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Based on what I saw many years ago when I took the A+ test, a lot of places pretty much required it, so I went and took the test. I thought it was a no-brainer, but people said you needed it, so I got it. One aspect that some people needed to bone up on to get through the A+ was laser printers. Now that A+ expires every few years, I would make sure I needed it before paying to take the test.
I thought the material covered on the N+ test was generally useful for most techie-type people. You may already know everything there is to know about TCP/IP, but must people who learn networking by hands-on experience will fill in the gaps in their knowledge of networking protocols by reviewing the class study materials for N+.
I thought the stuff covered on a+ was stuff every decent computer tech should already know (other than all that printer stuff). Your experience may be different.
Now for the renewal, with the A+ and other compTIA certs, getting another cert renews your other certs. So when my 3 years are about to be up, I might take the Security + to renew all of them.
There are other things you can do to renew the certs as well, without having to actually renew the cert itself AFAIK.
The N+ is what I'm really excited to study. I have some hands-on at work and at home with networks, but I really think studying for it will definitely fill in those gaps.
The printer stuff I've studied for the A+ is kinda helpful, but again, very circumstantial. On our old HP 4100s, the only things that went out were the fusers, and so I would have to scavenge parts to fix them. Google and my mechanical experience is what was/is useful. Knowing how a printer actually works is interesting, but isn't going to help me when it jams or the fuser falls apart.
I Google, and I'm very good at finding things. I mean that's a decent portion of my job, until the problems become common enough, then I just know what to do.
I do have experience, but right now I'm basically just doing IT part-time/extra-time on top of my current job. I'm mostly fielding and escalating. But I'll do a lot of Tier 1 (Tier 2 stuff on occasion), and work on a couple servers, labs, networking, printers, laptops, etc. I do a lot of "patching up" until our main tech can swing by; because I'm there everyday and he's only here 3 days a week.
I have put in a lot of extra hours in just to get where I'm at experience-wise, but again it's difficult to translate that vs. people who both have experience, degrees and/or certs (in IT).
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I'm in a position currently where I can be picky, so I don't really want to do entry level help desk, especially at entry level pay. I figured that certs, a BA (although unrelated) and 4+ years of experience would be sufficient to skip one rung and jump start a career.
Though I'm not against going back to school for an (AA), it's just that I'd figure I'd try the cheaper, less time intensive route, before anything else.
Harhar, I will echo others in saying that there's no reason NOT to go for the certs. I also will echo others in saying that don't expect those certs to be what swings the pendulum in your favor. In the grand scheme of things, your work experience is what companies are after. And, companies use a variety of ways to weed out applicants who don't perfectly match their criteria, even if that applicant is capable of doing the job.
So, if you're using online job boards or some type of electronic way of applying for jobs, be prepared to be kicked out of consideration. And to be totally honest, online job boards are not an effective way of applying for work. The old fashioned way of looking in the newspaper and word of mouth has actually gotten me more interviews than the big name job sites online. Since you don't have the I.T. degree, and you really still lack the years of experience that most mid-level companies look for (most I've seen say 7-10 years experience) you need to personally hand your resume and/or apply in person. The I.T. job market is so saturated that it would be quite easy for someone to look at your resume and say, "Nope, doesn't even have a degree in I.T.") However, you take the time to go to the company and give them first impressions, that can go a long way for you.
Last thing I'll say is, and please take this with an open mind and an open heart, I would ask that you reconsider your thoughts on entry level. Not trying to discourage you in any way, but I just don't see it been very likely that you'd get hired into mid-level without the years of experience and/or degree. Again, while it's never a bad thing to have a certification, on the job experience is absolute key. As I.T. professionals, none of our goals for our positions is to stay in entry level all of our working careers. Most of us have goals of getting into senior level and/or some type of management level, because that's where the real money is earned. But, we all realize that we have to prove ourselves by accepting that low man on the totem pole position and work for peanuts before we can get to that point. You have to prove yourself - most all of us had to unless we had "connections". So, I would say, if that is completely out of the question for you, then you need to focus on making those "connections", interning as what TurboLoco said, and getting your working experience that way. At least with entry level, you know you will be getting paid, where as interning will mostly pay you with experience. Just food for thought dude. We all are in I.T. because we love it and most of us are computer geeks. It ain't always for the money but for the challenge and fun.
Harhar, I will echo others in saying that there's no reason NOT to go for the certs. I also will echo others in saying that don't expect those certs to be what swings the pendulum in your favor. In the grand scheme of things, your work experience is what companies are after. And, companies use a variety of ways to weed out applicants who don't perfectly match their criteria, even if that applicant is capable of doing the job.
So, if you're using online job boards or some type of electronic way of applying for jobs, be prepared to be kicked out of consideration. And to be totally honest, online job boards are not an effective way of applying for work. The old fashioned way of looking in the newspaper and word of mouth has actually gotten me more interviews than the big name job sites online. Since you don't have the I.T. degree, and you really still lack the years of experience that most mid-level companies look for (most I've seen say 7-10 years experience) you need to personally hand your resume and/or apply in person. The I.T. job market is so saturated that it would be quite easy for someone to look at your resume and say, "Nope, doesn't even have a degree in I.T.") However, you take the time to go to the company and give them first impressions, that can go a long way for you.
Last thing I'll say is, and please take this with an open mind and an open heart, I would ask that you reconsider your thoughts on entry level. Not trying to discourage you in any way, but I just don't see it been very likely that you'd get hired into mid-level without the years of experience and/or degree. Again, while it's never a bad thing to have a certification, on the job experience is absolute key. As I.T. professionals, none of our goals for our positions is to stay in entry level all of our working careers. Most of us have goals of getting into senior level and/or some type of management level, because that's where the real money is earned. But, we all realize that we have to prove ourselves by accepting that low man on the totem pole position and work for peanuts before we can get to that point. You have to prove yourself - most all of us had to unless we had "connections". So, I would say, if that is completely out of the question for you, then you need to focus on making those "connections", interning as what TurboLoco said, and getting your working experience that way. At least with entry level, you know you will be getting paid, where as interning will mostly pay you with experience. Just food for thought dude. We all are in I.T. because we love it and most of us are computer geeks. It ain't always for the money but for the challenge and fun.
Yeah, this helps too. There's capable and then there's showing that you are. I think that these certs will implicitly help me "sell" myself; give me more confidence even if they don't get my foot in the door.
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I have applied to entry level tech jobs that would have given me a decrease in pay (only 2 or 3). And prepared myself for that, but I was even turned down for those. (which isn't too surprising, I guess) I have had a few interviews for other tech positions, but the jobs were either taken down (due to, budget reasons) or the position was different than it was presented on paper.
But I agree, even after certs, there's a very strong possibility that I'll have to bite the bullet and take my lumps, starting at the bottom at another place. And honestly I'm not making tons of money where I'm at now, but I want to be prepared to take a pay cut if/when I have to and I'm just not there yet.
So it has less to do with pride, and just being comfortable (pay/benefits) where I'm at.
I realize I'm in a great position to be able to choose. Ultimately, I just want to be in a position to learn, keep learning, be challenged, enjoy solving problems and help people.
Absolutely amazing, I started in the computer field for $150.00 per week and understood I had to work my way up through the ranks...
Kids nowadays get some type of certification and expect to immediately get a high paying job....
I remember on my smoke breaks listening to the kiddies going through Microsoft certification telling each other they wouldn't take any job offer less than 100K per year... They seemed to think that the scrap of paper automatically meant a well paying job when they graduated.....
I got my CNE back in the early 90's and it was worth something, today certs are a dime a dozen and in no way shape or form guarantees that the person can walk and chew gum at the same time......
CE/CS/IT or related degrees and or vendor specific certs are necessary in most of the IT fields that pay well. Or loads of exp. In my field which is in the Government/Defense industry they are a requirement. But the pay makes it worth it. Have realistic expectations. Your entry level at best and most likely will work in a help desk. Nothing is wrong with that. Almost all IT professionals start at the bottom.
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Ultimately, I just want to be in a position to learn, keep learning, be challenged, enjoy solving problems and help people.
