Anyone have Experience with HDI Certs?

DemiurgeDemiurge Member Posts: 20 ■□□□□□□□□□
in General Certification
Anyone have any thoughts on the usefulness of any of the HDI certs? http://www.thinkhdi.com/certification/

Other than their website I haven't found a lot of info about them.
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  • sthomassthomas Member Posts: 1,240 ■■■□□□□□□□
    I have heard of them but I have never noticed it mentioned in any job descriptions. When I did a search for HDI on careerbuilder not much came up.

    http://www.careerbuilder.com/Jobseeker/Jobs/JobResults.aspx?IPath=QH&ch=&rs=&s_rawwords=HDI&s_jobtypes=ALL&s_freshness=30&s_education=DRNS&s_freeloc=&qsbButton=Find+Jobs+%3E%3E

    I am sure HDI certs have some value, but if you are just looking for another certification that is related to Help Desk/Desktop support I would recommend looking into MCDST.
    Working on: MCSA 2012 R2
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  • SlowhandSlowhand Mod Posts: 5,161 Mod
    I've heard of HDI, but only in passing. I'm sure the information is useful, but I agree with sthomas that MCSDT will serve you better in getting a job. Microsoft certs are definitely more recognized, and I'm sure you'll learn as much, if not more, in terms of helpdesk and desktop support types of topics. Also, if you're worried that you'll be locked into doing Microsoft-only work, or that you won't get hits because jobs require Linux/Unix experience, then consider doing something like CompTIA's Linux+ or LPIC-1 to show that you have a well-rounded skillset. It sounds like more work, but you'll have far more responses to your resume and you'll have learned a lot of information to show for it.

    As one additional note: Some certs really are unknowns, while others just haven't caught on as mainstream (read "HR buzzwords"). It was a smart thing to ask on here, because we're the certification community, so to speak. You don't know how many times I've been told "what the hell is LPIC?", even though it's a respectable and fairly well-known cert. (Still doesn't get any hits on Dice.com, Monster.com, or even Careerbuilder.com, though.) Then again, most people at my current job hadn't really heard of CompTIA or Network+, since the focus here is really on Cisco and Microsoft certs. It's all about perspective.
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  • petedudepetedude Member Posts: 1,510
    Personally, I think HDI certs would have the most utlity in a support management function, e.g help desk management-- especially if you're already working in a large support environment and are looking to move up.

    I've had a passing interest in the HDI certs from time to time but the cost and lack of third-party prep tools have been off-putting.
    Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.
    --Will Rogers
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  • NinjaBoyNinjaBoy Member Posts: 968
    HDI is just like Comptia and CWNP cert, they are general certs (not bound to any "brand"/make). They are good certs, not as well known/used as Comptia or MS.

    However one thing that I will say is that looking at this cert, it's mainly geared up for level 1 support (helpdesk). So keep this in mind, if you want to stay in the helpdesk field and go up to become a team leader or helpdesk manager. Otherwise, imo, if you want to change to become a system admin or engineer look to do system specific certs, like MS, Redhat, Apple, etc...

    However if you want to start to bulk out your CV/resume, go for it.

    Anyway, that's my 2 cents.

    -Ken

    p.s. I have to say that I like certs, so I would do it just to have it :) and besides
    1. if I can do it/have the skills, why not? and
    2. as I start to take on more staff in my dept, part of my job is to help with professional development. It's always better to talk from personal experience when recommending.
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  • jeverydayjeveryday Member Posts: 14 ■□□□□□□□□□
    Lets you you get one of those certs and go in for a job interview

    The next guy goes in with a MCSA or CCNA...

    Who gets the job? icon_lol.gif

    Enough said...
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  • NinjaBoyNinjaBoy Member Posts: 968
    On the other hand if you have this cert and the next person doesn't have anything, who'll get the job? Bearing in mind it'll be an entry level position icon_lol.gif

    -ken
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  • panikpanik Member Posts: 61 ■■□□□□□□□□
    My work has just put a whole bunch of people through training for the HDI Helpdesk Analyst HD0-100 certification.

    I'm going to be doing the exam in about a week.

    The training isn't technical at all, it's more like how to do a Helpdesk job properly, dealing with customers, procedures and documentation, phone manner etc etc.

    The other, higher level certs are more about management as far as I understand.

    I believe that it's all very similar to ITIL
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  • janmikejanmike Member Posts: 3,076
    Our organization requires a Bachelor degree or equivalent experience for hiring purposes. Then, they require A+, MCDST, and HDI certifications as employment continues.

    We get 2 HDI certifications: Customer Support Specialist(CSS) and Help Desk Analyst(HDA). As some above have stated, more or less the knowledge for these certs covers best practices for dealing with help desk callers. Most of it deals with phone support. Most of our work here overlaps, so support techs also answer phones when things get busy, so we all get the certs. There are plans to do away with the phone coordinator position and have only support techs perform all of the tasks. Our Help Desk manager has an HDI management certification.

    In line with that, 4 days ago Help Desk was in a meeting, and our manager said that Information Services administration is seriously considering instituting ITIL measures. If that happens, we will no longer be Help Desk, but Service Desk. So I started looking!

    For certain, ITIL covers best practice standards/suggestions(?) for many areas of IT--not just sevice desk. I think that Inventory Control and Service Management are two areas that ITIL covers. It seems that we receive endless Change Management notices, and Inventory tracking gives some problems. I don't know yet if we will get certified, but I'm sure that we will go through some training.

    So, good luck to all of you HDI and ITIL cert candidates.
    "It doesn't matter, it's in the past!"--Rafiki
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  • panikpanik Member Posts: 61 ■■□□□□□□□□
    I passed the HDI Help Desk Analyst HD0-100 exam today, 87%

    It was all pretty straight forward call management, Helpdesk and ITIL stuff.

    :D
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  • janmikejanmike Member Posts: 3,076
    Congratulations for passing!
    "It doesn't matter, it's in the past!"--Rafiki
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  • panikpanik Member Posts: 61 ■■□□□□□□□□
    janmike wrote:
    Congratulations for passing!

    Thanks :)


    I've received a PM from someone who is trying to take the HD0-100 exam, looking for study material.

    I was just wondering if there are any sources online, I've looked but I can't find anything at all icon_sad.gif
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  • janmikejanmike Member Posts: 3,076
    The Department paid for our training, and the Study manual came with the course.

    You may be able to order the Student Manual for HDA/CSS from Help Desk Institute. That is really all that a person needs--along with good common sense.
    "It doesn't matter, it's in the past!"--Rafiki
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  • panikpanik Member Posts: 61 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Same here, we got the course and study guide paid for. :D

    I've checked the HDI website, and they only sell the Help Desk Analyst Boot Camp online course for US$545.

    That's apparently a 12 hour, online course. about $45 per hour. icon_eek.gif

    Seems like they are more interested in selling training courses than anything else. icon_evil.gif

    I've sent HDI an email to see what they say...
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  • oldbarneyoldbarney Member Posts: 89 ■■□□□□□□□□
    My employer will reimburse costs for the HDI certs. But I agree, the price seems relatively expensive.

    For what it's worth, I noticed HDI online courses offered for less through various state universities in their non-credit, professional development departments via Jer Group. After stumbling across some offers at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, I contacted the providers via e-mail. The coordinator called me back. Even though the course descriptions mention STI Knowledge, which merged with HDI, the coordinator stated that the material and cert comes from HDI. He went on to add that they were in the process of revamping the courses.

    Probably best to contact Jer Group and HDI if one decides to go through a university.
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  • panikpanik Member Posts: 61 ■■□□□□□□□□
    panik wrote:
    I've sent HDI an email to see what they say...

    Just received an email reply from HDI:
    HDI Drone wrote:
    The HDI Training materials are not sold direct to market, one must attend a course, either an online or a public training course to obtain HDI training material.

    FYI... The Help Desk Analyst course has just been updated , the new course that has just replaced HDA is Support Center Analyst.

    Typical, just got the HDA cert and it's been replaced icon_rolleyes.gif

    My opinion is that you should get your workplace to foot the bill for HDI's training, as there is more value in the training than the certification itself.

    If you're just getting into IT you are better off getting an A+ cert, and some experience.
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