are there any study guides one can get online for A+?
the a+ cert alone is, agreed pretty useless - but i am relyably informed that if you get both A+ and N+, then that is now considered industry standard.
the real knowledge comes from doing not sitting in a classroom, but it's those bits of paper that get you interviews and like silicon scream said, these can be built on (from my experience in UK, most employers will fund qualifictions).
Like I said Dave I already have the job, and got that from my experience, but for some reason only known to my boss he wants me certified. I was thinking about MCSE also, though I doubt I will ever have need for these certs, I will get the A+.
And this weekend I'll be getting the A+ cert book so anything found and retrieved from the net will be an addition.
I think that you should definately go for as many qualifications as poss, if ur getting it funded then you should take take take.....
I know that i'm only starting out in this big-bad bussiness and that my views are probably pretty typical for someone of my age, but why not just do it to prove to urself aswell that you can. E.g. we all know that MSCE is HARD, so if you get it anyway(even if you don't think you need it) then it's proof to urself that you really do understand all that Microsoft stuff!! :)
Anyways
enuff of my rambling
Since I don't know your age, I can't comment on what you just said about it being typical for someone your age. I started college when I was 42, taking a year off to care for my husband who had lung cancer, I returned and finished with a BA, in 1999. Learning to me, is a "want to attitude", I love learning about computers and taking tests is fun to me. The more knowledge I gather through reading, and doing, suits me just fine. So, yes, I'll probably take the A+ first, then the Net+, then on to the MCSEs. :)
I totally agree with you but i think more along the lines that you learn by doing and from places like VDR but the courses and exams are a reinforcement of this and fill in gaps in your knowledge. I was on my A+ couse tonight myself and managed to pick up something that i didn't know about user rights and permissions in win2k, and the reason is because i don't need to use that particular feature either at home or in my work.Quote:
Learning to me, is a "want to attitude", I love learning about computers
in case you were interested, i'm 19(if only for a couple more weeks)......Quote:
Since I don't know your age
That's mostly what intreges me, the learning of something I no nothing about. Earlier versions of Windows happens to be one of those things I have no idea about except for a bit about 3.1. I grew up with no computer knowledge and what I've learned has been in the last 10 years. My first computer was a Commodore64, my next computer was a Mac. Then in 1998, I bought my first PC. It was a whole other world for me from what I did know. And since then, I've blossomed to PC Tech. :D I joined VDR in March 2002, and in January 2004 I became Super Moderator. Had I known what I know now when I was your age....I'd have started out as a computer tech then, but times were different then, computers weren't as readily available in the 60's as they are now. My Mac cost me over $3000. My latest PC cost me 1/3 that because I built it myself. And it's much faster than the Mac I had was, that Mac was top of the Mac line then, it only had a coprosessor at 66mhz. LOL Though, I can't complain about it, because it did what I wanted it for. And I could fix it then too. I just love working on computers and always have since I was first introduced to them in 1992.