Has only having an A+ helped anyone?

kalnoky

So a quick update: I've been applying for entry-level IT/computer repair/help desk jobs recently but am wondering if I should just wait until I have the A+? And what should I put on my resume until then? Just A+ (in progress) under certifications? Everyones feedback thus far has been greatly appreciated and further motivates me to keep studying

DoubleNNs

Applying now before your A+ is good, because you're starting to work on your resume and you'll see what works and what doesn't during the job search.

But I think you should put most of your effort into studying until you get the A+. Then you can switch gears and work harder on the job search process.

kalnoky

Yeah that's probably a good idea. My current job will be out of business by the end of this month and I want to take the time I have while unemployed to study. In my area, I do see a lot of help desk/a+ required jobs getting posted almost daily so I'll keep applying in hopes to at least get an interview until I get the certification. I'm almost done with MM's book and PM's videos. From there, I think I'm going to make flash cards and start on the exam cram. As for hands-on experience, my brother wanted a new PC so he bought the parts and I was able to build it from scratch with no problems. I've also messed with my BIOS (without saving, of course) and just done what I can inside the OS (commands, msconfig, etc). What else would help with hands-on experience? I think my biggest problem is understanding all the different speeds of all the components. Any tips to remember them easier?

rolando3321

kalnoky wrote: »

What else would help with hands-on experience? I think my biggest problem is understanding all the different speeds of all the components. Any tips to remember them easier?

Flash cards are great to retain information like that. - I've gone days of studying and then it finally kicks in. It really does take time.

IMO: hands on is hard to replicate at a A+ stand point. I would focus more on getting ready for the exam, and keep applying to jobs even if they say A+. Have A+ as a goal on your resume or in progress.

Most common PC issues that come into work are virus cleans. Research tools used to clean a virus "completely"
- Also as a standard practice we test every hard drive for bad sectors. Especially in laptops; there very prone to Hard drive failure. The PC might still work, but it will cause a performance decrease. (so look for some tools to check out hardware like memory and hard drives.
- Practice working from the cmd (command line) will help you down the road (something I need to do)

Really just focus on the cert and get your foot in somewhere, anywhere for that experience. The rest will play out from there.
If your not close to taking the A+ now I would change to the 801,802 if you haven't already.

kalnoky

I plan on taking the 801/802 in September and have a date set for the 21st. I'm still studying every chance I get. I'll keep applying for places that ask for A+ even though I'm still working on it. And I agree that the flash cards will help so thanks

TechGuy215

A+ won't get you much further than a basic computer repair job, i.e. Geek Squad, EasyTech, etc... Honestly, in a professional IT environment, everyone is expected to know the basics, from the bottom - up, so from HelpDesk all the way up to a Senior Network Admin it is expected if you to know basic client OS navigation, and hardware repairs. It really just depends on what you're trying to do, or what your career aspirations are. A+ is a good foundation certification, but you will need a lot more than that to compete with other perspective employees. Good luck on your journey!

gadav478

Absolutely. I got into IT with my A+, nothing else. No you're not gonna become a network engineer (nice to dream though, right?) but it definitely shows a level of competency and if nothing else, dedication to the field. My hiring manager stated that if I didn't have my A+ I wouldn't have been considered but I had a decent interview and my A+. It can definitely be a catalyst to better things.

devils_haircut

Not to be the naysayer in the bunch, but I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of the folks in here claiming the A+ really helped them out are people who got jobs with it 8+ years ago before the 2008 crisis. The job market is a totally different animal today than it was then. I had zero luck finding work with just the A+ in a large metropolitan area. It wasn't until I had the Comptia triumvirate that I finally landed a $9/hr PC repair gig (part-time). Maybe I just had bad luck, but with the competitiveness of the job market right now, you need a bit more than the A+ to land something. I applied to Geek Squad 3 different times at multiple locations and never received a call back with A+, although now that I've read more about them, I consider that a blessing.

DoubleNNs

Might sound paradoxical, but maybe you were landing too low devils_haircut. I feel like in this economy, break-fix and other PC repair technicians (Best Buy included) make such low margins that it's hard to justify hiring someone new, especially someone full time, without a proven track record or knowing someone. You might have had better luck looking for a higher-paying help desk/technical support position.

Even still, I def agree. The job market right now is ridiculously competitive and cut-throat and I feel like the certs/experience I have now aren't nearly enough to be making what I want to be.

dmd436

3 years Customer Service and an A+ would make you a shoe in for any Help Desk. Many companies will hire you because of the Customer Service experience alone, just make sure you can get through any technical questions they may ask. Try to get in with a good company, learn as much as you can and work your way up. Good luck!

gadav478

devils_haircut wrote: »

Not to be the naysayer in the bunch, but I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of the folks in here claiming the A+ really helped them out are people who got jobs with it 8+ years ago before the 2008 crisis. The job market is a totally different animal today than it was then. I had zero luck finding work with just the A+ in a large metropolitan area. It wasn't until I had the Comptia triumvirate that I finally landed a $9/hr PC repair gig (part-time). Maybe I just had bad luck, but with the competitiveness of the job market right now, you need a bit more than the A+ to land something. I applied to Geek Squad 3 different times at multiple locations and never received a call back with A+, although now that I've read more about them, I consider that a blessing.

May be true... But not in my case... Got my first IT last year and had no IT experience. I think the A+ and the interview made the difference together. Where are you located? Maybe that plays a part?

kalnoky

Thanks again for the input, everyone. Hearing stories and people showing support have really motivated me to keep going. So since last time I posted, The company I worked for shut down. I got a job right now doing data entry and in the interview I mentioned that I was planning to take the A+ in September/October and the HR manager mentioned that they just moved someone up from the department I'm in into the IT department with no prior experience. So she wants me to get back to her once I get the certification to see if there is anything open for me

Slithy

kalnoky wrote: »

Thanks again for the input, everyone. Hearing stories and people showing support have really motivated me to keep going. So since last time I posted, The company I worked for shut down. I got a job right now doing data entry and in the interview I mentioned that I was planning to take the A+ in September/October and the HR manager mentioned that they just moved someone up from the department I'm in into the IT department with no prior experience. So she wants me to get back to her once I get the certification to see if there is anything open for me

Sounds like its already being something of a catalyst for you - great to hear.

Dragonranger

I was previously working for a software company making like 9.84 an hour and was there for 2 years while going to community college. After I earned my A+ in December of 2012 I started apply places and told myself I wanted more than 12 an hour. Iam a hobbyist and used to work at a LAN center back in the day. So I applied everywhere I could offering more than 12 an hour. I got ALOT of interviews offering between 12 and 15 an hour. Never got an offer tho. Work and school got busy so i decided to wait on applying places again.Then May of this year I got my Network+ and the company I was working didnt have any projects for me so I decided to start applying places instead of waiting for my employer to hopefully call me with a project. I got alot more interviews this time around for jobs between 14 and 22 an hour. Some at companies like ESET. Ive recently landed a job paying close to 15. And as someone who was only making 9.84 thats a big wage increase. A friend told me the best investment is the one u make in yourself. I made a 600 dollar investment in certs and now im doing much better financially, am learning new skills I can take with me to future jobs, and feel like I accomplished a goal. Im not stopping yet. I want my security + by the end of the year and more certs after. I hope my story helps to motivate u earn that A+ and even more certs. Altho the Big money wont be earned immediately its a good stepping stone.