Posted: 1/18/2010 7:17:24 PM EDT
| Can anyone give me an idea of the value of getting an A+ Certification ? What kinds of jobs will it help me to get ? Is it common to pass the tests on the first try by studying the books or do you recommend buying some of the test prep practice software too ? I am close to finishing a BS in computer information systems, but I have very little in the way of skills that you actually need to get a job. The advisers at school are absolutely useless. |
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I would think that a BS is going to get you farther then an A+ cert. However an A+ cert can't hurt. I recommend you go to Professor Messer. http://www.professormesser.com/ He has a lot of free A+ and Net+ videos that I found to help me a lot.
Also go to http://techexams.net/index.shtml there is a lot of good info there and some practice exams. I also have some Transender question and answers in PDF you can have if you like. Just PM me with your email. |
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A+ is a foundational hardware skill - the building and configuration of PCs with a lite touch of basic networking A+ Techs work at places like Best Buy, repair shops and entry level IT positions I am aware that the A+ cert is pretty basic and a BS is better. Basically I am grasping at straws on what to do to actually get a job. I have been on interviews and skills wise all I can honestly say I have is a BS coming soon. It is a catch 22. How do I get skills without first getting a job ? |
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Instead you're better off getting out there and working on some projects. Write some code, release it. Repeat. OK. How do I get the job writing the code in the first place ? Not a job. Open Source / Shareware. Come up with an idea and release it, or find a project you are interested in and contribute to it. |
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Not a job. Open Source / Shareware. Come up with an idea and release it, or find a project you are interested in and contribute to it. OK. Now I think I'm getting somewhere. Forgive me for my ignorance, but can you suggest some websites that have more info about this ? |
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Can anyone give me an idea of the value of getting an A+ Certification ? What kinds of jobs will it help me to get ? Is it common to pass the tests on the first try by studying the books or do you recommend buying some of the test prep practice software too ? I am close to finishing a BS in computer information systems, but I have very little in the way of skills that you actually need to get a job. The advisers at school are absolutely useless. Hey, that's the same degree I've got. 
If you've got time on your hands get the A+. It looks good on paper and that's about it but you are at the point where you want to look good on paper. Edited to frigging add: you are also at the point where you want to sell your self as an absolute computer nurd so get crackin' n hackin'. 
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I am aware that the A+ cert is pretty basic and a BS is better. Basically I am grasping at straws on what to do to actually get a job. I have been on interviews and skills wise all I can honestly say I have is a BS coming soon. It is a catch 22. How do I get skills without first getting a job ?
Volunteer. Look in the phone book for a place that recycles computer. |
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A+ is a foundational hardware skill - the building and configuration of PCs with a lite touch of basic networking A+ Techs work at places like Best Buy, repair shops and entry level IT positions It's basic, yes, but most places where you'll touch hardware will require it. You'd be surprised at some of the basic stuff my software people cannot do. Even if he's going to focus elsewhere, it isn't a bad idea. It's not hard to get, nor will getting it be particularly time-consuming. |
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Take it from me. Get the A+ certificatewhile the info is fresh in your mind.
I skipped the A+ certificate. Got a corporate job and though I was golden. Nine years later (today) the company I'm working for is going out of business and I need to go find a new job. Every single job app I look at says "A+ Certification preferred" which translates to "We will look at job applicants with the A+ cert before those without. My only stand out feature is I have 9 years experience. I wish I had taken the time to get my A+ back in college while it was fresh in my mind. I could have aced the exam with ease. Now I got to study all over again if I want to take the exam. Don't be lazy and take the exam and get the certificate. At your stage of the game expect to find only entry level positions that are willing to consider your employment. Look for a place that has a career path and explain your looking to move up into a senior position. |
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By now you should've learned from your studies that IS is a broad and vast area. So as someone else asked, what do you want to do? If you want to work on hardware A+ might be beneficial. If you want to write code not so much. I'm on my 10th year as a full-time software developer. Before that I was a consultant for one of the largest consulting companies in the world. fwiw I have no college degree and no certifications. In fact, while I'm an anomaly on my team when it comes to the degree I don't believe any of us hold any certifications.
In my experience very few people actually in IT give much credence to certs. There are too many "paper" certs where people proved they can pass a test or two but they can't find their way out of a wet paper sack when presented with a real-world problem. Work on your critical thinking skills. Until we really know what you're interested in, though, it's hard to say whether or not it would be worth pursuing A+. |
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What PanicBuy says. You could be Linus Torvalds, but if your resume does not say "XXX Linux Certified" the HR moron (or worse, contract recruiter) will throw your resume in the trash. Not true. The Linux / OSS world is alot more flexible about experience than the rest of IT. It is more about what you have actually done than what certs or degrees you have. I was assuming that original poster was headed in a programming direction (BS in Information Systems). I would expect that the MS world is a little more strict on certs, but that real world experience would be a good way to enhance the resume and gain knowledge. As far as working for free, that is one way to look at it. Another way is to realize that you have no practical experience and it is a good way to get some free experience. You went to college to lay the foundation for learning for the rest of your life. IT and CS are not static disciplines, you will always be working on learning something new and applying it. Open Source projects are a good way to try out the latest technologies, as well as a way to contribute to a body of knowledge that others can draw upon (and that you yourself will be using from time to time, depending on which area you end up working in). |
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A+ is a foundational hardware skill - the building and configuration of PCs with a lite touch of basic networking A+ Techs work at places like Best Buy, repair shops and entry level IT positions It's basic, yes, but most places where you'll touch hardware will require it. You'd be surprised at some of the basic stuff my software people cannot do. Even if he's going to focus elsewhere, it isn't a bad idea. It's not hard to get, nor will getting it be particularly time-consuming. Let me clarify, as I may have been too brief in my response. I fully endorse the A+ certification. I developed an internal training program at our company that has certified hundreds of techs in the past 10 years from A+ to MCSE, Red Hat and Cisco. I was just saying that the A+ cert can land you an entry level job in those type of places. Its a great cert and a good investment for anyone entering a technical career. I agree it will help a programmer as well. Understanding processors, operating systems, Disk I/O is key to software development so the A+ is certainly complimentary. To get the higher paying jobs, experience coupled with a BS or very high end certifications is the way to go. Keep in mind you will never stop learning, never stop going after certifications if you want to command positions in the 100-200K range |
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Quoted: Quoted: What PanicBuy says. You could be Linus Torvalds, but if your resume does not say "XXX Linux Certified" the HR moron (or worse, contract recruiter) will throw your resume in the trash. Not true. Well did not mean it they way it came across. Meant there are many people who pay attention to certifications, and do not have the interview skills to recognized a skilled person without those certifications. |
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A+ = useless. If you want marketable credentials, get Cisco CCNA or CCNP certified. There was a time when that was true, but these days, not so much. I a network operations manager, with a team of guys under me. We keep about 7000 cpus spinning just peachy, without a touch of Cisco in sight. Certs are OK, but I've seen very well papered resumes I wouldn't trust to operate the coffee machine, let alone trust them with enable. I think the fundamental question of the OP is: How do I get a good job, which requires experience, if I don't yet have the experience? The answer is: You can't always get the good job first. Entry level jobs are just that, entry level. You might have to put in your time on the phones or on the first line of support and build both your reportoire and your reputation. I'll tell you this though: That entry level job is going to be very telling about your future at your company. If you arrive at a good company, put in the time and effort to become superb at your job you won't long be in that entry level job. One of the easiest things for a company to do is promote from within. Then you're dealing with a known quantity. On the other hand, if you deign to accept a job you think is below you, then show up and deliver the bare minimum, or just do a generally mediocre job, there's a good chance you'll spend a long time in that position. The advice I always give is to remind recent graduates that no job is below you. One of the best guys we have in our support organization started (and this is no joke) restocking TP in the bathrooms, coffee, paper towels, etc in the kitchens, and basically stepped forward and grabbed all the grunt work nobody else wanted. When he said he wanted to move out of doing general office work to entry level IT, there was a small stampede between the good managers to give him a shot. |
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The advice I always give is to remind recent graduates that no job is below you. One of the best guys we have in our support organization started (and this is no joke) restocking TP in the bathrooms, coffee, paper towels, etc in the kitchens, and basically stepped forward and grabbed all the grunt work nobody else wanted. When he said he wanted to move out of doing general office work to entry level IT, there was a small stampede between the good managers to give him a shot. This is a very good point. One of our Oracle DBAs started in the mail room. |
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What PanicBuy says. You could be Linus Torvalds, but if your resume does not say "XXX Linux Certified" the HR moron (or worse, contract recruiter) will throw your resume in the trash. Not true. Well did not mean it they way it came across. Meant there are many people who pay attention to certifications, and do not have the interview skills to recognized a skilled person without those certifications. Very True!
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What PanicBuy says. You could be Linus Torvalds, but if your resume does not say "XXX Linux Certified" the HR moron (or worse, contract recruiter) will throw your resume in the trash. Not true. The Linux / OSS world is alot more flexible about experience than the rest of IT. It is more about what you have actually done than what certs or degrees you have. I was assuming that original poster was headed in a programming direction (BS in Information Systems). I would expect that the MS world is a little more strict on certs, but that real world experience would be a good way to enhance the resume and gain knowledge. As far as working for free, that is one way to look at it. Another way is to realize that you have no practical experience and it is a good way to get some free experience. You went to college to lay the foundation for learning for the rest of your life. IT and CS are not static disciplines, you will always be working on learning something new and applying it. Open Source projects are a good way to try out the latest technologies, as well as a way to contribute to a body of knowledge that others can draw upon (and that you yourself will be using from time to time, depending on which area you end up working in). Just a nit, a BS in Information Systems is not a programming track. IS is a business degree in most places, and people who do that are looking at basic networking + management, not coding. BS in CS is coding. |
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I think the fundamental question of the OP is: How do I get a good job, which requires experience, if I don't yet have the experience? The answer is: You can't always get the good job first. Entry level jobs are just that, entry level. You might have to put in your time on the phones or on the first line of support and build both your reportoire and your reputation. I'm not even expecting a good job. Just something that pays at least 30k that can be used to gain experience and move up. What I want to know it what to learn to try to get that at least. |
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Just a nit, a BS in Information Systems is not a programming track. IS is a business degree in most places, and people who do that are looking at basic networking + management, not coding. BS in CS is coding.[/div] Had I known that the IS degree was such a joke I may have gone for CS. I was a transfer student and IS took all of my credits whereas CS would have been an entire extra year of school and tuition. |
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I think the fundamental question of the OP is: How do I get a good job, which requires experience, if I don't yet have the experience? The answer is: You can't always get the good job first. Entry level jobs are just that, entry level. You might have to put in your time on the phones or on the first line of support and build both your reportoire and your reputation. I'm not even expecting a good job. Just something that pays at least 30k that can be used to gain experience and move up. What I want to know it what to learn to try to get that at least. I think the geek squad is only starting at $12/hr. 
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Just a nit, a BS in Information Systems is not a programming track. IS is a business degree in most places, and people who do that are looking at basic networking + management, not coding. BS in CS is coding. Had I known that the IS degree was such a joke I may have gone for CS. I was a transfer student and IS took all of my credits whereas CS would have been an entire extra year of school and tuition. Well worth it, IMO, but only if you want to go on and get a Master's or PHD. BS in CS these days isn't very useful. ODU has a BSCS / MBA 5 year program that's a good model for where to go in the computer field these days, IMO. |
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Just a nit, a BS in Information Systems is not a programming track. IS is a business degree in most places, and people who do that are looking at basic networking + management, not coding. BS in CS is coding.[/div] Had I known that the IS degree was such a joke I may have gone for CS. I was a transfer student and IS took all of my credits whereas CS would have been an entire extra year of school and tuition. Thanks for the clarification. Back when I was looking (I never got my BSCS, ended up with an EET) there was only BSCS and everyone was a programmer. |
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Zero. They may get you past and idiot HR drone who is just looking for keywords. Instead you're better off getting out there and working on some projects. Write some code, release it. Repeat. but... A+ is all about PC repair... that's like comparing apples to ... Pascal? the base test is useless, the upperlevel tests are useless. Like all things in the work force, the useless things are all that counts, if you want a tech job that will bring you any tac. bacon you gotta get it. Also your net+ and security+, field experience is good too. As for what kind of jobs, if you're on careerbuilder or monster or other job sites, you'll fall in the IT/network technician areas. Job placement companies specializing in the IT field are your friend when it comes to job hunting, let them do it for you and be picky if you want (your discression) |
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I think the fundamental question of the OP is: How do I get a good job, which requires experience, if I don't yet have the experience? The answer is: You can't always get the good job first. Entry level jobs are just that, entry level. You might have to put in your time on the phones or on the first line of support and build both your reportoire and your reputation. I'm not even expecting a good job. Just something that pays at least 30k that can be used to gain experience and move up. What I want to know it what to learn to try to get that at least. Consider working at a help desk. Employers like job candidates who have troubleshooting experience and people skills. They may pass up candidates who are more technically skilled, but lacking in these areas. |
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A+....
image wrapping up some kind of advanced degree in mathmatics, then having to go take an exam on your multiplication tables 
ccna, mcse network+ are better than nothing, gives you exposure and will help get you in the door, but the real thing is getting your hands dirty(real world experience) Yes, you will have to work cheap to gain experience especially in the obama era.... unless you work for your dad or fall under some "special" category. If this is the case, you'll hate your job because your coworkers will resent you. I see this everyday when some kid walks in and makes the same as the senior techs *
*just my opinion and has the value of what you paid for it. |
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Just a nit, a BS in Information Systems is not a programming track. IS is a business degree in most places, and people who do that are looking at basic networking + management, not coding. BS in CS is coding. Had I known that the IS degree was such a joke I may have gone for CS. I was a transfer student and IS took all of my credits whereas CS would have been an entire extra year of school and tuition. Well worth it, IMO, but only if you want to go on and get a Master's or PHD. BS in CS these days isn't very useful. ODU has a BSCS / MBA 5 year program that's a good model for where to go in the computer field these days, IMO. Semi-retired software/firmware engineer here. Back in the day when I got my BSCS ('84) it really was the ticket...along with the core engineering disciplines. These days, I think joshki is correct in regards to BSCS/MBA. IMHO, you should not use BSIS and A+ in the same sentence. A sh*tload of high schoolers graduate with A+ certs. Nothing implied against A+ cert holders here...just that there's lot of them. Instead of spending time pursuing a cert of questionable worth (A+), I'd start volunteering at places that might use a person with your BSIS degree. It's good for the soul to volunteer and it will, without a doubt, increase your human networking and "real world" experience level...real advantages in today's job marketplace. |