Asking Wether having A+ and Network + is really worth it

Hey guys i am ust a little curious been having an argument with one of the guys in my training class, he reckons that A+ and Network+ are not actually regarded in the IT field by employers... is this true are we actually doing this only for the sake of having papers on the wall or what ??

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gabrielbtoledo

They both related to IT field. However, it depends what specific field of IT you are going.
Lets say: if you are in the Support, Desktop, Technician... then both certs would certainly help you to find a job or if you have one already to show that you know what you are doing.
Now, Network+ is considered an entry level Networkin certification. Many compare Net+ with CCNA saying they both entry level. However I find CCNA to be a lot harder than Net+, therefore a higher value.

Megadeth4168

My friend works for Best Buy and has said that they no longer require you to hold an A+ for the Geek Squad (On the road tech). Apparently they told him that anyone with 6 months computer experience could get an A+.

I kind of thought that was the point though! The A+ to me was a cert that shows that you understand how computers work and how to troubleshoot general issues.

The Network+ I don't know much about in regards to how employers might look at it. I decided I would take the Network+ just to get back into study mode. After I take the Security+ I will start working towards the CCNA.

janmike

Well, if this guy is arguing with you about the value of the certs, why is he in the class in the first place!? Doesn't sound real smart to me.

But, some employers have a regard for A+ and Network+, and some have a lot of regard for them. I did not get my first IT job because I was certified, but I did get paid more money per hour because I was certified.
The certs will always be important

Probably the most regard is given by departmental managers within large organizations to demonstrate that their employees have proof of their abilities in writing. There you would probably hang it on the wall at your station.

In Indiana, where I live, you won't see a lot of jobs offered listing a certification as a requirement. Almost all IT jobs here list at least an Associate Degree requirement. On the other hand, if you can do the job, don't let that keep you from applying for it--in Indiana or anyplace else.

Hope this helps. Good luck with your certs!

mwill

Hi Gaztop1,

This topic has been discussed and hit very hard on these forums and forums alike. But to save you some time from searching heres my opinion. I disagree with your friend. Couple of reasons:

1. Having a/some certification(s) on your resume can put you ahead of the competition. If it’s between you and your friend the employer will then look to see what’s different between your resumes. Whose resume shows more experience or willing to learn, and have such things as: Volunteer work, or certification(s). It’s a competition out there and a very steep one at that. If you’re not out there to fight for a job, then you’re not ahead of the pack.

2. Certifications shows potential employer’s you know a certain topic well. Such as: A+ - hardware and software CCNA- Cisco networking and hardware N+ Networking basics these are a few. Employers do searches on job boards with these key terms to pick out resumes with these credentials. If your resume doesn’t have it, you may not have a chance to be viewed by the employer.

3. Some jobs REQUIRE you have certifications. You may have the potential to do the job and do it well. But they won’t consider you because it says clearly on the job description: A+ required or N+ or MCP required to be considered.

4. Personally, I have had many more phone calls from employers and staffing agencies regarding potential jobs since I obtained my N+ and CCNA and MCP. Before these I hardly ever got phone calls back. Now I generally pull in at least 2-3 interviews a month every month regarding positions. Next week I have 2 more interviews. (I’m currently full time so I have the ability to be picky and choose that right job)

5. Don’t let your friend bring down your potential because of what HE says. Do what you feel is right, and by you sending in that question, you already know what’s right. Get ahead of the competition not behind.

That’s my two cents!

Marcus

Gaztop1

thanks Guys i really appreciate the help, i actually passed both my A+ exams today and am going to write or rather do my Network+ tomorrow mid morning, hopefully i pass is all iam worried about ...

I am actually in the process of getting a few certifications this year training through a private south african company... doing my MCSA , CCNA , Novel SuSE , Project +, Ms Project , Exchange 2003

i hope that i can pass these and hopefully make a career out IT i enjoy it and i know if i work hard maybe i can be a success , really appreciate the feed back!

jpasterik

I believe that having the certs is important...in fact, the job I currently hold had 20 applicants, but only 6 were interviewed because they required A+ Certification for the job and 14 of them did not hold A+.

I am currently studying for Network+ because I know that it will show my present, and possibly future employers, that I do possess the knowledge and have taken steps to prove it.

As for the Geek Squad, well, I won't go there...

Anyway, having the certs is a good thing and they are becomming (if not already have) more looked at than College Degrees because the certs focus directly on the specifics whereas as a college degree in, say, computer science is a general application of knowledge.

Keep getting certs, but ask your friend why he is still in the training class if he doesn't need it? Don't be surprised if tells you he's there because an employer is requesting him to be. That tells me that they value the certs, otherwise why bother?

Gaztop1

well he reckons the only certs he wants is MCSA and CCNA, i still believe that it will be good for the CV and it also proves that you have the knowledge base to prove to your employers you are capable , i might be wrong in saying that but thats just my view.

i know Cisco and all those MS courses are big globally, ,maybe different strokes for different folks ?

jpasterik

True, it is different for everyone, and I was once told that if you really want to "write your own ticket" in the IT field, get the CCIE. I personally am shooting for MCSE and CCNA for now but along the way I will have picked up A+, MCP, Network+, Security+, and MCSA...and I feel that will help me land a bigger and better position in the next 2-3 years. So, do you what you think is right and get what you want to get, there are so many certs out there to choose from.

Also, CONGRATS! on the A+ pass!

I'll be taking Network+ in a month or so and then it's back to the MCSE path.

Gaztop1

Just Passed my network + today i am not impressed with the mark but hey atleast it wasnt cheating and was all me haha 584 was my mark so dont all laugh

jstrong

Hey dude at least you passed. I only scored a 663 but a pass, regardless of the score, means that you can move on as opposed to having to backtrack. I am studying for my MCP and I am terrified because I know that the MCP is probably a harder test.

gabrielbtoledo

Congrats.
Yeah, I got 700 on my Net+ and when I moved to MCP I was in shok. However I kind of knew what I was getting myself into.
Anyway, MCP is not hard, if you know the key subjects... then you only have to understand what Microsoft wants you to do on the test question.

jpeezy55

Hey jstrong, which exam are you taking to get your MCP, 270 or 290? Or possibly a different one? I took 270 to get my MCP and it wasn't that bad at all, I found that I knew more about Windows XP than I thought. From 270 on though, they all blend together. I actually found stuff in 290 that was on the 270 exam and vice-versa. 290 was a little tougher (but I passed it with a higher score than 270) and I did not pass 291 -- YET! After I failed that one, I took a different path and am studying for Network+ and after I pass that next month, I'll go back and get 291 and then my MCSA.

Sorry for taking the topic away from Net+ for a minute there...

Good Luck when you go for the MCP!

netcom2000

Well, I recieved a application for a post, and it said must have either Network+ or CCNA.

Any way if you go on the Comptia web site, www.comptia.org
then you can see all the industry wide support for this exam, and dont forget that A+ and Net+ are electives for the MCSA track, Net+ is considered towards a Cisco cert, and I think Novell now use it as part of their dertification process, and on a final note having this cert makes you
CompTIA Certified Network+ Professional, a nice little title and something to be proud of, and it is the foundation for the networking field.

FishOnAH

I look at it this way...

You and another candidate are applying for the same job.

You both have the experience and the degree(s). You have the certification(s) and they do not. On paper you will be the better candidate and are more likely to get the interview and it may be the deciding factor on which person they go with.

It also shows you are willing to continue to learn new things and are willing to advance your job knowledge. On your resume you might list along side your certifications (if it is true) ex: "Working towards MCSA."

My point is it cannot hurt! Yes, it can be a small blow to the budget, but it is an investment. You will learn things along the way too.

On the other hand, lets say you are 55, Director of IT for so and so. Yeah, I can see how getting A+ certified REALLY isn't on the top of your to do list. But, how impressive and inspiring would it be to those under you to see their director persuing certifications. Your employee's may loose the <grumble grumble> s/he are up there sitting on his/her you know what. Trying to tell ME the best way to do something.

In short <ha> it is worth it.

remyforbes777

I received my A+ and Network + a year ago. It has really helped me in finding jobs. I am still doing help desk work but I may very well be the highest paid help desk person i know. I am making 22/hr. No that is not a typo, I said 22/hr. I am a very hard worker and I am very passionate about IT. I am currently studying and preparing for my Linux + and CCNA. My managers see my passion and my drive and pretty soon I will be shadowing the network team, (server team, lan - man - wan team). I feel that getting the A+ and Network + is a good accomplishment. Don't listen to what everyone else says because I work with MCSE certified people that are dumber than a bag of rocks. Its all about your ambition and passion about what you do. If you enjoy IT then it will pay off, if you are just doing it for a paycheck , you will fade into obscurity because you will do just enough to get that check and not further your skills.

jpeezy55

Like remy forbes777 said there, passion is the key. I have A+ and MCP and am studying for my Network+ and then back to MCSA (halfway done with that anyway) and MCSE. I am just now (at the age of 36) going to college for a Bachelors Degree in Information Systems. I, too, am doing help desk type work, but am not making anywhere near $22/hour...only in my dreams at this place! But, the point is, my supervisor knows that since I have been hired, I have completed a program at a Technical School, passed 2 exams, and am going to college now, and will keep working on the certs while doing that. The network admin here has a contract for a couple more years and if I am still here, I may be able to take his job (since I already hold more certs than he does). I don't plan to stop there either, I figure I'll be doing cert exams for a long time to come yet...

Badger95

Certifications have gotten a bad rap over the last few years because so many people got them but did not have the experience to back it up. Employers thought that if you walked in with a cert you must be an expert. You have to keep this in perspective. A certification does not make you an expert, it says you have the basic knowledge. It also says you have a little extra motivation. I’ve been an instructor for 5 years. My employer mandates that in order to teach an instructor must be certified in the appropriate area. People come in all the time who have completed their A.S. degrees but don't have any Certs. So my employer will not hire them. I also just landed a new job in a LAN admin office. It was the combination of my experience and certification that helped me get my foot in the door. The second most import thing is networking….. people. Who you know.

Badger95

jpeezy55

Not to get off-track here, but I just have a story to support Badger:

The school I work in offers an A+ class, the instructor does NOT have A+ Certification, but he teaches it to everyone else...how does something like that happen? And why doesn't the School Board or whoever make it a requirement, and if this teacher refuses to get it, they can then legally (as far as the Unions go) fire him. That's just my 2-cents on how messed it is out there.

Please don't start any debates over the morality or legality of my statement...I just wanted to point out how someone without A+ is teaching it to others.

jstrong

hey jpeezy55, I am studying for the 290, I have yet to pass a practice exam and that has me very concerned. I guess that means that I need buckle down a little more. It is hard applying the concepts if you dont have a little experience in the environment.

Judd

jpasterik wrote:

Anyway, having the certs is a good thing and they are becomming (if not already have) more looked at than College Degrees because the certs focus directly on the specifics whereas as a college degree in, say, computer science is a general application of knowledge.

This is a completely subjective statement and couldn't be farther from reality. There is no certification that can substitute for formal education, and you will find a hard time finding anyone who deals with hiring IT professionals that will argue with this statement.

Conveying unsubstantiated information like this to members of this site shows a true lack of industry awareness and common sense. I could spend hours debating this, but there is an over-simplistic example I read on this very site that sums this up nicely. "Sit in a chair and place a book over your head-try to stand up without moving the book...this is your IT career without education.

You may find a few employers that only accept certifications, however do not expect much progression or advancement in that job or pay.

Besides, there are plenty of associate degree programs that do focus on specifics, such as networking, programming, PC support, web development, infosec, etc.

Wow...

jpeezy55

Just my 2 cents, but Judd, you blew that way out of proportion.

Several people I know (in the HR field) are starting to look more and more at Certs first and then a degree, especially with the new level of MCSA/MCSE Exams. In fact a lot of techs I know have a degree, but it is a B.S. in Business and not Computer Science or anything related. And as far as Associates Degrees go, I was told by one HR manager to avoid an Associates Degree and go straight for the Bachelors, it holds much more clout and leverage.

And, just for the record here, I am (at the age of 36) just starting college to get a B.S. in Computer Science. Why? Well, I figure it will help my career along and when I look for a better job than I have now (Helpdesk/Support) it will get me in a few more doors than not having it. However, I went and got a couple of certs, and my job, all without ever having gone to college for any degree at all.

Also, it was not stated that you should NOT get an education, he simply tried to emphasize the growing importance if having your certs. I even know about some Network Admins (including the one where I work) that do not have a college degree or even any certifications at all! He was here as an assistant and when they fired the old admin, he moved up based on the fact that he had been doing it for a couple of years anyway...he told me he does not even see a need to have certs, why would he when he has the job already? He just won't be able to leave it for something better. If he did, he would need certs and a degree (to land a good job, anyway).

Like I said, just my 2 cents...feel free to attack me now.

Gaztop1

thanks guys i really appreciate all this motivation to work... well i am trying my best i am glad i have passed my A+ and Network+, i know that i am not skilled like alot of you guys seeing as i only started this all at the beginning of this year. so what knowledge i do have is all from my instructor forums like this and any source material that comes my way!

i hope that oneday i can also be highly qualifed earning a good salary doing something i enjoy doing ... at the moment i am on a week break ( untill 22nd may) then i am going ahead with the rest of my training on my route towards MCSA. i havent written any international exams on the microsoft stuff but i have done internal class ones on the 270 and i found it very difficult but i reckon with more studying and some practice i can book for them in november and hopefully pass... also got my Exchange 2003 i am planning on doing CCNA aswell as SuSE ...

sprkymrk

jpeezy55 wrote:

Just my 2 cents, but Judd, you blew that way out of proportion.

Maybe, but then again maybe he just feels very passionate about this subject. Sometimes it is hard to convey a message using only text... Anyway, I agree with Judd for the most part. I think that both (certs and BA/BS or other) are important, but if you had to weigh the two in value I still see most employers lean toward the degree. Notice I used the words most and lean.

jpeezy55 wrote:

Also, it was not stated that you should NOT get an education, he simply tried to emphasize the growing importance if having your certs.

True, but we tend to draw conclusions based on what is said rather than what is not said. However, he is currently correct in that certifications are gaining more respect. Certifications have had there ups and downs over the years. For a while, the MCSE guaranteed you a job. Then we found out what a Paper MCSE was and for a while it was held in contempt - an MCSE was looked upon as Must Consult Someone Experienced or other funny terms. Fortunately that is not so true anymore.

jpeezy55 wrote:

I even know about some Network Admins (including the one where I work) that do not have a college degree or even any certifications at all!

That is more of the exception rather than the rule anymore, which is unfortunate. A person should be judged by his skill and ability, not by papers in cheap frames on his wall. However, HR folks reading resumes need a filter of some sort, so it is as good a way as any to narrow the crowd by using degrees and certifications.

The original post was actually asking the value of A+ and Network+. They obviously hold value, how much just depends on the potential employer. As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder... right?

jpeezy55

I apologize for jumping in and keeping the post off-track and I only did it because I, too, am passionate about what I do. Otherwise, I would not have been involved in computers for the past 20 years.

It's all in what you make of it and I was just throwing my opinion in there, as I'm sure jpasterik did when he made his comments. But, that's just it, it's only an opinion and someone's point-of-view. Right or wrong, it's good to see both sides of the story and be informed.

Back to the topic, what was it again? Oh yeah! Whether or not A+ and Net+ are regarded in the field as being important. I would say they are. Also, and I just found this out today, if you plan to ever be certified to work on HP/Compaq Servers, then one of the pre-requisites is that you hold Server+...Now I know Server+ is not part of the original topic, but it does fall in line with A+, Net+, and Security+ and apparently HP feels pretty highly of it to require it before you can take their cert. Also, Microsoft must put some value to A+ and Net+ when they accept those (combined) as part of the MCSA. So, yes, I'd say that these certs are regarded and valued in the IT world, maybe not as much as CCNA or CCIE, but you gotta start somewhere!

sprkymrk

I don't think an apology is necessary - it is a threaded discusion, not a threaded lecture after all.

Also I don't think your posts are off track, they add value to the disussion.
Regards,
sprkymrk

remyforbes777

In my opinion, there has to be a gauge. There has to be some way to gauge knowledge and dedication. In our field it is in the form of degrees and certs. Both of them help. Both show a level of dedication on the part of the person who has obtained them. Certs will allow you to gain knowledge but degrees gain respect. Not that certs don't gain respect also, but they do only amongst your peers in your field. Degrees are universal. They cross all careers fields. Saying you have your CCNA to a CEO of a company might not mean jack, but saying you have your Bachelors means a lot more.

jpeezy55

remyforbes777 wrote:

Saying you have your CCNA to a CEO of a company might not mean jack, but saying you have your Bachelors means a lot more.

That is a very good point...if the person you are talking to does not know the value of certs, then they won't value you accordingly. Also true is that the vast majority of people out there know what a Bachelors Degree is, but not as many know what Net+ or CCNA means.

That was how my interview was now that I think about it. I told my wife that the Superintendent (I work in a school district) did not even look up or ask me any questions. She (who works in a different school) told me that was because he probably didn't know what we were talking about, but if it involved Dollars-and-Cents then he would've been more involved since that's what he knows and cares more about...He was just there because he had to be.

But, it all worked out for me! Now, about that raise...

Judd

All good points and comments regarding my post, however I will point out again that you will eventually hit a ceiling with respect to pay and possibly promotions when and if you finally make it past the helpdesk/pc tech/desktop support level.

Certs are great, they complement your knowledge and certify your skills, but they pale in comparison to a college degree. Everyone is entitled to his/her opinion, but to say that employers in the IT field are looking towards certification more than a degree is absurd unless it is a support level tech position. Employers want a person with communication skills, problem solving skills, analytical skills, and soft skills in addition to tech skills. Certifications provide very little in the aforementioned. Besides, HR managers usually don’t know anything about technical skills and don’t bother with learning, they leave that up to the department manager who really looks at resumes to decide, but I guarantee that if a job calls for a degree and a person has applied without one, its chances of making from HR to the manager are very slim.

Would you hire someone to manage a team of desktop support analysts that also is responsible for managing their budget with only A+ and Net+? No way, and neither does anyone else. If you want to make it past the tech level, you are eventually going to need advanced formal education.