Time Running Slim on Certification Renewal

OK,

Long story short, I just passed my ITIL Foundation cert yesterday and also have A+, Network+, and Security+

All three of those CompTIA certs expire on December 7th. Long story short, in order to renew these certs I have to either pass Security+ again or get Storage+, I think the Storage+ path might make the most sense for me right now (It also adds an extra cert).

Does the expiration date really matter?

I understand that you won't be officially "certified" anymore but are employees really going to care?

I'm just not sure if breaking my head open for the next three weeks will be worth it if employers don't actually check for validity.

Any thoughts on this? I'd really appreciate a response as time is running slim, thanks in advance guys.

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Comments

aftereffector

So you're planning on letting your certifications expire, leaving them on your resume, and hoping your employer doesn't check?

Red_Dragon

Who on earth said that?

Hence why I am asking for an opinion.

daviddws

If you enroll in the CE program and pay the 150 dollars (50 dollars each year) AND have taken college courses plus security training or other types of training... you can follow the security+ track (which covers renewal of A+ and Net+) and renew all three with only 50 units needed. This is what I did and I am set until 2018

markulous

Where are you at in your career? What type of work are you into?

I'd be asking myself those questions before I decided what to do. If I'm already advancing past entry-level and have a couple years of experience, I'd probably just let them expire unless they are going to be required for some reason.

If you don't have much experience or in between jobs, I'd probably grab the Storage+ if I think I could 100% pass it before Dec 7. If not, then I'd just take Security+ again.

Red_Dragon

Thanks you two for the response.

I've been working in the IT Field for three years now, I've been doing a lot of contract positions, but the contract I'm on now was only six months but I've been extended three times and by the end of my current contract (March 2015) it'll be about a year and a half. The thing is I thought of taking the Security+ again the only thing that has me hesitating is that the things I've learned about in Security+ I don't use day to day. If I take Security+ again (It's been three years) It would probably almost be like doing the cert from scratch because it's been so long. I'm looking at it as a chance to add something else other my belt while still renewing everything else. The research I have done so far shows that Storage+ is a pretty easy exam. The only thing that might throw me off, is when I got these three certs three years ago, they never had these simulations that are being done in the tests now. I really have to research that because I don't know what's it like, I've heard about it but have never seen it in action.

@David, I keep seeing the pay to renew thing that many people are mentioning and I'm not sure if I'm not looking in the right place, but I'm not finding any info on that on CompTIA's website.

EDIT: Oh and to answer your question, I'm a Systems Analyst and what we are doing right now is a corporate wide Citrix Xen Desktop Conversion.

tprice5

aftereffector wrote: »

So you're planning on letting your certifications expire, leaving them on your resume, and hoping your employer doesn't check?

This was how it read to me. Then acts completely indignant like he would never do something he literally was just proposing.

bridgestone

Wow I had no idea that CompTia certs actually expired! Thanks for telling me (although I took mine in like 2004-2007, are they still valid?)

For the ones I already knew about, I just write "expired" or similar after the qualification and put it in brackets.

netsysllc

Yes many of the CompTIA certs were changed to 'Continuing education' certs in 2010 or 2011. They are good for 3 years and expire.

Red_Dragon

I start my Storage+ journey tomorrow.

I'll let you all know how it goes, I have three weeks, I know I can do it.

bridgestone

netsysllc wrote: »

Yes many of the CompTIA certs were changed to 'Continuing education' certs in 2010 or 2011. They are good for 3 years and expire.

Wow, that's outrageous! I'm amazed that people still want to do these certs. They're not exactly highly valued by employers to begin with and making them expire is like shooting yourself in the foot.

I only did them as a starting point myself, not to impress any employers. I wouldn't ever take one again. Luckily, I don't need to.

Beowolfj

Red_Dragon wrote: »

Thanks you two for the response.

@David, I keep seeing the pay to renew thing that many people are mentioning and I'm not sure if I'm not looking in the right place, but I'm not finding any info on that on CompTIA's website.

this site should cover that question: CE Program: Renewing Through CE Activities

Red_Dragon

Beowolfj wrote: »

this site should cover that question: CE Program: Renewing Through CE Activities

Thanks Beowulf, earlier today I went ahead and checked it out and I understand it in it's entirety now.

spiderjericho

I actually let my CompTIA certifications expire in Oct. I regret it now. I had the A+, Network+, Security+ and CASP. I should've just paid the CE fees and submitted the education I completed the past few years. The only reason why I care is due to my affiliations to the DoD. Other than that, there are better uses of ones time and energy. Though I think CompTIA's exams are great entry level exams. Someone starting out should definitely brush up on them but there is more value in Cisco, Microsoft, PMP, SANs, ISACA, ISC, etc.

I would just pay the fees and submit CE for your Security+.

Red_Dragon

spiderjericho wrote: »

I actually let my CompTIA certifications expire in Oct. I regret it now. I had the A+, Network+, Security+ and CASP. I should've just paid the CE fees and submitted the education I completed the past few years. The only reason why I care is due to my affiliations to the DoD. Other than that, there are better uses of ones time and energy. Though I think CompTIA's exams are great entry level exams. Someone starting out should definitely brush up on them but there is more value in Cisco, Microsoft, PMP, SANs, ISACA, ISC, etc.

I would just pay the fees and submit CE for your Security+.

Thanks Spiderjericho,

It's great to hear the perspective of someone who actually has or had faced the dilemma.

I already made up my mind on the Storage+ I really hope I can do it in time, but I know if you work hard anything is possible.

Thanks bud.

spiderjericho

Red Dragon, are you sure you just don't want to take the Security+ again to renew your certifications? It's information you already know. There's a thread in the Security+ sub forum that has notes that can help brush you up on some concepts/terminology you may have forgotten. It's better than having to learn all new concepts, stress, etc.

markulous

bridgestone wrote: »

Wow, that's outrageous! I'm amazed that people still want to do these certs. They're not exactly highly valued by employers to begin with and making them expire is like shooting yourself in the foot.

I only did them as a starting point myself, not to impress any employers. I wouldn't ever take one again. Luckily, I don't need to.

They should at least bring the cost down. MTAs are a fraction of the price, and even ICND1 or ICND2 is cheaper. Especially with the A+ where you have to pass two exams. CompTIA is a bit of a joke to be honest. Their certs aren't gold. They can help get your foot in the door, but in all honesty, I'd rather go for the MTAs as you're probably getting into a Microsoft environment anyway and they are only $70, which is about 1/4th of the price for CompTIAs exams.

When my certs expire, I'm letting them go unless it's required for a position for some reason.

anhtran35

I would maintain the COMPTIA certs especially if you work in the government sector. Yes it's a PAIN; however, it's a requirement to have it up to date.

spiderjericho

Agreed. One never knows what paths one will travel down in life, so one shouldn't close the doors.

I agree that the certifications are a joke but maintaining them does have its benefits. IT is always ever evolving so one could easily complete CEs and maintain the CompTIA exams.

JDMurray

If anyone is interested in how to determine if someone has a specific IT cert, have a look at my blog article on that very subject: How Do I Verify That Someone Is Really Certified? - TechExams.net IT Certification Blogs

Red_Dragon

spiderjericho wrote: »

Red Dragon, are you sure you just don't want to take the Security+ again to renew your certifications? It's information you already know. There's a thread in the Security+ sub forum that has notes that can help brush you up on some concepts/terminology you may have forgotten. It's better than having to learn all new concepts, stress, etc.

When I started this journey I started thinking I made a mistake, however I noticed that there is a ton of overlap with A+, Net+, and Sec+.

It's all starting to come back to me now.

This is judgement week for me, I've spent a lot of time studying and I know I'll be ready before it expires this Saturday

N2IT

My A+, N+ and S+ all have expired. IMO Makes those certifications have more value now.

Red_Dragon

So I did it.

I pulled it off with only one day remaining.

Happy to have my certs renewed until 2017 but I don't think I'm going to renew them when 2017 comes back up.

CompTIA certs are starting to have little to no weight, and quite frankly spending the money and time to keep them up to date is a waste of time.

Going forward I'm only going to be focusing on Microsoft, VMWare, and Citrix certs.

I appreciate all of the responses in here

coffeeluvr

Congratulations!