compTIA - Why so down on them?

Lord Nikon

I've noticed and I wont point any fingers, but say in general, it seems a lot of people are down on compTIA certs, such as A+, N+ and S+. I am curious as to why these certs, people don't care about anymore?

I am just asking, because I've been out of the IT field for 8 years or so, and coming back into it, but I remember that everyone was all about the A+ and compTIA certs...

Thanks, Not starting wars here, just curious.

Asif Dasl

Yeah I don't think they won too many fans with the continuing education requirement and yearly fee. It has been pointed out also that very few jobs require Network+ and that CCENT and onwards to CCNA prove far more beneficial to someone's career than Network+. Maybe go through the Network+ book but take the CCENT/CCNA.

Security+ still has some fans but it's the DoD status which keeps its usefulness to a greater extent. A+ is where many people start so don't expect to get anywhere advanced based on it alone. It seems you are better these days going for Microsoft certs or Cisco certs and if you get CompTIA in to the mix well and good.

hiddenknight821

The new Linux+ is not all that bad though. It gains a lot of respect lately since it also makes you LPIC-1 certified as well. From what I heard, people saying that it also makes you Novell certified. Not sure which cert. exactly though.

instant000

Lord Nikon wrote: »

I've noticed and I wont point any fingers, but say in general, it seems a lot of people are down on compTIA certs, such as A+, N+ and S+. I am curious as to why these certs, people don't care about anymore?

I am just asking, because I've been out of the IT field for 8 years or so, and coming back into it, but I remember that everyone was all about the A+ and compTIA certs...

Thanks, Not starting wars here, just curious.

The Comptia certs are becoming more and more expensive, and the ROI on the certs themselves may be negligible for anyone with any decent experience. (And for that matter, entry level, as well.)

The value is in learning what is covered by the certs.

It helps to have them on your resume, as it shows you have a level of dedication to your career, and you are genuinely interested in furthering yourself.

Except for specific cases (such as DOD 8570) then they may not have much value at all.

Just saying, if you want your resume pulled out of a pile for a government job, then Security+, A+, Network+ is nice to have.

If you want your resume pulled out of a pile for a commercial job, then you're best off pursuing CCNX, MCITP-XX, JNCXX.

The sad thing about certifications is that they have become admission tickets to the fair, instead of ticket stubs verifying that you've been to the fair.

If you're serious about getting back into IT (whatever field), then this might be your fastest route:

1. Get Security+
2. Get a job requiring a security clearance
3. Work on your certifications, then get cleared jobs doing what you really want to do
4. transition to doing what you want to do in the private sector, for more bucks
5. If the government falters, we're all screwed anyway, but with government experience on your resume, you're also attractive for other jobs, even if it is nothing more than as a lobbyist

djfunz

From what I've read on different forums, it's about 50/50. It of course depends on what your goals are. Personally I've discovered there is a lot of material in the A+ curriculum and there is no other test out there that loads the building blocks so well on a vendor neutral basis. I thought I knew a good deal of info prior to studying the A+ material, but I've really learned a lot in the last few months. I plan on continuing on the path of Network + after I get my A+. Plus if your future plans include getting a Bachelors degree at WGU, these certifications can be used to help skip required classes. Sure it will cost some money to take them and there are people including myself that would love the certs to be lifetime, but lets be honest, 3 years isn't so bad. If you move on to bigger and better certs in the future anyway, who cares if the CompTIA certs expire? Just my opinion. I personally don't understand the hate either.

mikedisd2

Lord Nikon wrote: »

I've noticed and I wont point any fingers, but say in general, it seems a lot of people are down on compTIA certs, such as A+, N+ and S+. I am curious as to why these certs, people don't care about anymore?

I am just asking, because I've been out of the IT field for 8 years or so, and coming back into it, but I remember that everyone was all about the A+ and compTIA certs...

Thanks, Not starting wars here, just curious.

I guess because they're considered beginner type certs and are general in nature. It's not that they are bad; they will only take you so far in your career. But then I've never studied for one so couldn't say for sure.

Over here, it seems no one has even heard of CompTIA certifications. And they're really expensive ($450 compared with $180 for MS certs).

Lord Nikon

Thanks guys. That helped. to those who asked, currently I am in my last year finishing up a 4yr degree at ITT Tech for IT and I have my MCTS 680, going for 686 next.

I actually got lucky and landed a contract job for a large company in their IT department, my position is considered Level 2 support, so Im above entry level 1 phone desktop support.

djfunz

mikedisd2 wrote: »

Over here, it seems no one has even heard of CompTIA certifications. And they're really expensive ($450 compared with $180 for MS certs).

That's actually kinda funny because I haven't seen any jobs that list CompTIA as a required cert over here either. They say their international but I think their more recognized in the States.

Devilsbane

People are down on these because they have deemed them to be easy. It is a supply and demand kind of thing. If everyone has them then it means nothing.

Then there are some people out there who get off by putting others down. So they look at your A+ and laugh because it is so weak. And for them, it might be. You won't be finding a network admin job with your A+ and Net+. But to these people, feel free to tell them to F$&% off and find something better to do with their time. Somebody higher up on the chain could laugh at their certifications as well.

There are many jobs out there that do ask for CompTIA certs and they are a great starting point for anyone moving into IT.

NetworkingStudent

Lord Nikon wrote: »

I've noticed and I wont point any fingers, but say in general, it seems a lot of people are down on compTIA certs, such as A+, N+ and S+. I am curious as to why these certs, people don't care about anymore?

I am just asking, because I've been out of the IT field for 8 years or so, and coming back into it, but I remember that everyone was all about the A+ and compTIA certs...

Thanks, Not starting wars here, just curious.

I didn’t like the fact that at first Comp Tia decide to strip candidates of their lifetime certification status. A lot of these candidates got certified a year or more ago. Later on they changed their tuned and decided to give people a year to pursue their certifications and still keep life time status.

I disagree about the ROI….I had a help desk job interview and the Network Administrator told me one of the reasons I was here, was because of my A+ certification. He then mentioned that he had the A+ certification too. They had A+ as one of their qualifications for the job. He went on to say he thinks more jobs will require certifications.

Devilsbane

NetworkingStudent wrote: »

I didn’t like the fact that at first Comp Tia decide to strip candidates of their lifetime certification status. A lot of these candidates got certified a year or more ago. Later on they changed their tuned and decided to give people a year to pursue their certifications and still keep life time status.

That is another reason that CompTIA certifications are looked on to be lower certifications. The fact that I could get A+ in 2000 and then not touch a computer again for the rest of my life but still call myself A+ certified on my resume until the day I died.

Anyone who received their A+/Net+/Sec+ for life will still have it for life. But the new people getting it will need to renew. This should make having a CompTIA cert more valuable.

Lord Nikon

Devilsbane wrote: »

That is another reason that CompTIA certifications are looked on to be lower certifications. The fact that I could get A+ in 2000 and then not touch a computer again for the rest of my life but still call myself A+ certified on my resume until the day I died.

Anyone who received their A+/Net+/Sec+ for life will still have it for life. But the new people getting it will need to renew. This should make having a CompTIA cert more valuable.

Good points on both. I was thinking about doing the A+, but my boss at the new job laughed and said why? Thus I brought up the post, because of that and quite a few people saying don't bother or please no compTIA trash...etc.

Devilsbane

A recent thread was created by a new member to our forums who was requesting some guidance on where to go. Below is the advice that Robert gave him.

RobertKaucher wrote: »

I think most people are going to agree with me here that the first course focusing on the CompTIA certs is probably going to be best from a career standpoint as it is the broadest. Not only is that course going to be of more interest from an employement perspective but I think it will make the MCITP: EA exam easier on you and I don't think that will really be the same in reverse.

He later added

RobertKaucher wrote: »

...the more abstract conceptual knowledge provided by the CompTIA exams (and even to a certain degree in the CCNA) will help you to understand the MS technologies it is much harder to go from the specific to the abstract.

If Robert says to get a CompTIA cert, I'd go get a CompTIA cert.

N2IT

My Security + is a CE all the others are lifetime. I tend to agree that the new CE format is better for the certification.

I won't have a problem re upping my certificate when the time comes. However I am completely focused on ITIL now. 100% well and finance and stats.

Project + (2003) was one of the most challenging exams I have ever taken.

veritas_libertas

N2IT wrote: »

My Security + is a CE all the others are lifetime. I tend to agree that the new CE format is better for the certification.

I won't have a problem re upping my certificate when the time comes. However I am completely focused on ITIL now. 100% well and finance and stats.

Project + (2003) was one of the most challenging exams I have ever taken.

My biggest complaint is the ridiculous yearly fee. I'm sorry, but I don't believe the value is worth paying yearly for. Now if I had a CISSP/SSCP that would be something entirely different.

NetworkingStudent

veritas_libertas wrote: »

My biggest complaint is the ridiculous yearly fee. I'm sorry, but I don't believe the value is worth paying yearly for. Now if I had a CISSP/SSCP that would be something entirely different.

I forgot or over looked it, but do you have to pay a fee and renew your cert every 3 years to keep your certification CE status? If you do that is just plain silly.

tr1x

Lord Nikon wrote: »

I've noticed and I wont point any fingers, but say in general, it seems a lot of people are down on compTIA certs, such as A+, N+ and S+. I am curious as to why these certs, people don't care about anymore?

I am just asking, because I've been out of the IT field for 8 years or so, and coming back into it, but I remember that everyone was all about the A+ and compTIA certs...

Thanks, Not starting wars here, just curious.

I stopped thinking of CompTIA as providing prestigious certifications after passing the A+ and Net+ with such ease and then getting my butt kicked on Microsoft exams. I can study so much harder for a Microsoft exam and still fail. I got my A+ and Net+ in one month with little studying and no job experience. For the A+ I took both of the tests the same day after I saw how easily I passed the first one.

In my opinion CompTIA certifications don't really prove anything. If you are already Microsoft certified there is absolutely no reason in bothering with CompTIA unless your employer is offering to pay for it (cuz then hey, why not). I've also heard from many people how their CompTIA certified employees know hardly anything. They need to make the tests harder in order to gain more prestige.

brad-

I can tell you why I'm so down on them but i cant speak for anyone else.

I did the A+ and Net+. Those three exams cost around $600 - not counting study materials, but they were lifetime certs. Im fine paying a little more for not having it expire so i can have that fodder on my resume forever. I was in the process of studing Sec+ when they decided to willy nilly make everything expire in 3 years. They recanted on that to let us keep the lifetime certs already done, and changed their stance to begin making all their certs expire from a certain date forward. Things came up with work and i never was able to finish sec+ before the lifetime cert exams went away...so im a little peaved about that.

Now that they expire, they're not worth much of anything to me because no one i've looked at specifically wanted their certs. Cisco and MS certs have the same expiration policy, but employers are looking for them and they have much more credibility - and they cost less. Not to mention if you go into the cisco track, each time you pass a test, you renew every cert under it.

Lord Nikon

brad- wrote: »

I can tell you why I'm so down on them but i cant speak for anyone else.

I did the A+ and Net+. Those three exams cost around $600 - not counting study materials, but they were lifetime certs. Im fine paying a little more for not having it expire so i can have that fodder on my resume forever. I was in the process of studing Sec+ when they decided to willy nilly make everything expire in 3 years. They recanted on that to let us keep the lifetime certs already done, and changed their stance to begin making all their certs expire from a certain date forward. Things came up with work and i never was able to finish sec+ before the lifetime cert exams went away...so im a little peaved about that.

Now that they expire, they're not worth much of anything to me because no one i've looked at specifically wanted their certs. Cisco and MS certs have the same expiration policy, but employers are looking for them and they have much more credibility - and they cost less. Not to mention if you go into the cisco track, each time you pass a test, you renew every cert under it.

wow 600 dollars for the two? I Remember back in 1998 I was doing the A+, because it was all the rage, and the tests were only $100. Wow how prices have jumped up.

djfunz

Lord Nikon wrote: »

wow 600 dollars for the two? I Remember back in 1998 I was doing the A+, because it was all the rage, and the tests were only $100. Wow how prices have jumped up.

Yup, I just shelled out 163€ for a test voucher here in Europe for the 701. There definitely not cheap.

tbgree00

I see some value in the CompTIA stuff from an entry level perspective. When I started I was a trained accountant and needed a good way to really learn IT. CompTIA helped me from the ground up and I doubt there has been a day that I haven't used something from A+, Net+, or Server+. Yes Server+ was probably a waste since I got my MCSE but I have a strong understanding of RAID, SAN, NAS, etc that I wouldn't have got from CBTNuggets and the MCSE books.

My job is becoming more specialized toward virtualization (yay!) so I don't know if I will go back and do Security+. If I were still working contracts I 100% would do it, expiration, large fees, and all. I may try to watch some training on it anyway when the education phase of my job starts. I have a skillport account so it's free.

So in summary you will get value from it if you don't know anything and the stuff helps you become a better tech even if you do, though likely not helpful enough to make it worth the money. Security+ being the exception if you live near government security centers and want to do contracts for clearance.

RobertKaucher

Devilsbane wrote: »

A recent thread was created by a new member to our forums who was requesting some guidance on where to go. Below is the advice that Robert gave him.
....
If Robert says to get a CompTIA cert, I'd go get a CompTIA cert.

Thanks for the confidence in my opinion, but take it in context!!! The other post was asking which options he should choose first between two tracks: CompTIA+Cisco vs. just MCITP:EA.

I am NOT a fan of CompTIA certs in general and hold the A+ in special disdain. If you are very new to IT the CompTIA Sacred Trinity of A+, Net+, Sec+ is exceptionally good at covering foundational skills. And I regularly suggest that newbies study the material. But I am not convinced that holding these certs is in any way critical to breaking into IT; let alone if you have already gottent your first IT position. They are just too expensive and offer, IMO, little return on the $$$ investment.

I am not saying don't get A+ - I am saying don't think that it means anything beyond the entry level. If you have a year+ hands on experience at PC repair on your resume skip this. For someone with 8 years in IT, like the OP of this thread, I see little usefullness in obtaining the A+ and Net+. The OP's resume should show that level of skill easily.

CbrandonB

For me, they were to fill in gaps and get a start on taking tests. Not that these tests are the same as Microsoft, Cisco, or anyone else, but just to get started. BUT, I'm not paying for them, so its not a big deal. It only costs me a little time and a book or two. If I was paying, I don't believe I would do them... I'd go straight for CCNA, then MCIPT:EA, then on and on.

I do think they're a good foundation, though. There seems to be a lot of talk in certification books and in general about assumed knowledge. They're not going to cover basics in the higher certs because its assumed you know it. If you don't have experience, A+, Net+, and Sec+ are great starting points to gaining to assumed knowledge, in my opinion.

Brandon

Lord Nikon

Well good thoughts by everyone here. My boss seemed to say, dont waste my time unless a job lists "must have XX +" in its job description, and he said he hasn't seen anyone list that in a long time.