Will A+ cert get me a job?

Hello everyone,

Long time lurker first time poster. So a little about myself. I've been working as a cosmetologist for almost 8 years now. But my passion is with technology ( being in an Asian family, I was pushed into beauty school). I've been building and repairing PCs for about 12 years and I've always love doing it. All my friends and family come to me with their computer problems. Now I'm 30 years old and i want to change career and i want to do what i want to do for a change and get into the IT field. For the past 2 months I've been studying for the comptia A+ 801 and 802. In about 3 weeks i will be taking the exam. To be honest i'm not too nerves about the exam, I'm more nerves about getting a job as an IT tech. I've been reading on how to get my foot in the door but a lot of the articles are way too old and the way technology is moving today i'm afraid that with just a A+ cert won't even land me an interview let alone a job. So my main question is for the IT professionals on this forum and anyone with any type of input would be helpful. What are you looking for in a help desk specialist for someone with my work background? I don't have any corporate experience or anything like that. how would i go about in getting my foot in the door? Any study tricks tips to memories the A+ exam? I know i'm not nerves now but when its time to take the test i just might be lol. Thank you everyone for your time and i appreciate your help truly.

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clintonia

An A+ will definitely help you get a job as well as your longtime experience in working with computers. After getting the A+, you should be able to qualify for a helpdesk job or some place like GeekSqaud (not necessarily recommending them, but just a job like that). Once you get your foot in the door for job experience, you can go on to take Network+ and Security+ and get a feel for which area of IT you like the most and start focusing on certs in those areas.

I'm not a hiring manager or anything so I can't speak officially but generally, at entry level companies are looking for people that they wont' have to spend too much time training and are a bit familiar with things already. From what you've described, that sounds like you would fit the bill. After passing A+ just make sure to format your resume to highlight your technical skills to let employers know that while you've never worked formally in an IT setting, you do have longstanding experience dealing with IT issues

Plantwiz

Welcome.

Do not be nervous for your exams, if you prepare from the objectives and have some experience, possibly the Mike Meyers book or a Cram or passport book you should be fine, but do take some time to be familiar with the language Comptia uses as well as your definitions.

Will the A+ help you get hired? Possibly. There are lots of people with A+ certificates, what will matter is how well you actually know the material, how will you are to continue to improve your skills and for help desk, how easily you get along with end users. Help desk positions turn over fairly often, good experience, difficult to retain people into that position, but you will have a better chance of landing a first time job with the A+ than without one.

Good luck.

ccoaston

Of course. This video really helped me

https://youtu.be/dncjewBstYo

Jay_Certified

I was hired by my current employer straight of school with no real-time environment IT experience. I went through quite a few interviews before I found employment, which is normal, but the IT director here wanted someone he could mold into his own and I just happen to fit the bill. I didn't get my A+ certification until this past December and studied off/on for about 8 months up until I got to the front door of the testing center. I will say being in an actual working environment is totally different than what went on in school, but the light bulb eventually turned on and I've done nothing but made huge improvements to sharpen my skills as an IT professional. I still have a lot to learn but it is possible to get a job without any experience... I'm living proof!

I remember when I started doing help desk and people would ask if someone else was available to help because I didn't come off as confident in what I was doing, but all that has changed and now most end-users are always hunting me down because I usually solve things quickly. Just remember wherever you get hired, you will have to learn what, and how their IT department does things, and then you can apply what you bring to the table.

I wish you the best in your start in the IT field.

-Jay

danny069

Getting certs are half the battle, it's the way you apply/carry yourself that will get you the job.

Drackar

danny069 wrote: »

Getting certs are half the battle, it's the way you apply/carry yourself that will get you the job.

Thank you..

I have seen countless "are certifications worth it" convos and I have yet to see this articulated as well as you just did.